Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-07-19
Gods Opportunity.


der of the Royal Naval Female Schoo! for
the education of naval officers daughters.
was in command of ship crossing the At.
lantic Ocean. His course brought them
within sight of the island of Ascension. at
that time uninhabited, and never visited
by any ship except for the purpose of col
lecting turtles, which abound on the coast.
The island is barely seen on the horizon
but as Sir Thomas looked at it, he was
seized with an unaccountable desire to
steer towards it. He felt how strange such
wish would appear to his crew, and tried
to disregard it; but in vain ! the desire of
the straightforward and excellent comman-
der became more and more urgent; and
seeing that they were fast leaving the ISL
and behind them, he told his lieutenant to
prepare to put about ship" and steer for
Ascension. His lieutenant ventured re-
spectfully to represent to Sir Thomas that
changing their course would greatly delay
them; that Just at that moment the men
were going to their dinner; that, at least.
some delay might be allowed. But these
arguments seemed to increase the captains
anxiety and he gave the word OK command
which is never resisted He saw in the
countenances Of his officers an expression
of wonder and even blame, as strong as is
ever shown on an order from the captain
but he was obeyed, and the ship was steer
ed toward the uninteresting little island.
All eyes and spy-glasses were immediate
ly fixed upon it and soon something was
perceived on the shore.
1T is white-it is fag-it must be a
signal ~ were the cries which at intervals
broke from the excited crew.
When they neared the shore a painful
spectacle met their view. They found that
sixteen men, wrecked on that coast many
days before and suffering the extremity
Of hunger, had set up a signal, though al
most without hope of relief The ship
wrecked men were taken on board. and the
voyage completed.
What proof we have in this of the
power Of the Divine arm to save when all
hope seems to have vanished and what
an encouragement it should be for US al
ways to pray and not to faint! That was
a beautiful reply which pious woman
made in the days of persecution, to
the cruel judge, who seemed to take pleas
ure in contemplating the sufferings in store
for her. She had been arrested for attend
ing the house of God, and the Judge vim
dictively said that he was very glad at last
to have her in his power, and that he would
now send her to prison.
"God will supply all my need" the
prisoner meekly answered.
"But how will you be fed ?" retorted the
judge with a sneer.
"If it benny heavenly Fathers pleasure"
she answered, 81 shall be fed from your ia
BILE"
And verify, such was the case; for the
judges wife being present at the examine
ton, was so struck with the prisoners
firmness, that she took care constantly to
send her food from her table, and comfort
ably supplied her during the whole time
of her imprisonment. Nor was this all:
the judges wife was so impressed with the
value Of that religious faith which could
thus give calmness and confidence under
such circumstances of trial, that it led to
her acceptance Of the gospel, and to her re-
joicing in the liberty with which Christ
makes his people free.
Instances like these, and they might
readily be multiplied, should tend to
strengthen our faith in the power of prayer,
and our faith in the divine promises.