The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-07
A Five Minutes Talk to Chill
dren


dren.
"Christ died for us, Romans v: s. r
think, children, that those four words
are the most important in the whole
Bible. You have often heard them be-
fore, but l wonder whether you have
ever thought much about their meaning
Although they are very plain and simple
words, yet I do not suppose you can un
derstand all their meaning. You all
believe that Jess left his beautiful home
in heaven and tme to this world as an
infant, and gre to be a boy and man,
and was crucifed for us, and rose from
the dead You all believe this but you
do not altogether understand it. 1t
seems to you so strange why Jesus should
have suffered so much. Well, children,
1 will not try to explain this, for we can
none of US fully understand it. All we
do know is that this is true, and that
Jesus died that we might be forgiven for
all our sins, and at last go to heaven and
live with him Christ died for US.
Did you ever know any one who loved
you well enou- to die for you?
remember reading story some years
ago which l thought was well worth re
Wondering About ten years ago one OF
our large ocean steamships left Liver
pool for New York The weather was
fine. and they were drawing near the end
of the voyage. The people were walk
ing about or sitting down on deck, talk
ing about the countries they had left, or
the new country which some Of them had
never seen. They had no thought OF
danger, for the sky was clear and the
sea smooth All at once there was loud
explosion, and volumes of binding steam
came rushing up from the hold of the
vessel. Every one was frightened. Some
screamed, some cried, some prayed, and
some rushed wildly all over the vessel to
find out what was the matter Just then
the engineer came up, looking almost as
pale as corpse. He said that one of the
main pipes had burst, and that in few
moments they would all be blown up I'M
less some one would go below, in all that
binding steam, and turn stopper In
connection with that pipe. He did not
dare go down himself, for he knew that
it would be at the risk of his life. BUTT
was his duty to 60 People were now
more frightened than before. None OF
them dared go below, even if they had
known just what to do, and every min
ute they expected to be blown up. Some
rushed to the bow of the ship and some
to the stern, trying to get as far as posi-
bic away from the steam. | suppose
every minute must have seemed like an
hour while they waited But there was
one man who dared risk his life for others |
He was a fireman. and because he was
only fireman pc, pie did not expect
much from him. His face was blackened |
with coal and smoke, but there was
good warm heart beating in his breast. |
Quickly he wrapped himself up in some
heavy canvas, and went right through |
the steam down to the boiler-room. Ina
moment all was still. The sound of the |
escaping steam was hushed Then, when |
the danger was over, the engineer and !
two volunteers went down to see why the !
fireman did not return. They saw the |
stopper turned, and there, lying right |
down beside it, was the brave fireman,
quite dead. The steam had scalded him
to death. All the passengers and ship 6
crew were saved by that noble man but
it cost him his own life.
Jesus Christ did more for us even than
that. This man was not sure that he
would be killed ifhe went down, although
the danger was terrible yet he might
escape, while be knew that if no one
turned the stopper he would have to die
with the others. Jesus knew well enough,
years and years before bis death, that
H must die if man was to be saved
This brave fireman had little time to
think Of death-he acted on the generous
impulse OF the moment. But Jesus knew
well, and had time to weigh carefully all
the danger and pain before Him, ana yet
was willing to 90 on. This brave fire.
man had companions on board, and knew
how grateful every one of them would
be for his noble act. Christ died for
those who cared nothing for him, and who
would many Of them prove very migrate
! ful. IF that fireman had lived would