The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-18

tropolis of that island, called Citta
Veechia. After a two-weeks' tempest,
when the ship was entirely disabled, and
captain and crew had become completely
demOralized, an old missionary took COM
mand of the vessel. He was small,
crooked-backed and sore-eyed, according
TO tradition. It was Paul. the only un-
scared man aboard He was no more
afraid of a Euroclydon tossing the Medi-
terranean Sea, now up to the gates of
heaven and now sinking it 10 the gates of
hell, than he was afraid of kitten play
ing with a string. He ordered them all
down to take their ratiOns. first asking for
them a blessing. Then he insured all their
lives, telling them they would be rescued,
and. so far from losing their heads. they
would not lose so much OF their hair as
YOU could cut off with one click of the
scissors; nay, not a thread of it, whether
II were gray with age or golden with
youth. There shall not hair fall from
the head Of any of you.'
knowing that they can never get to
the desired port. they make the sea on the
fourteenth night black with overthrown
cargo. SO that when the ship strikes it
will not strike so heavily. At daybreak
they saw creek, and in their exigency
resolved to make for it, And so they cut
the cables, took in the two paddles they
had on those old boats, and hoisted the
mainsatl so that they might come in with
such force as 10 be driven high up on the
beacE by some fortunate billow. There
she goes-tumbling toward the rocks, now
prov foremost, now stern foremost, now
rolling over 10 the starboard now over TO
the larbOard, now a wave dashes clear over
the deck, and it seems as If the old craft
has gone forever. But up she comes
again. PauPs arms around mast he
cries: All is well. God has given me all
those that sail with me- Crashi went the
prov, with such force tI:at il broke off
the mast. crash went the timbers till
the seas rushed through from side to side
Of the vessel She parts amidships, and
into a thousand fragments the vessel goes,
and into the waves two hundred and sew
enty-siX immOTtals are precipitated. Some
of them had been brought up on the sea
shore, and had learned TO swim, and with
their chins Just above the waves and by
the strokes of both arms and propulsion of
both feet they put out for the beach, and
reach ii. But, alas. for those othersi
| They have never learned 10 swim, or they
were wounded by the falling of the mast,
or the nervous shock was too great for
| them. And others had been weakened by
long sea-sickness.
4 ship Which Can Never Sink.
ooh, what will become of them? Take
that piece of a rudder,' says Paul 10 one.
/ Take that fragment of a spar says Paul
to another. Take that image of Castor
and Pollux.' Take that plank from the
! lifeboat' Take anything and head for
| the beach What a struggle for life IN
/ the breakersl On, the mercfless waters
| how they sweep over the heads OF men,
women. and children! Hold on. there!
| Almost ashore; keep up your courage
| Remember what Paul told you There,
! the receding wave on tie beach leaves in
/ the sand a whole family. There eraWls up
( out Of the surf the centurion. There. an
other plank comes in with a life cllnging
fast to il. There. another piece Of the
shattered vessel, Win its freightage OF an
/ immortal soul. They must by this time
all be saved Yes: there comes in last OF
| all, for he had been overseeing the rest,
! the old missionary. who wrings the water
! from his gray beard. ana cries out:
Thank God. all are herev
Gather around fire and caI the roll
Paul builds a fire, and when the bundle
u ellEAH DEEln 10 Gl4NhlE- anu. El1nLlGk
and sitting around the blaze, the passen-
gers begin 10 recover from their chill.
/ and the wet clothes begin 10 dry. and
i warmth begins 10 come into ak the shiy-
ering passengers, let the purser OF the
I vessel go round and see II any OF the
poor creatures are missing Not one %
4 the crowd that were plunged into the sea
/ How il relieves our anxiety as We read:
Z Some on broken pieces OF the ship And
! so il came to pass that they escaped all
4 safe 10 land.
Having on previous occasions looked
/ al the other pdssengcrs, / confine my
self to-day to an examination CT those
/ who came In on broken pieces of the ship
There is something afout them that ex-
cites in me an intense Interest. / am NOT
so much interested in those that could
swim. They got ashore as / expected. 4
mile OF water Is not a very great under.
taking for a strong swimmer. or even
I two miles are not. But / cannot stop
. thinking about those on broken pieces Of
the ship. The great Gospel ship Is the
finest OF the universe. aid can carry more
passengers than any craft ever construct
ed, and you could no more wreck Il than
you could wreck the throne % Cod Al
mighty I wish al the people would
come aboard OF her / could nos promise
a smooth voyage. for oftumes II will be
tempestnOus or a chopped sea, but could
promise safe arrival for all who took
{ passage on ifar Great Eastern SO called
4 by me because Its conma nder came ouf
OF the East. the star of the East a badge
1 OF Ills authority.
One riaEA hay ave the Drowning.
But q vast multitude do not take reg
ulaF passage Their shsolosy is broken
ia pieces. and their life IS broken in
pieces, and their habits are broken In
pieces, and their worldly and spiritual