and worldliness, sin and folly, till he has been well-nigh sinking, and then he has wondered that, at the first storm he encountered, he was wrecked. Let the mariner who sails for Heaven ask the Master to load him with spiritual gifts, and to fill him with the Holy Spirit-no fear of shipwreck then. And mind not to let the ballast shift. Once being well ballasted with knowledge of what is right, and desires to do the right, don't let it shift. Many a good vessel has heeled over and become a total wreck, for want of care in this respect; don't neglect to look to the ballast, and it can only be kept in place by well packing it with prayer and faith. Not a few vessels have gone to the bottom through being unseaworthy; they haven't been able to stand the slightest cat's-paw, nor to encounter a moderate sea. But never a man starts on the voyage of life but what, if he sails according to orders, and trusts, not in himself, but in the great Master, may overcome all difficulties, and at last reach the quiet, peaceful haven for which he sailed. Heaven is the port we hope to reach, Jesus is the Master, and the Bible our chart. Those that we see around us, who are making shipwreck of their souls, should be beacons to guard us from following in their course. There are some temptations that prove more deadly than others, and that cause more wreck dots on the coast by which we are sailing; but all along there are temptations, and Satan will not let us escape if he can help it. Let us, then, watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation. Let us have Jesus for our friend, and the Holy Spirit always abiding in us, and we need fear no weather, be it calm or rough. "With Christ in the vessel we'll smile at the storm." G. H. S. The Voice of Faith amid the Storm. O UR masts were gone, our engines stopped, And every wave that struck her side Went sweeping o'er the deck. A day and night of fearful storm We made a signal to the ship To help us in our strait; 'Twas noticed by the men on board, Who signalled back, "We'll wait." "Now lower a boat," the captain cried, "If such a thing can be; But much I fear no boat can live In such an angry sea.' No easy task is it to pass, When winds and waters rave, The little craft the sailors' skill One other woman, only one, Besides myself was there: An aged dame with furrowed check And silver 'mid her hair. Her accent told that she was Scotch, Upon a foreign main; Strange seemed it then to hear her voice For now and then at intervals, When danger seemed to lower, She spoke of God in Bible words, His mercy and His power. She seemed addressing none of us, As if for other ears than hers A promise true of help in need Then when the storm so wildly raged, "The Lord's voice on the waters is, 66 Doth thunder, and on multitudes The gale was going to moderate, The woman murmured then. When the wind dropped, and the wild spray No longer hid the skies, "The sea is His.5 He stills the waves "Then He arose, rebuked the wind, And said, Peace, be thou still! "A great calm "-she went o'er the words- They fell upon our anxious hearts 1 Is. xliii. 2. 2 Is. xl. 12. Ps. xxix. 3, Scottish Version. 4 Ps. xviii. 10. Ps. lxxxix. 9. 5 Ps. xcv. 5. Mark iv. 39. We thought of Jesus who rebuked The waves of Galilee, And trusted He was with us still "I hope the captain of that ship, Is keeping her at anchor still, So spoke a sailor, looking round Again the aged woman's voice Was heard by all on board "The Captain of Salvation is Our Saviour, Christ the Lord." 1 "Yes, when the winds are raging fierce, "Oh that man to the Lord would give And for His works of wonder done 'Twas the last effort of her strength, They dragged her up the vessel's side When I had climbed up to the deck, "Here comes one of another sort, Alas! he little knew that she, Whose strength had proved so small, Yet had it thus been in the hour To her belonged that steadfast faith, Even though in midst of struggles great Whither she went I never knew For it was many a year ago This happened which I've told; Then I was young, in youth's bright morn, And now I too am old. 1 Psa. cvii. 31, Scottish version. |