Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1895-07-05
1.-TWO Died EOR NE. :

driving rain. Inc Wlhu hau 9ooi
Ia rs like a hurricane sweeping By,
relentlessly uprooting trees, hurting
down chimney-pots, breaking OF
bending everything that opposed It's
mad career and our hearts had
ached. as above the noise Of the rag
inc storm had come to us sounds OF
distress over the foaming waters,
and we had known too surely that
some vessel or vessels we're battling
with the waves, and that men, ana
perhaps women and little children,
were facing the dread realities OF
eternity; and that, alone IN the
darkness, terror-stricken and des
pairing, many one might be ind
ing a watery grave.
When morning came, stood on
the sea-shore the storm had ceased,
and now the sun shone brightly, the
sea spanked and cleaned rs though
studded with gems, the birds sang
sweetly in the corn'felds near at
hand. and the storm and its accom-
paniments might have seemed only
a hideous nightmare but for the
scene on the shore. There there
were traces enough Of the wreck and
ruin. Sadly / gazed, and wondered
as to how many had been saved from
present death, and how many had
been saved from eternal death, Of
those on board the wrecked vessels.
As thought this, was conscious
that sailor had come up close to
me. l turned and asked him some
of the events Of the night. He told
me of the brave attempts at rescue,
of their partial success and then, as
sorrowfully / spoke of the lost, he
said to me very earnestly
beg pardon, ma'am you'll for
give plain, blunt QUESTIONABLE
YOU saved or lost yourself? /
mean" he added, 80 you know
Jesus 2"
Very sweet the question was for l
could assure the questioner that his
Saviour was my Saviour too And
as we spoke little Of the One dear
to both our hearts, and shook hands
heartily, l asked him how long he
had known this blessed Saviour, and
what had brought him to Him.
at is nigh on to five years since
He saved my body from a watery
grave, and my soul from the lake OF
fire." he said. "Never will forget
il, for tigo died for me-
1.-TWO ?" l questioned, in aston
ishment.
GAY, ma'am, two" he answered
"My Saviour died for me eighteen
hundred years ago on Calvary's
cross, and my mate died for me five
years since, and that brought me to
know my Saviour"
Seeing l was interested, he con
tinued.
1T was just such It night as last
night that our vessel was driven on
to a rock just off the coast o."
"We hoisted signals OF distress
and fired guns, and by-and-by brave
men on shore manned the life-bOat
and put out. We hardly thought it
could live in such a sea, but they
tried it, and God helped them to
succeed. With difficulty we got
our women and children in, and she
put back to shore. Once more,
manned with another crew, she put
out, and this time the passengers
were got on board. Then we knew
some of us must die, for if the life
boat could put out again, she would |
not hold all that were left, and the |
vessel must sink ere Il fourth jour |
ney could be accomplished. So we
drew lots who should stay. Ny lot |
was to stay in the sinking ship.
What a horror Of darkness came
over me! Doomed to die and be
damned, 1 muttered to myself, and |
all the sins of my life before me.
Still was no coward. | made no
outward sign, but ON, ma'am, be-
tween my soul and God it was aw-
full
81 had a mate who loved the Lord. |
Often he had spoken to me of my |
souls welfare, and l had laughed
and told him l ment to enjoy life.
Now though he stood by my side,
/ could not even ask him to pray for
me, though even then there was
moments wonder that he did not |
speak to me of the Savior. l under.
stood it afterwards. His face, when
1 once caught the glimpse of it, was
calm and peaceful and lighted up
with a strange light l thought,
bitterly, 1t is well for him to smile
his lot is to go in the life-boat and
be saved. Dear old Jim, how could
l ever have so mistaken you'll Well
ma'am, the life boat neared us again;
one by one the men whose lot it was
to 90 got in. 1t was Jim's turn /;
but instead of going, he pushed me
forward. GO you in the life-boat in
my place, Tom, he said, and meet
me IN heaven, man. You mustn't
die and be damned it is all right for
me- l would not have let him do
it, but l was carried forward. The
next one eager to come, pressed me
on. Jim knew il would be like that,
so he had never told me what he
was going to do. A few seconds,
and l was in the life-boat. We had
barely cleared the ship when she
went down, and jim, dear old jim,
with her. / know he went to Jesus
but ma'am, he died for me he died
for me Did l not tell you true, taoo
died for me ?"
For a moment he paused, his eyes
filled with tears. He did not at.
tempt to disguise them. They were
a tribute to the love that had gone
into death for him. Presently, when
l could speak, l just said, "WeIl" I
"Well, ma'am, he said, "as ! saw
that ship go down, ! said to God in
IL