“I AM not altogether an irreligious man,” said John B. in answer to our question, whether he was ready for death, should he be called away while we were speaking together. We were upon the sea, and after some few moments of thought, during which our little boat was flying over the waves, John said—
“It was about half-a-mile from this very spot that I nearly lost my life last Christmas, There were three of us out in this boat. We had been fishing, and were making for the harbor yonder, when an awkward sea struck the boat, and capsized her. The two men with me were brothers, one of them was sitting steering as I am now, the other had your oar where you are; I was in the bows of the boat. The two brothers were washed out, and William, who had the oar, held on to it for a time. I clung to the mast, but though the sea was running high, and, with the wind, was making a great noise, I yet could hear his voice; he was singing. William was always fond of singing. At the cottage prayer meetings, which they used to hold in one another’s houses in the winter, he was right fond of it, he was. And I could hear his voice that day, as the sea carried him away while he held on to the oar.
“It was his favorite hymn, I think, for though I could never really catch the words I knew the tune.
“‘My Saviour is now over there,
There my kindred and friends are at rest
Then away with my sorrow and care,
I shall soon reach the land of the blest.’
“Both of the men who were drowned that day were pious. I was left and should have been drowned, too, only the pilot on the pier was spying through his glass when we capsized.
“He said to a man standing by him, ‘That sea struck yon coble very awkward.’ Presently the man cried out, ‘She’s gone down, John!’
“There were a number of boats coming in harbor, and he sung out to them, and they made all haste to pick us up, and the steamer went out, too, but they were not in time to save my mates, and if it had not been for the steamer, I should have gone down, too.”
Poor John, in spite of having been so near death, and having heard the triumphant witness of his mate who sank beneath the waves singing of the home above, was still a long way off from heaven. He had not come to Jesus. We sheaved him that as the steamer came to his rescue, and saved him, helpless and sinking, so the blessed Son of God seeks and saves the lost, helpless, dying sinner, and that he, even then as he sat in the boat, might be saved.
Ah, reader, how is it with you? You, too, have no doubt been near death, and perhaps have also seen some go home from this world of sorrow in triumph! saved by grace, and rejoicing in their Saviour’s love. We ask you as we asked our friend, John B.: Are you ready to meet God just now? Are you ready, should you be called away this very moment? May God grant you to find Him now in this day of salvation.