The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-10-04
S U N D Az READING.
A Story of Ingratitude.

IA VINO nad endeaY0red Tor some time
to impress upon the mind of his scholars
their obligation to love Christ as their
Saviour, finding them Indifferent to His
claims of their love, narrated the follow
ing story.
"Two years since the ship 4
sailed from New York for New Orleans,
having on board several passengers among
whom was man named Thomas Smith
Several days after the ship sailed she en-
countered storm in which this passen-
ger was washed overheard. A rope was
thrown to him from the ship, but he
missed it; second rope was thrown, but
he missed that; the third and last rope
was then thrown to him, and he was
sinking amid the waves, but he missed
that also, He was hopelesely sinking;
meanwhile the ship driven by the winds
was sailing onward in her course, leaving
him behind to perish. He could not
long survive the fury of the pillows that
were passing over him while he swan,
struggling to save his life All hope for
sock him, and he saw no escape from
watery grave. Exhausted and weary, he
was about to desist from further efforts
to save himself; his fate seemed inevita-
ble
"Just then a noble sailor (who had
wife and three children dependent upon
him for support,) seeing his desperate
condition, and no one but himself could
save the drowning man said :"H He shall
not drown J. will save him, if | perish
in the attempt" and instantly plunged
into the foaming sea and swan to his
relief Soon he reached him, and by
superhuman eXertiOns succeeded in bring
ing him within reach Of one of the ropes
that had been thrown from the vessel,
which the drowning man grasped and was
drawn up safely on board the ship; but
the noble sailor, overcome by the exhaus-
tion Of the efforts he had made, was un-
able longer to resist the fury of the storm
and perished in his generous undertak-
ing.
"The passenger who had thus been
rescued from watery grave manifested no
gratitude; and made no mention whatever
of his kind preserver though he had per-
.ished in saving him. During the whole
voyage he;never once expressed any re-
gret that this sailor had lost his life for
his sake, and treated with utter neglect
the sacrifice made to rescue him from his
perious situation. After his return to the
city of New York, where the widow and
orphan children of this sailor were living
in want, he did nothing for their relief
he did even visit them in their sorrow,
loneliness and affliction he did not even
send these orphan children word that he
had been saved by their father; or ex-
press any gratitude Or thankfulness for
the act. He never mentioned to an ac-
quaintance or friend this noble act of the
generous seaman, who gave his own life
to save him. No one ever learned from
him what this sailor had done for him
by no act or word did he ever recognize
his obligation, but dismissed the subject
from his thoughts, and seemed totally to
have forgotten that he had been rescued
from drowning by the exertions of this
disinterested mariner. He lived for him.
self and thought only of himself and of
his business and his pleasures
Now, boys" said the teacher, what
onght to have been done with such
man, can you tell, Charlie ?"
" He ought to have been chucked over
board again" was the reply.
The teacher said, Such is your judg-
ment Charlie, and so men judge one
another in respect to the duties they owe
each other. But do you know, Charlie,
that you are that passenger?"
Reader you, who are still outside of
the fold of Christ, you are that passenger.
Jesus Christ gave His life to save you
from what is far worse than drowning;
to save you from eternal punishment for
your sins against God. To save you he
suffered and died upon the cross. To
save you his hands and feet were pierced
when he was nailed to the cross. To
save you from the consequences of your
sins against Him, He suffered and died
but you are not grateful to Him for this
you make no mention of His love, or the
sacrifice He made for your sins; you do
not even express regret that your acts