The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-03-11

N.Y. eLtyshiA passengers
we're driven on the
toast Of Malta. nye miles from the me-
iropolia Of that island. called Citta
vecchia. After a two-weeks' tempest.
when tho ship was entirely disabled.
lnd captain and crew had become com
pletely demoraliEed. an old missionary
took command OF the vessel. He was
small. cro0ked-backed and sore-eyed.
according TO tradition. II was Paul.
the only unscared man aboard. He
was no mora afraid OF a Euroclydon
tossing the Mediterranean sea. nov uD
TO the gates Of heaven and now sinking
Il 10 the gates OF bell. than be was
afraid Of kitten playing with a string.
Tie ordered them all down TO take their
rations. nrst asking for them a bless
Ing Then b. insured all their lives.
telling them thsy would be rescued.
and. 90 far from losing their heads.
they would not lose so much OF their
hair A. you could cut on with one click
Of the scissors. nay. not a thread Of
H. whether Il we're gray with axe or
golden with youth. There shall not
a hair iall from tho head OF any Of
you"
knowing tina, they can never get 10
the desired port. they make the sea
on the fourteenth night black with
overthrow "a 20. 90 that when the
ship strikes II will not strike 30 heavily.
AZ daybreak they saw a creek. and In
their exigency resolved TO make for
u. And 20 they cut the cables. took
10 the two paddles they had on those
old boaia. and ho.aied the malnsall
70 that they might come With such
force as 20 be driven high up on the
beach BY some fortunate hlllow. There
abe goes-tumbllng toward the rocks.
now prov foremost. nov stern fore
most, now rolling over 70 the star
board. nov nver 10 the larboard. nov
q wave dashes clear over the deck. and
Il seems a. n the old craft has gone
forever But up she comes again.
Pauls arms around a mast. he cries:
"All Il well, God has given me all those
that sail with me" Crash went the
prov. with such force that Il broke on
the mast Crash went the tlmbers
tlll the seas rushed through from side
20 side 81 the vessel. She parts amid
shiph. and into a thousand fragments
the vessel goes. and into the waves
two hundred and seventy-slx immortal,
are precipiiaied. Some OF them had
been brought up on the seashore. and
had learned 70 swim and with theii
ehins Just above the waves and By the
strokes Of both arms and propulsion
OF both feet. they put out for the beach
and reach A. But alas Tor those others
They have never learned 20 swim. OF
they were WOUNDED BY the falling o,
the mast. or the nervous shock was toe
great Tor them. And others had been
weakened BY loag soa-sicknesa.
Oh. what will become OF them
Take thai pio,c % a rudder" savs
Paul 10 one. Take that fragment OF
a spar says Paul 20 another. Take
that Image Of Castor aud Pollux "
Take tha' plank from the Ilfeboat ID
Take anything. and head Tor tho
beach VIA; a struggle for life IA
the breakers! Oh. the merclless waters
how they sweep over the heads OF men.
women and childreni Hold on there,
Almost ashore, keep up your courage
Remember what Paul told you. There
the rcccding wave on the beach leaves
tn the sand a whole family. There
craWls up out OF the surf the centurion
There. another plank comes In. with
life olinging fast 20 Il. There. an.
other piece Of the shattered vessel
with its frelghtage OF an immortal soul
They must by this time all be- saved
Yes. there comes In last OF all. for n,
had been overseeing the rest. the old
missionary. who wrings the wate,
from his gray beard and cries out.
Thank God. all are here!"
I believe In both the Heidelberg And
Westminster Ca,echisms. aud wish
you all did: but you may believe IN
nothing they contain except the ons
Idea. that Christ came 10 save sinners
and that you are one Of them. ana you
are instantly reaeued. II you can com,
IN on the grand oli ship, would rathe,
have you set aboard. but n You car
only nnd a piece Of wood IA long A IN,
human body, or a pleoo az wide as tbs
outspread humaa arms. and either al
them IL q piece Of the cross. come An
on that piece. Tens OF Thousands al
people are today kept out OF the King.
dom q God because they cannot b..
lisve everything
am talking with a man thoughtful
about his soul who has lately Travelled
through New England and passed IN,
aight Al Andoyer. lie says TO me: Il
sanno, believe that IN this ne the des
tiny is lrrevocat,y liked: I think Their,
viii be another opportunity Of re-.
pentance after death" / say to him
MY brother. wha, has that 10 DO with
YOU Don't you realize that the mar
who waits Tor another chance hftoi
death when he has a good chance be,
fore death Is stark fool' Had moi
you better take the plank that Il
thrown TO you now and head for shore
rather than walt FOR a plank tina, mas
BY invisible hands be thrown TO yoy
after you are dead1 DO az you please
but as Tor myself, with pardon Tor al
my sins oiersd me now. and all N,
Joys Of time and eternity offered m,
now. ! instantly take them. rather thar
run the risk Of such other chance a
wise men think they can peel on OF
twist out Of a Scripture passage thai
has for all the Christian centuries beer
interpreted another way" You say
Il do not like Princeton theology. o.
New Haven theology. or Andovel
theology" l DO not ask you on bOart
either Of these great men-oi-wpr. theli
portfolios nlled with the great siege
guns Of ecclesiastical battle. But I d
ask you 70 take the one plank Of IN
Gospel that you do believe In and strlkI
out for the pearl.atrung beach o