So said a sailor just before he died. He had been an exceedingly dissolute man, much addicted to drinking and all kinds of sin. A Christian, who had taken a great interest in him, persuaded him to go to ‘a building with him where the Gospel was preached. After going once, he could not keep away—the Spirit of God arrested him. First, he supposed that if he knocked off drinking and swearing that was all that was required of him; but having been brought to see that he was a lost and ruined sinner, he sought and found redemption in Christ Jesus, and the forgiveness of all his sins.
For twelve months after his conversion, he lived for Christ, and then the sickness came that terminated his life here. The following are some of his dying words: —
“I am astonished,” said he one morning to a friend, “to and myself here. Surely there is no end to the mercy of God. How is it that I was not cut off in my sins? Many a time the shots have passed so near me as to draw’ water from my eyes—nay, I have been knocked down by them—but never was hurt, except a scratch or two. I fell twice from the topsail yard, and twice down the fore-hatch, and I have been overboard in gales of wind. Once in the Bay of Biscay I was nearly gone, and once off Bermuda; and still. I am alive! Oh, if I had gone any of those times, I should have gone to hell! and now, glory be to God, I am going to heaven.”
A friend who was visiting him said, “It is a blessed thing to make a good land fall when the voyage of life is drawing to its close, Andrew.” He replied; “Oh it is, it is; and I may truly say, I have had the land aboard ever since I was laid up here. It’s the looming of the hills of glory that cheers my soul, and it matters not how rough the voyage has been, since I have got into a good roadstead, and the port is right, under my lee.”
“Oh!” said he one day, “I am sure they will never tire (of praising God in heaven,’ for even such a poor creature as I, who cannot raise my head from off this pillow, nor turn a limb, am not tired of praising Him all day, and I say then I’ll praise Him all day.”
“I am come to Mount Calvary. I have but another anchor to heave, and then I am off with a flowing sheet to the land of endless bliss.”
“I am close-hauled,” said he on one, occasion, with a smile, “but I hold a good wind; the pirates hove in sight this, morning, but I spied the black flag and marrow-bones. One of them ranged alongside, but I poured a broadside into him, and he sheered off again. ‘You are a horrible sinner,’ said he, but I stopped his wrath quickly. ‘I know that,’ said I―
“I the Chief of sinners am
But Jesus died for me.”
“Ah! sir, what should I do with these fellows, if it were not for the witness of the Spirit? Sometimes I have them on all sides like a swarm of bees, and then I run up, my red, ensign to the main, and they are off like smoke.”
To another Christian friend who visited him, he said: “It was a happy day for me when first I went to hear.” When asked on what he built his hopes of heaven, “On the Rock, on the Rock,” he replied; “I know that my Redeemer liveth.”
The last time his friend saw him he was very feeble. At his desire the Lord’s Supper was administered to him. On being asked if he was happy, he said: “I have never been anything else since I have known the Lord. Nobody ever heard me murmur at being laid up here. This is a bed of roses to me—the happiest time of my life has been since I have been laid up here. I have been in heaven all these weeks.” His frame was reduced to a mere skeleton, but his eye was full of fire, and his countenance of animation. He motioned to his friend to draw near him, for his voice was low: “I mean to cross the bar,” said he, “all standing, studding sails, royals; and sky sails, and fire a royal salute as I run in. My last breath on earth, and my first in glory shall [praise Him. I can only think of one thing now—Oh, the greatness of His lover I am persuaded there is nothing greater or more surprising in heaven. God bless you! Never give up the sailors.”
He died on the 14th June, and his end was triumphantly glorious. How astonishing was the change that the grace of God effected. When the Christian referred to above asked him on one occasion if he was harassed with doubts, “No!” he emphatically exclaimed, “What room can there be for doubts? I feel it here, and that’s my answer when the tempter comes.”
To his friend he expressed himself to the same effect: “I have had a heavy strain or two,” said he, “but my ground-tackling is good, and when the breeze freshened I began to pay away more of the cable, and with the long service I rode easily enough till slack tide; and then I hove short and got under weigh again, and now I am once more in deep water.”