A BOY who had been brought up in a Sunday-school was persuaded when young to go to sea, by an ungodly relation, who led him to think that such a life was best. Now we know that sailors are very useful men and very necessary, but unhappily they are often very bad in their ways; and for a youth to go from the care of his parents and teachers, to be shut up in a ship with men who have no fear of God before their eyes, who use bad words and laugh at good things, is very bad indeed. Once out at sea in such company, he has no escape from seeing and hearing their wickedness; and if, as is often the case, he is unkindly used, he has no fond mother or father to appeal to, but must bear hard treatment and vile language as best he can. He will often wish that he was home again beneath the care and protection of his parents, but the wish comes too late.
Now the young sailor whose little history we are going to tell you found himself surrounded with wicked companions, and soon forsook the teaching he had received in the Sunday-school. The truth. he had there heard seemed for a time to have been blessed to him, at least, so far as to convince him of his need of a Saviour and of the “beauty of holiness;” but shut up day and night with ungodly men, who hardly ever spoke without an oath and made a mock at sin, these convictions soon passed away, and his own confession is, that for eleven years he sailed on the ocean “in daily rebellion against God.” How shocking for one who had once been “not far from the kingdom of God!” Does the little reader feel his need of Christ? Has he been awakened to a sense of his danger as a sinner? Is he conscious that there is no safety, no hope of salvation but in Jesus? If so, do not turn from these convictions and put off going to Christ to some future time, as is too often done. Go to Him at once, and confess Him your Saviour and Lord, believing that His precious blood is all-sufficient to put away your sins forever. Many have had bitter cause to regret having waited and waited from day to day only half in earnest about their souls, intending to go to Jesus soon but not now, until at last something or other has come in and turned their hearts quite away, and all concern about Christ and salvation has been blotted out altogether.
This was the case with the young sailor. All the impressions he had received in the Sunday-school passed away, and the knowledge of the truth which still remained with him, only aggravated his sin in the sight of God. During the eleven years which were thus spent in open sin, he sailed to almost every part of Europe and Africa, South America and British North America. In these voyages he was of course exposed to many dangers, indeed the life of a sailor is one of continual risk, and it is wonderful that such men can live on from day to day with “no fear of God before their eyes.” And yet it is not wonderful, because you know the carnal mind is enmity against God,” and mere dangers, however great, can never change the heart. No. Nothing but the grace of God can make any one a “new creature in Christ Jesus.” Do you know this, little reader? If so, why do you keep on waiting from day to day for something to make you better, instead of going to Christ at once? Well, this sailor did so, although he knew better. Yet God in His mercy spared him. In many a danger from storms and battles (for he was in a ship of war) God preserved him. Many a time did he see other men shot down by his side; some, it may be, were washed overboard in the wild storm; or in climbing the rigging to furl or unfurl the sails, fell and were killed or maimed for life, yet he was still preserved. But all this did not touch his hard heart. Perhaps, at such times, he may have felt, just for the passing moment, some sense of God’s goodness, and if he did, it is not unlikely that he thought it was very good of him to feel so, and that such good feelings made up a little for his bad ways. Ah! that is just one of the tricks that Satan and our own hearts (“deceitful above all things”) play with us, to keep us in darkness and away from Christ. But at last a new and strange danger befell him. Accustomed dangers had ceased to have any effect upon him; he had got, used to them, and so God in His great mercy sent him, a danger he had never been in before. You shall hear all about it in his own words. It happened long ago, in the days of the old war, when England was at war with France. The sailor thus tells us about it.
“In May, 1812, we were sailing to the East Indies, from London, being near the equinoctial line. Two ships were in company, with a detachment of soldiers on board of each, and it being a fine day, and our ship and her consort not more than three-fourths of a mile apart, the crews and soldiers of both ships obtained leave from their officers to go a-swimming. I, then a daring sinner, plunged into the water, in company, perhaps, with one hundred more. A man from the other ship, at the same time, with a bottle of rum in his hand, while swimming, challenged any of us to meet him half way between the two vessels. A soldier, who was a better swimmer than I, agreed with me to meet him at the distance of nearly half a mile, when our mate, who was up in the rigging, saw a shark coming astern of our ship, and called to us to make haste on board. Those who were near, got immediately on board, and a boat was lowered down for the rest; but she could not hold all the soldiers, and I, who was furthermost from the ship, was, in consequence, left. By this time, some had thrown overboard a hook, with an eight-pound piece of pork on it, with the intention of decoying the shark from us; it seemed to take no notice of it, but steered directly for us. By this time my companion, who outswam me, had reached the head of the ship, and taken hold of a rope that hung from thence, but was so exhausted that he could not climb it. While he was trying to climb the rope, I came up to him, and caught him by the leg as he hung about half out of the water. My clenching him caused him to slip down, and being more expert than he, I caught hold of the rope above his hands, and, placing my knees upon his shoulders, made an effort to reach the head of the ship: but at that instant the rope broke, and plunged us both into the water alongside of the shark. I then swam round the stern of the ship, and took hold of another rope, and was soon on deck, and out of danger. Looking down at the soldier, I saw the shark open his mouth to receive his prey. The men on deck called at the same time to the man to kick with his feet. He did so, and struck the shark on his nose, when he directly turned away from the man, who at that instant was caught by a rope with a noose on it, and hauled up into the ship.”
Thus the man was saved. As to the shark, finding that his prey was gone, he took the bait which the sailors had cast to him, and was soon hoisted on deck. His size was enormous, being about sixteen feet in length, while his terrible jaws, when extended, would admit of a bulk nearly as big as a barrel. As the sailor looked on the destructive creature, he shuddered to think of the horrible death he had so nearly suffered; and his reflections were, by God’s grace, made a blessing to his soul.
Early impressions received in the Sunday-school came fresh to his mind. His long course of sin and rebellion against God in the face of those impressions filled him with alarm. Convicted of sin, he fled to Christ for salvation, and that precious blood which God declares “cleanseth from all sin,” met his deep need. A sinner saved by grace. He says, “I consider a Sunday-school, properly conducted, a great blessing to the poor of our land. I am a living witness of its benefits.”
ML 01/10/1909