The Story of a Shipwreck
Unknown Author
Table of Contents
The Story of a Shipwreck: He Love His Own
DEAR children, I want to tell you a story, a true story, and a very sad one.
Many years ago, a gentleman, with his wife and little boy, went on a long voyage to a distant country, called Australia. The little boy was named Joseph, and on the voyage another little child was born. They were to land at a place called Sydney, and were looking forward with the hope of reaching it very soon, when, by some accident or through some mistake, suddenly, in the middle of the night, they were roused from their sleep by the striking of the ship upon a rock. The ship was broken, and the water slowly coming in; besides which it stuck fast upon the rock. The night was dark, but the water was calm, and the sailors found that although they were among rocks, still it was possible to get on shore, by taking a few at a time in the ship's boats. However, the captain and passengers agreed that it would be better to wait for the daylight, lest in the darkness any should fall into the sea, and be drowned. So they waited, anxiously watching for the morning.
But what will you say when I tell you, that, just as the faintest gleam of light appeared in the east, the wind began to bloom, the heavy dark clouds gathered over-head and beneath, the sea began to swell, and the big waves rose up on all sides, dashing with fury against the poor disabled ship, and threatening to wash everyone over-board.
What could these poor people do? They had lost the calm hours of the night, when they might have reached the land; and now death stared them in the face, and a watery grave.
No boat could be launched on those angry waters, but the sailors thought of a way of escape. One bold man fastened a rope round his waist, and committing himself to the sea, swam off from the ship, fighting for his very life, as wave after wave rose before him-sometimes buried him in their depths, and then bore him aloft on their crests. But exhausted, half dead, yet with the rope round his waist, he at last reached a low rock, on which he climbed, and from thence to another, until he, was able to fasten the rope securely, beyond reach of the water.
Now, then, there was a way of escape for any who would trust themselves to that rope. One after another of the sailors, putting the rope under his shoulder, or holding on to it as he swam, passed along by its help-swimming when he could, and holding on to it when a big wave washed over him-and so all the sailors got safely to land. One passenger did the same, and lived to tell the tale.
But what became of the gentleman, with his wife and children? He was a strong brave man, and surely could have saved himself as the sailors did; and life is very dear to all of us. But there are some things dearer than life, and he loved his wife and children. He could not save himself and leave them to perish! A very strong man could only just hold on to the cope by himself, and it was impossible to take his wife and little ones through that foaming sea. Besides, his wife was very weak, and the baby only a few days old. So he perished with them!
Did he perish? His body, with that of His wife and children, was buried in the deep, deep sea, but their spirits went to be with Christ, whom on earth little Joseph had known and loved. The one passenger who was saved, said that he last saw them standing on the wreck, calm and peaceful amidst the confusion. commending themselves, I feel sure to Him who rules the waves, and who counts the hairs of our heads.
I often think of that sad scene; and you will not wonder, when I tell you that that gentleman was my own brother. And it reminds me of another tale, quite as true, and far more wonderful. You will perhaps guess what I mean, when I repeat these words, “Love is stronger than death. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it." And again, those beautiful words, "Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it." You know He was the Son of God, as well as the Son of Mary; and all the time He lived down here, He did always the things that pleased God. Would He not have been welcome in heaven at any moment, if He had pleased to leave this bad world, and go up to the bosom of His Father? And when Judas betrayed Him, and the chief priests and Pilate got Him into their hands, to nail Him to the tree, could He not have asked for more than twelve legions of angels, to put all His enemies to flight? Oh, yes; He had the Power! but in His heart there was something He loved better than life. Like my poor brother, who would not swim to shore alone, leaving his wife and little ones to perish, so Christ knew that to save His own life, He must go to heaven alone. That, once entered in, the door would be forever shut against every poor sinner left down here; that if any were to be saved, it must be through His death; and that by dying He could, through death, bring any who believe on Him, safe to His own blessed home above.
So He willingly died. It was a cruel and a shameful death; and more than that, He had to bear the wrath of God for our sins, to save us from the judgment we deserved. But He bore it all, because of the great love He had for His own-yes, for little children who look up to Him now-and all because He did not want to go to heaven alone.
Oh, I hope, when I go up to see His face-along with those dear ones, whose bodies were buried beneath the waves-I hope that YOU will be there to sing with me that song-"Unto Mm who loved and washed us from our sins in his own blood, to him be glory, forever and ever.”
