A True Story, Of A Sailor


A SAILOR was asked what induced him first

to attend to religion, and gave for his answer

the following: 

"I came home from my last voyage before

Christmas, and journeyed home. Being late

when I arrived, I had not the opportunity of

seeing my oldest girl, about six years of age,

until the following day. At dinner time, when

she sat down, I began (beast like) to eat,

what was before me, without ever thinking of

my heavenly Father who provided my daily

bread; but glancing my eye towards--this girl,

of whom I was dotingly fond, I observed her to

look at me with astonishment. After a moment's

pause, she asked me in a solemn and a

serious manner, 'Father, do you never ask a

blessing before eating?' Her mother observed

me to look hard at her, and hold my knife and

fork motionless; (it was not anger) it was a

rush of conviction which struck me like 

lightning; 

Apprehending some reproof from me, and

wishing to pass it by in a trifling way, she said,

'Do you say grace, Nanny?' My eyes were

still riveted upon the child, for I felt conscious

that I had never instructed her to pray. The

child seeing me wait for her to begin, put her

hands together, and lifting up her eyes to

 heaven, breathed the sweetest prayer I ever 

heard.

This was too much for me; the knife and fork

dropped from my hands, and I gave vent to my

feelings in tears." Here a pause ensued. On

recovering himself, he continued: "I inquired

who had thus instructed the child. The mother

informed me, the good people at the chapel

next door; and the child would never go to

bed, nor rise in the morning, without kneeling

down to pray for herself and her dear father

and mother. Ah! thought I, and I never

prayed for myself or for my children. I entered

the chapel in the evening, for the first time,

and continued to attend the means of grace

there. The Lord having awakened me to a

sense of my danger, through the instrumentality

of a dear child, I am now seeking him with all

my heart, and truly can say, I am happy in the

thought that Jesus Christ came into the world

to save poor sinners of whom I am chief."

I hope all the little children who read this, will

imitate the sailor's daughter.


 

Wesleyan.



 EVENING HYMN FOR CHILDREN.


THOU from whom we never part,

Thou whose love is everywhere,

Thou who seest every heart,

Listen to our evening prayer.

Father, fill our souls with love.

Love unfailing, full and free;

Love no injuries can move,

Love that ever rests on Thee.

Heavenly Father! through the night

Keep us safe from every ill;

Cheerful as the morning light,

May we wake to do Thy will.



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