A vessel was sailing in the Pacific Ocean when she suddenly struck a reef. The shock was so violent that it was evident that the vessel must soon become a total loss, so the captain and crew immediately took to the boats, hoping to reach some island or to sight a ship which would take them aboard. But they scanned the horizon in vain; neither land nor ship appeared for fourteen days, and they were beginning to despair when on the morning of the fifteenth day they saw that they were approaching an unknown coral island, on the shores of which they could see the waves breaking with masses of white foam.
The islanders had already sighted the boats and were crowding to the beach, but the sailors did not know whether they should rejoice or tremble, exhausted as they were and almost dead from hunger, for, if the islanders were pagans, a worse fate than to be swallowed by the waves perhaps awaited them, for it often happened in those days that if some unfortunate whites fell into their hands, they were regarded as victims to be offered to their idols and then eaten.
While the shipwrecked men watched with anxiety every movement of the people on shore, they saw one of the natives approaching rapidly through the breakers, holding a book aloft and crying: "Missionary! missionary!”
What a reassuring cry! Missionaries had been in that island, and through them the people had learned to know the Holy Book. There was nothing to fear!
With joyous shouts the sailors answered the natives and called for help. At once there was a rush to meet them: some guided the boats through the reef, others carried the men to shore and gave them abundance of food and every possible care with truly Christian affection.
But a still greater surprise awaited the captain. He found out that the humane feelings of all these people were due to the labors among them of his own brother! God had used him to bring to these pagan islanders the precious Book and the knowledge of its teachings. He had granted him not only the honor and joy of imparting the blessings of Christianity to these poor pagans, but also the happiness of saving the lives of his brother and his crew.
And what about the Book which the islander had waved aloft as a token of peace? It was the Book of books, the Bible; the Book which God has given to men that they may know Him, and it meets the soul's need of every human being in every land who reverently accepts its teachings. That Book had changed those coarse, ignorant and cruel savages into Christians full of gentleness and kindness. It had told them of a Savior who loved them and died for them, and they had believed the good news.
Dear readers, may we ask you if you have this Book, and if so, what has it done for you? The Lord Jesus said: "Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Me." John 5:39.