A gospel meeting was in progress in a seacoast town when a message was sent up front to the speaker as follows: “Thanksgiving to God is desired of this congregation by the captain, passengers and crew of the Princess Anne, for their merciful deliverance from shipwreck during the late awful storm.”
The following day the preacher went on board the ship as she lay in the harbor and was chatting with a passenger when a lady came up and spoke to him.
“Oh sir,” she said, “what a wonderful blessing personal faith in Christ must be! Never did I see it more displayed than in my maid, Ellen, during the storm.
“When we expected every wave to swallow and send us to the bottom, and my mind was in such horrible fear—I was afraid to die—Ellen would come to me and say, with all possible calmness, ‘Never mind, missee. Look to Jesus Christ. He made—He rule—de sea!!
“And when, sir, we neared the shore, and did not know where we were, fearing every minute to be dashed on the rocks, Ellen said, with the same peace as before, ‘Don’t fear, missee. Look to Jesus Christ. He de Rock. No shipwreck on dat Rock. He save to de utmost. Don’t fear, missee. Look to Jesus Christ!’ "
The preacher wished, of course, to see this dear soul, poor, yet rich in faith. So she was called; and, in the presence of the sailors, the following conversation took place.
“Well, Ellen, I am glad to find you know something of Jesus Christ.”
“Jesus Christ, sir? Oh, He be very good to my soul! Jesus Christ! oh, He very dear to me!”
“How long is it since you knew the Saviour?”
“Why, sir, some time ago I hear Mr. Williams preach about de blessed Jesus. He say to us folks, de blessed Jesus come down from heaven. He pity we poor sinners. We die or He die—He die, so we no die. He suffer on de cross—He shed His precious blood—for we poor sinners. I feel me a sinner; I cry; I pray to Jesus, and He wash me in His precious blood. He save me!”
“And when did you see Mr. Williams last?”
“Sir, de fever take him; he lie in bed. He call us black people and say, ‘Come round de bed, my children. I go to be with Jesus... May you meet me before God; and den he fall asleep... He sleep till de trumpet of de archangel wake him.”
ML-01/29/1978