It was in the month of August. The day had been a perfect one, as our sturdy steamer, the “Alaska,” freighted with human beings, steadily plowed her way through the waters of the Pacific along the coast of the States. The Sea’s calm face dimpled and sparkled with pleasure as the Sun’s warm rays greeted her. Then he slipped slowly down the western sky till he touched her glowing cheek, and dipping down into her cool waters, he disappeared from view.
And now the bright stars had twinkled merrily out, one by one, to keep watch over the quietly sleeping Sea. All day long the Coast had coyly played hide and seek with our vessel. Now approaching near enough to be distinctly seen, and then gliding far away and disappearing in the dim distance.
Wearily I paced the deck, round and round I went, while thoughts of my dear ones filled my mind; my beloved wife and children, whom I had left behind me, and my dear bereaved sister, to whom as going, I was tired and longed for my bed, but something seemed to hold me on deck. Yet there seemed no possibility of danger,—the calm sea, the bright sky; all forbade such a thought. But was there no danger? Oh that then some kind friend had been able to raise a warning voice, and cry aloud, “Danger! Danger! Launch the lifeboats! Put into them every man, woman and child on the vessel! Push quickly away from her! She is doomed!”
Reader, pause! Tell me, is the sea of your life as calm, the sky above you as cloudless, and the stars as bright, as on that eventful night? No danger in sight? But listen! God has foretold in His Word, by prophecy, picture and parable, of a coming judgment. Will you not heed His warning, which comes to you as those in Sodom, “Escape for thy life!” Our old world which was once destroyed by a flood, shall in the future be destroyed by fire. What will become of your immortal soul when judgment comes, for God says: “All have sinned,” and the soul that sinnieth, it shall die,” and “After death, the judgment.” And the cry has gone forth: “Prepare to meet thy God!”
But on our vessel we had no hint of coming disaster. It was now ten o’clock, and all was quiet. Suddenly, without a moment’s warning, there was a fearful shock! It almost threw me off my feet. A quiver of agony trembled through the whole ship, as though it were a thing alive! Then all was still again. Oh, what had happened? Pale, appealing faces began to appear, and no one could answer their pleading questions. A feeling of tense uncertainty had gripped every heart!
ML 11/18/1951