When we saw the sad tidings in the, newspaper, we wrote to a friend in Sydney, asking him to find out the one passenger who was saved; and he told us this sad tale. He also went to the sea-shore, where the ship was wrecked, and rowed off in a boat to the rocks and low-lands, where she struck; and there, washed up by the waves, he found two little shoes, which he buried in the sand.
One word more. My brother could only die with those he so dearly loved. But Jesus, in dying for His one, could bring them out of death, giving them eternal life; and none can pluck them out of His hand. For He says, “Because I live, ye shall live also.”
O Jesus! to tell of Thy love,
Our souls shall forever delight
And join with the blessed above,
In praises by day and by night.
Wherever we follow Thee, Lord,
Admiring, adoring we see,
That love which was stronger than death
Flow out without limit, and free.
Descending from glory on high
With men Thy delight was to dwell,
Contented, our Surety to die,
By dying to save us from hell:
Enduring the grief and the shame,
And bearing our sin on the cross,
Oh! who would not boast of this love,
And count the world's glory but lose
“Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end." John 13:1.
Shining Lights: The Little Colliers at Work
WHAT a dreary hand time of it those two poor little collier boys had list winter!
At work all day long, underground, in the deep dark coal pits. Up at four o'clock in the morning, and as they had some miles to walk, never home again till seven at night. Such dirty disagreeable work too, so that when at last their tired feet reached their father's door, they could only wash off the black coal dust, eat their supper, and go to bed.
But almost the worst part of it was, never being able to see the sun all those winter months, excepting just on Sundays. Nothing but darkness for them all day and all night, unless you could call the feeble glimmer of the tallow candle they each carried stuck in their hats, light! And what a beautiful thing the sun is! have you watched it rising like a great red globe of fire on a winter's morning, till gradually it bursts forth in all its light and splendor, and gladdens the face of the whole earth?
But if; instead of this brilliant sight, you were to go and stand every morning at the mouth of a coal mine, I think you would be a little frightened. It is so terribly dark and deep, and the steam that rises is so dense that you cannot see down many feet. But there the collier men and boys go, every day of the six: and alas! they are sometimes carried up sadly hurt and wounded. So now you can fancy how these boys used to look forward to Sunday, when they were able to see each other's faces, and everything else, clearly and brightly; and when they could feel the warmth and cheer of the sun's rays, if only for a few hours.
“Poor boys!" you will say: and yet do you know there are a great many people in the world who never see the light at all? I meet a number of men, women, and children who are always groping about in the dark, often stumbling, sometimes falling, and yet getting up again, and going on in the same old way. Don't you ever meet these "blind people"? But, perhaps you are in the dark yourselves. When the Son of Man-the Lord Jesus Christ-was upon earth, He went about giving sight to the blind, not only to Bartimeus and those other blind men, but He said, "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." "In him was life, and the life was the light of men." How strange it was that so few carne to the light! Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Just as when you let a sunbeam, into a dark room, it instantly discovers all the dirt and dust that may have gathered there; so it was with the Lord Jesus, men could not bear His presence; nor can they now, because all that is in them is discovered and tested by the light.
You have read the history of the dreadful plagues God sent upon Pharaoh king of Egypt, because he would not let the children of Israel go: and will remember that among them was a thick darkness, which even might have been felt. It lasted for three days, and spread over all the land, so that none of the Egyptians were able to see each other all that time, or to leave their houses. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. What, a terrible time that must have been, thick black darkness, day and night, not a thing to be seen! But God's own people were in light and comfort-no matter how dark and terrible a shadow was upon everything without, they had light, God's light in their dwellings.
Have you light in your dwellings? All around is lying in deep, deep shadow, because of man's rejection of God's dear Son-the true light-but there is one line of light, the track which He made when walking down here, which leads right up to glory.
Are you delivered from the “power of darkness," and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son? Oh! it is worse, much worse for you, if you are not one of the "children of light," than it was for the poor little colliers. They were kept from the light of the sun for a few months, but you will be shut out from the light of God's presence forever and ever-"cast out into outer darkness, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Will you listen now to the words of Jesus, "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness;" and by believing on Him, not only get your sins put away forever from God's sight, but be able to give thanks to the Father, who hath made you meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light?”
