(A Sailor’s Story.)
IN the year 187— I was on board H.M.S.—, outward bound; it was my first voyage in a man-of-war, and I had then no idea what it would be like. I had chosen the sea as a profession, having much desired to be a Sailor, to see foreign lands, and all the strange and wonderful sights I had read about; so I felt delighted to be on board ship, and outward bound.
We made our final start one Sunday afternoon; to my surprise, when the order was given to weigh anchor, the band began to play a lively tune. I had never spent the Lord’s day in such a manner in my life before, and it made me feel very unhappy. We left the harbor under plain sail, but we were not long at sea before a storm arose. Oh! how I longed to be back at home with those I loved so dearly. I had read of storms, but now I was in one. I resolved that if God spared me through that storm, I would be a different person; but alas! I did not keep my resolution; I went on still in my old way, the downward road to destruction; but God pitied me.
I often felt very unhappy, and longed to be a Christian, and to experience peace of mind, and I thank God He did bring it to pass in His own good time.
When we were within four days of Hong Kong, a boy fell from aloft, and was killed. I felt it to my heart, and thought, “If that had been me, where should I be now?” I was wretched. “Oh,” I thought, “if I had wings I would flee away,” but I knew I could not flee from God. I felt the burden of my sins more and more daily, and the thought arose, “If I remain in a man-of-war I shall surely go to hell!” I told all this to my chum, and I resolved to run away. I burned all my letters; and wrote a letter home to my parents, telling them of my intended desertion; this letter was to be sent after I left the ship, but on arriving at Hong-Kong I changed my mind.
Some weeks rolled past, and I still felt miserable. I had two mess-mates who loved the Lord; how I longed to have a talk with them! I remember one day one of them, called Weston, was speaking to a mess-mate about his soul; I listened, and as he spoke, the words penetrated my heart. I went on the upper deck with him, and he told me of the love of Jesus. How sweet and precious those words were to a thirsty soul! The following night I was asked to keep the signal-man’s watch, as he wanted to go on shore. I did so, and as I was walking the bridge, and thinking of what had been said to me on the previous day, that passage from the epistle to the Romans came into my mind, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” As I thought thereon, I could picture to myself the two masters—God and Satan. “Well,” I said, “I can be a faithful follower of the devil, live hard, and die hard, and go to eternal death afterward, but that is a hard lot indeed.” Then I thought of God’s gift, eternal life! and Satan’s wages, death. Oh; what a contrast!
I decided that I would serve God.
Memory recalls the next day—everything seemed changed. I felt myself a new man, trusting in Christ Jesus, and inexpressibly happy; and the desire arose to tell all around what a Saviour I had found. I soon found that God could be served on board a man-of-war ship, through His grace, which is sufficient for all trials: for He has promised that His strength shall be made perfect in weakness.
Dear reader, may these simple facts encourage someone who is situated in a similar position on the rough waves of life to that in which I am. J. E. M.