The Shipwrecked Sailor.



MANY years ago, in one of the Sabbath schools in England, there was a boy so wicked and depraved that he was expelled from the school for his bad conduct. He was a source of great grief to his widowed mother. After awhile he went on board a ship and became a sailor, entering into all the vices so common among sailors.

During one of his voyages a fearful storm overtook the ship, and on a dark and fearful night it was wrecked. All perished except this wicked young man. Floating along in the darkness, his feet at length touched a rock. He climbed up and found a resting place. But every returning tide covered this rock several feet with water. In his distress he cried to God, promising to devote his life to his service if spared. He remembered one solitary text of Scripture which he had learned in Sabbath school a very singular text, not often quoted, found in Numbers 23:9. "From the top of the rocks I see him."  This text came to him with wonderful force as he sat on the rock, far from land. He prayed God to send a ship to rescue him from a watery tomb.

Confessing his sinfulness, he cried to Jesus to save him.

Morning dawned; in its gray light, far in the distance, he discerned a ship, no bigger than a man's hand. As it drew nearer, he made signals, waving his jacket. They rescued him. Grateful to God for his mercy, he fulfilled his vows. As soon as possible, he returned to that Sabbath school from which he had been expelled, and told of his wonderful deliverance from death, and of his conversion to God. A thrill of joy went through that school. He became a devout, sincere Christian, and rejoiced in that Redeemer who did such great things for him.

Is it not written, "His way is in the sea, and his path in the great waters, and his footsteps are not known"? Truthfully and beautifully has the poet Cowper written:



"God moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform; 

He plants his footsteps in the sea, 

And rides upon the storm."

Blessed are they who sow beside all waters. 

The seed is the word of God. 

Incorruptible and imperishable, 

it abideth forever. 




Let every Christian worker implant as much of God's truth in the heart as possible even where there is obduracy and great wickedness. Does not the Master say: "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shall find it after many days"?




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