Have you never proved the use of a lantern on a dark, cloudy night? We were driving home from a largo town the other day, and as it was wintry weather, it began to get dark very early. Black clouds gathered overhead and the sun set, so that very soon we were hardly able to see our way. What was to be done? We thought of the anxious watchers at home, and the long lonely hills that had yet to be surmounted, and our hearts sank. “If we could only light the lamps, we should not care," we said, "for then we should be able to see our way plainly, and no other carriage coming fast down the hills, could run into us, for they would see our lights.” So we stopped at the door of a small cottage, and as quickly as I could, for each moment it grew darker, I ran in and asked for matches. How I thanked the kind woman who hurried out with a box-full, and there stood at the door, while we carefully opened and lighted the lamps. Then we were happy, the rain began to pour in torrents, but what did it matter? we could see our way-the darkness was just as great-but we had light. We could see all the rough and dangerous parts of the road quite clearly, and the lamps guided us safely all the way home. And oh; if you are following the One who has “called us out of darkness into his marvelous light," you will find it not difficult to see your way down here, for the light will be shining all around you, and you will only have to walk according to it. Like Paul, when he had seen "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" did not care for anything else. The "mid-day" sun shone full and clear, but he saw a light above its brightness.
Oh! is the "god of this world" still blinding your eyes? Can you bear the thought of being shut out from the presence of the Lord Jesus forever? He is longing to open your eyes, and to turn you from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that you may receive the forgiveness of your sins. For just as you cannot stand the light if there be a speck of dirt upon you; so no one can dwell with God (for "He is light, and in him is no darkness at all"), unless one has first been made clean and white in the blood of Jesus. I hope that the little colliers I have been telling about, and you too, will find out very soon what it is to be “light in the Lord." Then you will not any longer be groping about in darkness, but gazing upon light and beauty in the face of Jesus Christ. And then you will not be able to help your own light shining before men, for it will be the reflection of what you see in Him.
"I see poor men around me in darkness, and I yearn
To let my little taper more clearly, brightly burn.”
Soon, very soon He is coming to take us to be with Himself, and then there will be no more need of the sun, or moon, or any candle, or lamp; for the glory of God and the Lamb will be our light. Oh! what a light that will be, the light of God's own presence- night and darkness passed away forever!
“The radiance of the glories
Which clothe you bright abode,
Throw back their beams of brightness
Upon our present road.”
Will you be there, dear reader?
Don't Read Any More
IT was a lovely place at which we arrived in Switzerland, after a hot and dusty journey, and the hotel where we were to stay was prettily situated in a valley between snow-capped mountains. On the lawn in front underneath some shady tree, was a little boy of about five years old, happily amusing himself with a swing. We soon became very good friends. Charlie would climb the trees to pick cherries for me, and had many winning little ways. He could not read very well, but he would bring a book to me every day, full of stories about shipwrecks and adventures of various kinds, and ask me to read to him.
One Sunday he brought his book as usual, begging to have two stories read instead of one, as he had more time. When he was seated, I told him that I could not read that book on Sunday, because it was the Lord's day, when those who love the Lord Jesus liked to read and think of Him, and that on this day He rose from the dead.
Not wishing to disappoint him I found a book about a little boy who believed in Jesus; and this I read.
But when I came to a part which told of the love of Christ, Charlie stopped me and said, “Don’t read any more of that, please; I don't want to hear about Jesus, it's so dry!" And then he ran away.
Poor little Charlie! He had no kind mother to tell him of Jesus. She was dead, and his father was far away. So he lived with his grandmother and aunt, who I fear did not know the Lord, and thought Sunday a very wearisome day. The very little Charlie did hear about Jesus was evidently uninteresting to him.
He did not bring his book to me any more; I suppose he was afraid I should talk to him.
Do you remember a verse in Isa. 53, which says, “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way"?
What was Charlie's own way? It was the way Adam and Eve went, when they listened to the voice of the serpent, and ate of the forbidden fruit; and having done that which made them sinners, they were afraid to meet God, and went and hid themselves.
We cannot love to hear about God, or to be near Him, while we are in our sins. He is so pure, so holy, so just, that we must first have our sins washed away in the precious blood of Christ. Then we become new creatures, and have a heart to love Him who has loved us so much.
And now think for a moment, what is your own way? Oh, I am sure that it must be a bad way, unless you are one of the happy children who have come to the good Shepherd, who says "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." He calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out."
Do you not think that those who have believed in Jesus must love Him very much, for the great love He has shown in dying for them; and if He come soon to take them up to His home in heaven, should you not like to be there to worship and adore Him?
I will tell you a story of a little girl, who I think had her sins forgiven.
