Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-09-28
The Derelict

very strangely. AS we drew nearer we
saw that, although her masts were in
tact, her sails were literally blown to
shreds, that her decks were almost
even with the waters edge, that she
was evidently water-logged, and per-
haps abandoned. For the sake of find
ing out if any suffering men were still
on board, the captain bore down upon
the ship until one could almost throw
a biscuit on her deck. But it was evil
dent that there was not a sign of life
about her. The last sailor had desert
ed her. 1t was indeed pathetic sight
to see this once proud and trim craft,
built to buffet. the waves, at the mercy
OF the least of them; to see this once
beautiful ship, with her fine lines and
shapely prov, built to pursue
straight and undertaking course from
port to port, staggering and Keeling
like drunken man under every puff
of wind or tidal current. The story
needs only to be told to reach its own
truth. 1t tells the tale of many fair.
young life that is drifting rudderless
and pilotless- 1erelict upon life's
ocean. All shit Aay be divided into
TWO classes-thcW D class plying the
ocean with some in view, answer
ing to her helms, Jed by some mas
ter mind, following 4 direction which
the magnetic needle fpints out, never
far from the course Md down in the
chart; and the other class, battered
and beaten by wind and wave, de-
serted apparently by God and man,
drifting aimlessly, menace to every
other vessel, but with no possibility
Of reaching home port So. alasl
may all lives be classified. There is
the purposeful, resourceful life. the life
that has an end in view, the life that is
guided by great principles, and that
has home port beyond the stars;
life with a rudder, and man at the
helm; life with chart and COM
pass to show its course should be
steered. There is, too, the other class
of lives represented by the derelict,
drifting on the trackless ocean; lives
that are swayed this way and that by
every passing breeze of circumstances:
lives that apparently have no master
mind at the wheel, and no definite OBJ
1ect in view, and no home port. This
derelict which our captain overhauled
started out from some home port. Her
owners foresaw no disaster. Her crew
expected no shipwreck. This disman-
tied ocean wanderer came from the
shipyard as trim and beautiful craft
as any. She was chartered and loaded.
and she sailed with full expectation of
reaching port. But the storm overlook
her and she could not stand the stress
of the weather. The saddest thing
about the human derelict is that it, too.
usually leaves the home port with high
hopes and expectations. 1t is built to
buffet the waves of adversely and
temptation. 1t is provided by God
with all necessary appliances for sue
cessful voyage. Its masts commonly
are stout, and its sails are strong. Its
chart is correct and it's compass true.
There is no need of shipwreck or dis
aster, but the tempest of temptation
toward circumstances beat upon the
human barque. Reason, prudence, and
finally hope itself desert the craft.
The Divine Pilot is never appealed to
for guidance, and the human steersman
becomes disheartened and discouraged,
until the poor old wreck is deserted by
its own captain and goes drifting and
Keeling, this way and that, under the
influence of passion, and strong drink
and sin, until it's last hour has come
and the world is forever relieved of the
blight and danger of its uncontrolled
existence. Oh, the horror Of such a
fate! The woe of the human derelict!
But this fate need overtake no young
man or woman. No storm of life is so
fierce that it need wreck the human
barque. There is no temptation that
cannot be overcome. There is no lit
tie craft that ever sailed from the
haven of home that could not have
the great Captain of all life for its
pilot, the Savior of the world for its
helmsman, the heaven of bliss for its
port. Thank God for this. Thank
God. too. that there is no derelict on
life's sea so old and weather-beaten
and battered and blown to pieces but
if it offers a sincere prayer for help,
and makes an earnest determination
to steer heavenward, can have the
Savior for his pilot. and can sail, if
not over untroubled seas, at least safe
ly over every wave of temptation, until
the harbor of eternal rest is reached,
and the anchor is dropped forever in
the haven and heaven of peace.