IT was a wild night, and with the temperature well below zero, a party of explorers crept into their sleeping-bags inside their frail tents to try and snatch a few hours' much-needed sleep.
They had set out over a year before in an attempt to reach the South Pole, and now, with their ship wrecked and their hopes dashed to the ground, they were endeavoring to reach land.
The Antarctic Sea was a mass of jagged ice floes which crashed together as they were rocked by the waves. On the night of which we write, the explorers had hauled their three small boats on to a flat piece of ice, pitched their tents, eaten a scanty meal, and turned in for the night.
About midnight the floe suddenly lifted on the crest of a swell and without any warning it cracked right across under the middle of the main tent. The position was indeed serious, for the tiny camp was divided 1 Those who a moment before were sleeping together were now separated by a dark strip of icy water, which grew wider every second.
The leader, realizing their danger of being separated altogether, had one of the boats launched at once, and quickly transferred all the men and their belongings on to the larger of the two pieces of ice before the other finally drifted away into the darkness.
I wonder if those reading this story have ever stopped to think that there is a division going on like this in the world to-day. It affects everybody, and is such that all the people who have ever lived are going to be divided into two classes forever. There will be one company, all of whom have put their simple trust in the Lord Jesus and have owned Him as their Savior. They love Him because He first loved them; and gave Himself for them; and this company is going to be with Him in heaven forever! But there will be another company formed of those who have never trusted the Lord Jesus as their Savior. These have never accepted His loving invitation to poor sinners to come and be blessed! They lived without Him, and they will be without Him forever!
To which company do YOU belong?
A. C. S. P.