Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-01-25

AT noon the captain tOlQ us ne
thought he had the water under way,
and was in hopes of drifting in the way
of some passing vessel. The ships
bow was now in high air, while the
stern seemed to settle more and more.
The sea became very rough, and the
shin rolled from side to side with fear
full lurches. If she had piched vio-
lently but once, the bulkheads must
have burst and the end come. The
captain tried to keep up hope by tell
ing us we would probably drift in the
way of ship by 3 o'clock that Satur-
day afternoon, but the night closed
upon us without sign of a sail.
"That was an awful night, the dark
est in our lives. Seven hundred men,
women and childred waiting for the
doom which was settling upon us. No
one dared to sleep. We were all to-
gether in the saloon of the first cabin
Jews, Protestants, Catholics, and
skeptics although 1 doubt if at that
time there were any skeptics among
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and trembling hearts the passengers
looked at each other, as if trying to
read what no one dared to speak.
Rockets famed into the sky, but there
was no answer. We were drifting out
of the track of the great steamers.
Every hour seemed to increase the
danger of our situation.
"Sunday morning dawned, without
help or hope. Upto that time no sug-
gestion of religious services had been
made. To have done that would al
most certainly have produced panic.
In the awful suspense and dread that
prevailed, word about religion would
have suggested the most terrible things
to the poor souls. 1t was necessary to
divert their minds, if possible, or they
would break down under the strain.
But as that second night came on, we
held prayer-meeting with the concur
renee of the captain. Everybody at
tended, and I think everybody prayed,
skeptics and all. Surely the cries OF
dear little children were heard in
heaven. With one arm clasping pill
lar to steady myself on the reeling
vessel, 1 tried to read the ninety-hrst
Psalm, and we prayed that God would
still the raging of the sea and bring us
to our desired haven. 1t was a new
psalm to me from that hour. The
eleventh verse touched me very deep
! w. 1t was like q voice of divine as
surance, and it seemed a very real
thing, as I read "He shall give his
angels charge over thee to keep thee
in all thy ways Surely he did it! l
also read from the one hundred and
seventh Psalm, verses 20 to 81. One
lady thought those words must have
been written for the occasion, and al
forwards asked to see the book for
herself
~ was passing through a new expe-
rience. I had thought myself superior
to the fear of death. had often
preached on the subject and urged
Christians to realize this victory OF
faith. During the civil war had been
under fire without fear. I was in Chi
cago during the great cholera epidem-
ic. and went around with the doctors,
visiting the sick and dying. Where
they could 60 to look after the bodies
of men, I said I could 60 to look after
their souls. I remember case of
smallpox, where the flesh had literally
dropped from the backbone, yet 1 went
to the bedside of that poor sufferer
again and again with Bible and prayer
for Jesus's sake. In all this had no
fear of death.
"But on the sinking ship it was diff
ferent. There was no cloud between
my soul and my saviour. l knew my
sins had been put away, and if died
there it would be only to wake up in
heaven. That was all settled long
ago. But as my thoughts went out to
NV loved ones at home-my wife and
children, anxiously waiting my coming
my friends on both sides of the sea-
the schools and all the interests so
dear to me-and realized that perhaps
the next hour would separate me for
ever from all these, so far as this
world was concerned. I confess it al
most broke me down. 1t was the
darkest hour of my life. could not
endure it. must have relief, and re-
lief came in prayer. God heard my
cry and enabled me to say from the
depth of my soul THY will be done.
1t was all settled. Sweet peace came
to- nv heart. Let it be Mortified or
heaven! 1t made no difference now
I went to bed and almost Immediately
fell asleep, and never slept more sound
lv in my life. Out of the depths
cried unto the Lord, and he heard me,
and delivered me from all my fears. l
can no more doubt that God gave an
swer to my prayer for relief, than
can doubt my own existence.
/ "About o'clock at night I was arous.
ed from my sound sleep by the voice of
nv son. Come on deck, father, he said.
! followed him, and he pointed to far
off light rising and sinking on the sea.
! 1t was a messenger of deliverance to
to us. 1t proved to be the light OF
the steamer Lake Huron, whose look
out had seen our flaming signals of
distress, and supposed it was vessel
! in flames. Oh, the Joy of that mo-
ment, when those 700 despairing pas
sengers behcld the approaching ship
Who can ever forget it?
I "But now the question is, can this
small steamer tow the helpless Spree a
thousand miles to Queenstown? ?
Every movement was watched with
intensest, anxiety and prayer. 1t was
brave and perilous undertaking.
: The two vessels were at last connected
bv two great cables. If a storm arose
these would snap like thread and we
must be left to our fate. But had
no fear. God would finish the work
he had begun. The waves were calm
ed-the cables held-the steamer mov-
ed in the wake of the Huron. There
were storms all around us, but they
came not nigh our broken ship. Seven
days after the accident, by the good
hand of God upon US, we were able to
hold a Joyous thanksgiving service
in the harbor of Quecnstown-just
one week ago to-day, as | stand here
among the friends and neighbors l
love SO well. The rescuing ship, that
God sent to us in our distress: had
lust sufficient power to tow our yes
sci, and just enough coal to take
her into port! There was nothing to
snare! Less would have been insuff-
cicnt. Her captain is also man of
PRAYER, and bcsought Gods help to
enable them to accomplish their dan
qcrous and difficult task. God an