LITTLE boy eight years old, that we will call Charlie, went with his father on a voyage. He made a fishing rod and took it with him, and in spite of his father’s orders, he continually held it over-board hoping to catch fish with it. At last they told him that he was risking his life, as what he was doing was very dangerous, and he was strictly forbidden to do so again. He was carefully watched, but he was determined to disobey. One day he locked himself into one of the Cabins, and in order to carry out his intention, leaned out of the window on a rotten plank, which probably broke under his weight.
However it was, he fell into the sea. Everywhere they searched for him, but the Steam-ship went on rapidly, leaving the disobedient child far behind. The father nearly beside himself, with anxiety called out: “Charlie! Charlie!” He opened all the doors, and when he came to the locked one, he forced it open,—and there—there, my dear readers! he saw the broken plank, and a piece of the fishing-rod. Unhappy father! unhappy child!
O, my dear little friends, ask God to keep you from the spirit of disobedience. How terrible to die like that!
Messages of God’s Love 3/27/1921