Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1903-07-25

the cross for a compass and the great
harbor of peace for its destination. DO
YOU wonder that | declared every hui
man vessel should be under the domin-
ion of Jesus Christ?
The passing ship is like the Chris
tian's life in the close of its voyage.
The harbor of peace will be entered
gladly as soon as the earthly journey
is ended. Have you ever taken long
trip away from home? Have you been
gone three, five, ten months or year!
Have you ever been so far away that
II a cablegram was sent you that one
of your loved ones was dying you knew
that you could not reach the bedside
of the sufferer, or even see her race
again after she was dead? Well, /
have pray God you may never know
what such separation means.
End of the Voyage.
Then. after a long journey Of many
months, have you ever felt in head
and heart, in all parts of your being
mental, physical and spiritual, the ex-
ultant joy of heading toward home!
Oh. then the bliss and yet the long
drawn out impatience as the journey
comes nearer to It's close! The old
ships propeller will not revolye fast
enough. You hang around the chart
which is daily posted in the ship s
cabin to tell you how many miles the
ship is sailing. You bother the cap
tain every time you meet him, saying,
Captain, will we be able to get in by
Friday nightY Then if the ship Is de-
tanned, as ours was all night long in
a fog lust outside of New York harbor,
oh. how the time does drag. never
slept a wink that last night on my
Journey around the world. l walked
lid and down the deck up and down.
I wondered if the telegram had been
flashed to my folks from Barnegat
lighthouse that the Etruria had been
sighted. | wondered if they would be
down at the docks to greet me. And,
though it was Il stormy day when we
went I'D the Narrows. | stood out near
the bow. | was alone, entirely alone,
without kith or kin for a travelling
companion; yet, when | saw my dear
ones upon the dock. | nudgcd the man
nearest to me- ana cried out: There
they are. There are NY folks. There
are father and my sisters, Yes, there
they all are" And the tears of JOY
rolled down my CHEEKS. That is the
way the Christian voyaser shall eN'cr
the harbOr of peace. The physical
ship in which he sails may be bruised
and battered by many Il storm. but
that will amount to nothing. Then all
our loved ones will come down to meet
us. Oh, how many, many, many dear
ones are there. They shall all come
down to the banks | wonder II we
will know them at once. | wonder II
they will cry when we wave back.
The Bible says there are no tears in
heaven. brt 20 not think that state
ment is literally true. | do not believe
we can see our own dear ones for the
first time without crying just a little.
But, mark you. in that great welcome
they will only be tears of joy and not
tears Of sorrow.
Thus. my dear friends, as voyagers
upon the great sea of life, today | greet
you. | signal you with the warmest
feelings of Christian JOY stirring my
heart l feel that it is due to the proyi-
dence of God that we have been
brought together, and therefore we
have been brought together for Chris
tian purpose. The sea of life is so wide
that many of us only meet each other
this once before we sail into the harbor
Of peace. When vessel becomes wreck
| and floats about upon the seas as
derelict II sometimes takes months and
even years for it to be found and de-
stroyed. 1t may take all that time, no
matter how many ships may be hunt
ing for 1t. Therefore, what / am to
say to you must say quickly. Human
vessels voyagng over the sea of life,
never allow any sinful current to turn
your PROV from your Christly destina-
ton. Never allow your sails TO be
stretched for a popular wind. Never
allow your reckoning TO be made from
any star but that which once cleaned
over the Bethlehem manger And
never feel, Christian yoyager, that the
storm of persecution will founder you
il YOU have Christ In the hinder part
OF the ship. Christian voyager, If we
should never meet again this side OF
the harbor of peace, I send you my
Christian salutation and love - Hail
and farewell"
copyright. 1903. by Louis Klopsch.1