Lisette was only six years old, and she was at school. Her teacher assembled the girls together every morning to read the Bible. One day she asked them this question: “What is the Lord Jesus doing in heaven now?”
I did not hear what the other children said, I only know Lisette's answer. It was this: “He is showing His wounds to God, who has saved us because of Him.”
You see Lisette knew that Jesus had saved her. How did she know that her sins were washed away? She thought of the wounds which were made by the nails the soldiers drove into the hands and feet of Jesus, and the spear which pierced His side, when He was hanging on the cross for our sins, and she knew He suffered in her stead.
Do you love any one well enough to endure great pain for them? Jesus did and what is more, He bore it for those who hated Him, who spat in His face and buffeted Him. If you look in Rom. 5:6-10 you can read about it. Can you resist such great love any more?
I often hear children say, “Oh, I am so afraid to die,"or," I do not like to think of the Lord's coming." Lisette would have had no fear, for she knew that God had saved her because of the blood of His only begotten Son; and she knew how very kind He must be to be given up to such a cruel death, on purpose that she might go to heaven.
If you were a very poor, unhappy little girl or boy, and a kind gentleman sent you all sorts of good things, clothes, books, playthings, and anything else you desired, should not you wish to see this kind friend to thank him for all he had done for you; and would it not be very strange if you were not to care at all about seeing him, or even to dislike the thought of it? Jesus is this Friend, dear children, and He has done far more for you than anybody else could; and yet how often you would much rather play, or do anything, than hear about the One who has endured such agonies in order that you might be happy.
I met a little girl the other day, who, when she was asked if she ever thought about Jesus and all He had done for her, said, “Oh, I am so young." She was not too young to die, and we do not know how soon the Lord Jesus may be coming to take those who love Him to the Father's house, and then how dreadful it would be to be left behind, to meet the wrath that is so surely coming upon all who know not God and believe not the gospel.
Dear children, I entreat you to escape from the wrath to come! Why not come to Jesus now? I should like to meet you in heaven, where we shall see Jesus and sing praises to Him. Do not delay, for the Lord Jesus says, “Surely I come quickly.”
Lord Jesus, what prevailed on Thee?
What did Thy pity move?
That Thou shouldst even think of me
From Thy high throne above?
Oh, marvel! Thine exceeding grace
And mine exceeding need,
Brought Thee into the sinner's place-
'Twas grace, 'twas love indeed.
An heir of wrath, conceived in sin,
But now of grace a child,
The blood of Jesus made me nigh,
When distant and defiled:
O blessed name! the more by faith
My spirit knows of Thee,
The more Thy sweetness and Thy power
Are manifest to me.
I once was poor and desolate,
And bone the sinner's name,
But Jesus carne to save the lost,
And met me in my shame;
He washed in blood my sins away,
And set me in the place
Where evermore I gaze on Him,
And learn the Father's grace.
I once was dead in trespasses
And sine deserving hell,
No voice but His who saved me, could
My depth of ruin tell.
Thy worthy name, Lord Jesus, is
To me the way of peace;
Life out of death is brought to me,
And pardon and release.
Happy Bobbie
LITTLE Bobbie had been lying on a small bed in the Children's Hospital for two years. The nurse said he had hip disease, and we soon saw that it was a hopeless case. No wonder that his face had grown, oh, so white and thin, and his eyes large and hollow, but the little hand that was lying outside the bedclothes, and looked hardly strong enough to lift a feather, was raised to shake hands with us. All the other children were having their tea, yet, though a large mug-full stood beside Bobbie's bed, he did not seem inclined to taste it, but lay with his eyes closed, and a peaceful look upon his little wan face.
“Well, Bobbie," said one who knew him well, "are you happy?”
“Yes," said the child.
“Loving Jesus?”
The thin lips parted this time with a smile, and the same answer.
“And are you happy to go to Him, Bobbie?" asked his friend.
We caught another faint “Yes," and bright smile before we turned away.
What! I thought to myself as we left the Hospital, can a little child of eight years old (for that was Bobbie's age) really be happy, lying there day after day, never seeing any birds, or trees, or flowers, and never able to run about like other boys? It seemed very strange, but when I thought of Bobbie's next answer I laid hold of his secret. He said he loved Jesus. Then it was that which made him so happy.
Have you ever driven on a cold winter's night through dark narrow lanes, with the wind blowing so hard in your face, that although the rain fell heavily, it was impossible to hold up an umbrella? But if you have had a very dear friend with you, who has talked pleasantly all the way, and tried to shelter you from the wet and cold, then you have not minded one bit. The journey has seemed so short that you were quite surprised when you reached home.
