Out on the sea in a small sailboat, a father and son were on the lookout for turtles, especially hawksbill turtles, as their shells sold at that time for a high price. They were used for the manufacture of tortoiseshell combs, brushes and many other articles. Soon they saw one of these turtles clearly visible in the beautiful transparent waters of the Bahamas. They estimated that its shell would sell for more than $100.00—a great sum for that time.
But the turtle eluded them, hiding under sunken rocks, and all their efforts proved to be in vain. They went out again the next day, and the next, but they didn’t see any more of their wished-for prize. At last the father gave it up as a bad job.
The young man, however, decided to continue the search alone. He told his father that if he stayed home and the turtle was captured, the father would lose his share of the money it brought. But the father was adamant and said it was no use to keep on.
The boy pled with his father, saying, “You know, Dad, very often the day you stay home is the day you would succeed, so you had better come.”
The old man said, “No,” and he meant, “No.” The boy urged and coaxed, but finally had to go alone. That day he caught the turtle, returning in triumph to the little fishing village.
News of the catch had preceded him by means of another boat, which had gotten back before the successful, young turtle-hunter did. When he landed his catch on the wharf, quite a number of the villagers were there to see the prize. Among them was the old man. If he had only gone that morning—but it was too late. His share of the prize money was gone.
“Say, Son,” he cried, “why didn’t you take me with you?”
“You know I asked you, Dad.”
“Yes, but you should have urged me to go,” replied the disappointed old fisherman.
“I did, Father—you know I did.”
“But why didn’t you plead with me?” the old man insisted.
“You know I tried as hard as I knew how to get you to go, Father, but you just simply wouldn’t.”
“But Son,” wailed the old man, “you should have made me go!”
The loss of the prize money was a severe loss to the old man, for money did not come so easy in his life, but after all, it was only money. Have you ever stopped to think that you are in danger of losing something far more valuable?
Your soul! Your soul stands for your life, your real living. You are in danger of losing forever the happiness of really living—of knowing eternally the joy of life, divine life, a life of perfect joy and peace and glory.
Instead you are risking eternal death, eternal grief, the weeping and wailing of which our Lord Jesus speaks. It may be that in the day of judgment you might think of us who are Christians, as you stand before the judgment throne of God and say, “Why, oh why, did you not ask me to come to Christ; why did you not urge me; why didn’t you maKe me come?”
Oh, if we only could, we surely would. We can’t make you come, but we can plead with you. Once more we urge you to come to Christ. Come just as you are, and trust Him as your Saviour. He died for you that you might live forever with Him. Come to Him now; make no delay. “Now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2)!
“ Whosoever will,
let him take the water of life freely.”