A Chaplain working among the mine-sweepers, the Rev. Harold Burrows, relates the following touching incident: ―
“One of our truly religious fishermen, a mine-sweeper, was put in another boat for certain purposes, where the men were strangers to him. One day when sweeping for mines he was in the wheelhouse with another man, when something seemed to tell him that danger was near, and that he should not hide his faith in God under a bushel, even-of modesty. So he began to sing,
‘One step I see before me,
‘Tis all I want to see;
The light of Heaven more brightly shines
When earth’s illusions flee.’
“Imagine the man’s delighted surprise,” says Mr. Burrows, “when his comrade, evidently another of the ‘shy, modest,’ religious men, joined in the next verse. Then they sang the last verse together:
‘So on I go, not knowing,
I would not if I might;
I’d rather walk in the dark with God
Than walk alone in the light!
I’d rather walk by faith with Him
Than walk alone by sight.’
“God kept them safe then, and they soon became fast friends. A month later the second man sustained an accident which was to prove fatal. When the friend visited him, he asked for the same hymn to be sung. It was, and smilingly holding the hand of his comrade, the gentle, brave soul passed away murmuring,
“‘By faith — by faith — with — with — with Him!’”