Well, this was how it was with Bobbie. There was One who more than eighteen hundred years ago, had given him a proof of His love-such as Bobbie could never forget. I need hardly tell any of you who it was. It was Jesus-yes, it was the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved little Bobbie with such a deep, such a wonderful love, that He left His beautiful home on high, where He was daily His Father's delight, and carne into this world, to endure the shameful death of the cross; if only by shedding His own precious Blood, He could bring any poor sinner to dwell with Him forever in His Father's house.
Oh! truly His "delights were with the sons of men," else how could He have endured those years of scorn and hatred? For how did they receive the Lord Jesus? Oh! do you not wonder that they did not all crowd to His feet, and own Him Son of God? But no! their hearts were so wicked and hard, and they did not like all their bad ways to be discovered so that in spite of all His love and grace, they took Him and crucified Him.
And so there was only one way left to cave poor miserable sinners from everlasting judgment and death (for God had tried many other ways, and the world had only got worse and worse), and that was for the Lord Jesus Himself to bear the judgment for our sins. And the bitterest part of all was, that God had to hide His face from Him; for He was a holy and righteous God, and could not bear sin, and nothing but the blood of Jesus Christ could put it away forever from His sight.
Oh! I am not surprised now that little Bobbie was happy; for his heart had been touched by the love of the Lord Jesus, and His love did not end at the cross, though that was the greatest proof of it. God raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His right hand crowned with glory and honor. And there in the glory this same Jesus is looking down upon all little children, and it is joy to His heart if even one-no matter how small and weak-will own himself a poor lost child, and by believing on Jesus Christ, “not perish, but have eternal life."And then He shows His love by caring for and sheltering them. You know He calls Himself “the good Shepherd," and it says, "He shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom." Ah! I think little Bobbie knew what it was to be carried by the good Shepherd!
But there was something more too. What was it that cheered you on your cold drive that winter's night? Why, it was the thought of the happy home, and the warm fireside, where you could sit down at rest with your dear friend. So with Bobbie, he was happy in the thought of being forever with the Lord Jesus, free from pain and sickness; and now whenever his little pale face rises before me, I think with joy that he is folded in the arms of the good Shepherd.
But how would it be with you? If the Lord were to come to-day, should you be caught up rejoicing in the thought of seeing Him? Or are you still among the ones who scorn and reject His wondrous grace? Surely your heart is not too hand to be melted under the love of God? Can you set at naught any longer that perfect work at the cross, when His love to man was fully declared? If you do, you are in a sad case, for if you will not accept the way of escape which God has made, by believing on His Son Jesus Christ, you will have to bear the judgment for your sins. Is it so hard, then, to believe and to trust such a loving One?
I asked a little red-haired girl last week if she loved the Lord Jesus, and if He had put away her sins? She was working away very fast in a dressmaker's shop, and she worked all the faster when I spoke to her, as if she didn't want to answer; but at last she said, “Yes." But when I asked her why she loved Him, she said "that she had always been taught to!" How sad that answer made me! But it is just the way with some of you. Do you need to be taught to love your mother, or your brothers and sisters? If any one saved you from a horrible death, would not your heart swell with gratitude and love directly, and has not Jesus Christ died to save you from everlasting death, and yet you do not tare one bit?
Oh! I wish you were like another child that I heard a gentleman telling about the other day. She was at school and very unhappy indeed, because she had not peace with God-she was not trusting to the blood of Jesus. At last she told her trouble to her schoolmistress, who instead of pointing her to the Lord Jesus, gave her books to read, which made her only become more and more miserable. But one night, as she lay awake in her bed, too wretched to sleep, this verse carne to her mind, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "What," she thought,"is it possible that I have been trying all this time to love God, and it says He loves me?" And as she thought, her joy became so great, that she could not help shouting out, "GOD LOVES ME-GOD LOVES ME!" till the schoolmistress and all the girls carne running in to know what could be the matter.
And ever since that night she has found out more and more what "God is love" means; for "in this was manifested the love of God towards us, be-cause that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”
Oh, can you not go on to the next verse and say from your heart, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins"? "We love him because he first loved us.”
“How great is the love
Which Jesus hath shown
He carne from above,
From heaven's bright throne.
That He might deliver
Poor sinners from hell,
And take them forever
In glory to dwell.”
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