While strolling along the seashore early one morning, Dr. McCrossen discovered that he was not alone. Seated on one of the benches was an old sailor. His shirt, cap and rugged features all spoke of his occupation. Sitting down beside the old sailor, the doctor asked, “What is the meaning of that fish picture on your button?”
“There’s a tale behind that button,” replied the old man. I like to tell it to anyone who will lien.”
“I’m interested. Please go ahead.”
“Well, it goes back some sixty years when I was a boy and went to sea. I was jolly lucky, sir, in the ship I happened to take. The captain was a good man, a Christian. I learned the meaning of that word on his ship. Don’t know that I’d ever met a real one before. We hadn’t gone far out to sea when he ordered all hands on deck. ‘Boys,’ he said, ‘it has always been my custom to have a prayer whenever I set out on a voyage and commit the ship to the Lord God. I believe in prayer and He has never failed me when I really trusted Him.’
“Right there he ordered us all down on our knees while he prayed and committed the ship, everyone and everything on board to the Lord. Every day he prayed with us and read a portion of the Book. It wasn’t long before every sailor on board was converted to God. It wasn’t only the captain’s teaching but his life that won us. There was no drinking, fighting or swearing during the entire voyage.
“We had a fair voyage around the Cape and north to India. After unloading we took on a new cargo and started for home. We had been gone a year. All went well until we sailed into the Bay of Biscay. There we ran into a terrible storm. I thought of Jonah’s experiences, but there was no Jonah on our ship. She was lifted mountain-high, then plunged to the depths of the sea. Suddenly she struck a sharp rock and we rushed to the pumps. Work as hard as we could, we couldn’t stop the water from rising. We were completely worn out and told the captain we were dead beat!
“Our good captain didn’t seem worried. ‘Boys,’ he said, ‘remember when we left England we prayed and committed the ship to God? I know He heard me and I am trusting Him. He will see us safely through.’
“Cheered by these words we returned to work, and it wasn’t long before we noticed the water was going down. This spurred us on, and in a short time the ship was pumped dry. What happened, we didn’t know. We just thanked Almighty God; and when we reached smooth water, we held a praise meeting.
“When we arrived on shore, the ship was drydocked. And what do you suppose we found? Well, that great hole was corked by a fish, a dolphin, if you please, sir. The same Lord who spoke to Jonah’s fish spoke to that dolphin so that he poked his nose into the ship’s hold. Sometimes I think dumb creatures can hear God’s voice when stupid humans who don’t believe in Him cannot.”
“And the button?” I reminded him.
“Oh, yes, we had a pin made to remember the goodness of the Lord with the picture of a dolphin on it. I always wear it. And every morning I sit here by the shore in case some lonely fellow comes along needing a helping hand. I tell him this story and show him the way to God, the God who loves him and can help him. I try to lead him to the Saviour just as our good captain showed us the way when we first put out to sea.”
-Young Gleaners
ML-10/07/1979