The Hawaiian gazette., 1871-11-08

dangers and perils of the Arctic Ocean. Your
deliyerance resembled that of the Israelites when
passing through the Red Sea and the waters
we're wall unto them on their right hand and on
their left" The icy barrier was a wall on yOnr
right band, and the land on your left. The signal
deliverauce of so many from their perilous
situation, affords not inapt illustration OF
the de!iverance ef sinners from that greater
and more fearful destruction which awaits all
who are unwilling to escape, by the passage
which has been opened up from the City of De-
struction to the gates of the Celestial City. To
remain, would have been most foOl-hardy and
presumptuous 1t was not to be thought of.
Only one way Of escape was offered. The open
and narrow channel was the pathway OF safety
Your circumstances admitted of no delay. The
present opportunity must be Immediately en-
braced. 1t was now, or never This was the
general feeling OF all As the angels said to Lot
and his companions, when fleeing out Of SodOm,
Escape for Thy life, look not behind thee,
neither stay thou in all the plain, escape to the
mountains. lest thou be consumed" SO the
voice Of Prudence-so the angel Of Safety, cried
in the hearing OF those imprisoned mariners,
Escape by this passage to the open sea, and
trust in God for safe voyage to some desired
haven"
This is virtually the language Of every gospel
minister to sinners, in every land and all ages.
Escape for your lives; the gosPel-door is now
oman Tn-n from the broad road into the narrow
way Delay not"
$50 He brfugeth them to their desired haven"
How aptly these words Of the Psaimist describe
the manner in which God hath brought you and
your companions hither, to this your much de-
sired haven. How pleasant and gratifying after
having escaped the dangers and perils of rough
and tempestuous voyage, 10 cast anchor IN safe
quiet and peaceful harbor-a haven to be desired.
" So God brings His people finally to their rest
in heaven-their haven, their home. After being
tossed by the tempests of life after encounter
ing its storms and dangers, the way becomes
smooth and calm; the end Of the voyage Is Sc
rene and death is like the ship smoothly gliding
into port, with its sails all set The soul enters
the desired hayen-the port that was lOnged
for; a safe haven, beyond all storms or tempests;
an eternal home r. BARNES
In view Of the works Of the Lord and his won
ders in the deep.-in view Of Gods control over
the winds and storms,-in view Of Gods marvel
Gus deliverance and the preservation of those 60
ing down to the sea in ships,-n view Of Gods all
Astounding goodness, the Psalmist breaks forth in
the following animating words: "Oh that men
would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for
his wonderful works to the children of men.
Twice before in this same psalm had he uttered
the same exclamation. In view Of the wonder
ful display of Gods wisdom, power and goodness,
on land and sea, and over all created ntelgences,
this oTerpowering impression weighed upon his
mind-man's great obligation to render thanks
giving and praise unto God for his goodness and
loving kindness, and providential mercies. Are
not you, my hearers, now delivered from imml-
Dent dangers and perils, called upon to join in
this grand chorus Of thanksgiving and praise
You have experienced a deliYerance, well-nigh
miraculous The actual facts in the case without
any establishment or rhetorical coloring when
described in the simplest language, read more
like romance than reality. Never was there a
similar disaster recorded 10 the annals of mari
time enterprise. We have frequently read OF
one or two ships abandoned aud crews saved
wholly or in part, but it is surely an unheard
of event, for more than thirty ships, employing
more than a thousand men, to be abandoned, to-
gether with their valuable cargoes, and that too,
on a bright morning in September Methinks
see that long feet of boats loaded with proyis-
ions and manned by these hardy crews, conmenc-
ing their journey along the narrow passage bare
ly wide enough for a single boat. Onward moves
the long procession of more than hundred boats,
retiring-aye, fleeing from the relentless grasp Of
that icy enemy. Manfully, brave men-aRd braUey
aooman-faced the foe; inch by inch they con-
tended, but silently and surely the icy barrier
pressed down upon the feet. There was no al
Tentative but to retire, and that with all possible
haste To remain was death, by cold and star
walton. 1--WE think" say the captains, at would
not be prudent to leave single soul to look after
our vessels" In this instance, as in many 9TH
ers in the great struggle of life, "the better part
Of valor was discretion"
The first remark which have to make, by the
way Of reflection, on this occasion is that we are
called upon to exercise the feeling of deepest
gratitude TO God. The moment we begin to con
template what otherwise might have been the re,
suit, our minds are filed with the most fearful
forebodings and imaginings. Like Franklin and
his brave comrades, all might have persisted, and
not one left to tell the story Of their starvation
and death. How striking the contrast! IN the
case of Franklin, all persisted to a man now, al
to a man we're saved and brought away. This very
morning arrived the last vessel with passenger:
from the wrecked vessels. Shall we not al
gratefully give thanks? "oh, that men would
praise the Lord for his goodness and his wonder
ful works to the children of menu
Seo0ndly-Let me call your attention to thf
fact that while all those ships and their cargoe'
were lost, all their crews were saved and why
because they implicitly obeyed law. Water hai
its laws; heat and cold have their laws. ODE!
law and we are safe; disObey, and we perish
There is really no mystery about the deliyeranc'