Coming along side, the sailors leaped upon our raft, and tendey lifted us into their boat. Then they glided on round, rescuing others. One of the rescued was a tiny morsel of a girl four years. She was lying, apparently lifeless, on a piece of wreckage, her long, black hair tossed above her head, and her little white form still as death.
“She is dead!” they whispered as they were tenderly lifting her. But the low moan that escaped her lips just then showed that there was still life in her poor little body.
We were taken to the steamer and pu t by the big furnace fire, where our numb and aching limbs were warmed back to life. Arriving at the nearest port we were taken to a beautiful hotel, and given the best rooms. What contrast were our luxurious surroundings to our poor, pitiful selves, dripping with black crude oil, which covered us from head to foot. I could have wept to think of the contrast, and felt like the prodigal son, clothed with 1 he “best robe.”
Kind, sympathetic hands and hearts soon provided us with everything that we could need; baths, clean clothes, and luxurious beds, in which we were soon enjoying rest and sleep. The next day I saw the little girl sitting on the lap of one of her rescuers, laughing and chatting away as though the horrors of the past night and been forgotten. I was able to continue my journey to my sister, my heart overflowing with thankfulness to our loving Heavenly Father for so wonderfully saving my life.
Reader, cannot a wonderful lesson be learned from this touching tale of the sea, a lesson of God’s great love and mercy, and power to save those who trust in Him? How like that doomed vessel is this old world, for the devil is luring to destruction that which God created so fair and beautiful. It is going on the rocks, freighted with the priceless souls of men. For even God’s creature, man, has yielded himself a willing servant to this enemy. He has made himself the servant of sin, and “The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23). Thus the devil would drag your precious soul down to destruction with this stupendous wreck. But God, in His mercy, has provided a way of escape, so that none need perish, no matter how weak and helpless they may be. He is sending the Life-boat, the Lord Jesus Christ, to you. Can you not see Him coming along side, close to you? He is longing to lift you tendey off the sinking wreck, and save you before it is too late. Will you not let Him? Hark! He is calling you. Above the noise of the breakers comes His clear, loving accents: “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 45:2222Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22). You need not perish. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever° believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
ML 12/09/1951