Mud Banks

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 6
CAPTAIN H was in command of the sailing ship M—.
One day, after having been on shore, he was returning in an open boat with his wife and daughter and a man, named O’B—, at about ten o'clock at night.
As they were nearing the ship the boat was struck by a heavy squall, and driven on to a mud bank, rendering it impossible to get it back into the channel.
A couple of inches of water lay upon the bank. The squall drove this as spray over the party, who could only huddle close together for warmth and wait for the morning.
At daylight the captain's daughter got out on the mud and managed with the greatest difficulty to reach the shore. After a couple of hours a tug was dispatched, the boat was pulled off the mud and brought into harbor.
The captain's wife by this time was dead and frozen stiff, and the two men were in a precarious condition.
Reader, there are many "mud banks" in this world, upon which many precious souls are swept, and whereon they perish. There is the mud bank of
INFIDELITY.
How many thousands perish upon this, content to have the spray of their own infidel reasoning dashed into their faces until they are washed on the shores of a never-ending eternity— without Christ. We warn such against their folly. Unlike the friends of our story, who had to wait for help till the morning, Jesus is ready NOW to befriend you. Only turn to Him and He will bless you.
But we would warn you of another mud bank. Many are deceived by it. There looks enough water to float their boat into the haven but oh! how deceptive. That mud bank is A CHRISTLESS RELIGION.
How many are content with an empty, hollow, Christless profession! Such imagine that "the filthy rags" of their own righteousness will suffice to cover them and keep them from perishing. What folly! The day of exposure is coming. "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6).) "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23).) “Without shedding of blood is no remission." (Heb. 9:2222And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22).)
It is a good thing for his own health and the happiness of those around him when the drunkard reforms; but reformation never has, never can, and never will fit a soul for the presence of God.
Many have the mistaken notion that there is a spark of goodness within them, which only needs fanning into a flame; but what they need is not reformation, but
CONVERSION.
Have you been converted, reader?
“Christ is the Savior; He never will fail.
All hope to save yourself will nothing avail.
Man is a total wreck, can never reach the shore,
All who trust in Jesus Christ are saved evermore.”
May God give you to trust the precious blood of Jesus, which alone avails to put away sin.
F. T.