Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-07-24

sight. and hc was able to rescue many
lives. That picture upon the wall was
presented 10 the old captain by the res
cued men and women. So God. IL we
-consecra,e our lives 90 his service, viii
lead us IN strange and devious ways.
He will SO guide Us that we may be
able 10 save immortal men aud women
from sin upon the land as old Captain
Pendleton rescued those men and wo-
men from watery grave.
The human vessel. IN order to reach
the harbor for which Christ intended
him 10 sail. must be able IN one sense
20 make the voyage OF life alone.
mean by that that he must steer his own
course irrespective OF what other hui
man vessels may do. great harbor like
New York's always teens with life
The many trees which cover the noun
tain sides do not seem TO the imagina-
tive eye 10 be denser than the forests
OF masts which are crowding about
the docks. When the great steamer Is
being pulled out OF her wharf the little
tugs shrek and puff and grunt. The
multitudes who have come TO bid their
friends goodby wave their handker-
chiefs. The river boats salute the huge
ship as she slowly moves down the bay
But after awhile the surrounding ships
become less and less In numbers.
Then IL you are sailing upon the Pa
cine, or even upon the Atlantic. you
may go days and weeks and not sight
another craft. If you are on sailing
ship you will get head winds as well
IS those from the stern. Then you, as
sailing master, will have to tack and
beat up against those head winds. You
will have but one purpose always
working ahead toward the barbor, al
ways pressing toward the one destina-
ton TO which you wish to go. The
voyage or the Christians life Is very
similar TO a sailing ships journey
across the seas.
The Lone NavfGator's Friend.
Similarly I'm reference to its so,itari-
ness. When we start out we have
plenty OF friends. But IL we deter
mine to do right, IL we are set In our
purpose TO follow the course which
Christ has laid out for us, we shall
End that our friends will often leave
us. Que by one. We shall be as much
alone as for many years Christopher
Columbus was alone In bis attempts to
prove the circumDavigation OF the
globe: as William Harvey, the great
London physician, psychologist and
anatomist. was alone I'm believing I'm
the circulation OF the blood; as George
Whiteield was alone, when, as a pull
piteer. he was looked upon as mounte-
bank and an ecclesiastical clown; as
Paul was alone when he had to fee for
his life over the Damascus wall, and
as Jesus Christ was alone when,
scoffed and spit upon, he was hurried
up the rocky heights where he was to
be crucified between two thieves.
Similarly i'm reference to the head
winds and side currents which have to
be fought against. 1t would not be so
bad IL in the voyage of life the human
vessel had to make its journey alone.
and that was oil. But no sooner do
our friends begin to leave our sides
than the hurricanes of abuse and the
undercurrents OF SANDER begin to work
against US. When q noted reformer
at the end OF his life was given great
popular demonstration OF approval
and presented with a beautiful gold
watch he stood looking at IL with en-
barrassment. Then he said, with a
smile. Friends, IL IL had been n brick
bat or a bad egg hurled at me would
know what 10 do, but this beautiful
watch in my hand absolutely takes
away my BREATH" All. my Christian
brethren. with such loneliness which
must be endured and with such hurri-
canes of abuse which must be fought
against, no human craft trying 10 fol-
low the right course Is safe unless
Jesus Christ. as the divine captain, Is
guiding it and treading upon its quar-.
ter deck. No human ship can ever be
sailed safely over the troubled sea of
time into harbor OF blessed eternity
unless II has the magnetic needle OF
the cross for 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 Christi
The passing ship is like the Chris
tian's life in the close OF its voyage
The harbor OF peace will be entered
Is ended. Have you ever taken a long
trip away from home? Have you been
gone three, five. ten months or n year?
Have you ever been so far away that
IL cablegram was sent you that one
OF your loved ones was dying you knew
that you could not reach the bedside
or the sufferer. or even see her face
again after she was dead7 Well.
have. Ipray God you may never know
what such separation means.
End OF the Voyage.
Then, after long journey OF many
months, have you ever felt in head
and heart. in ali 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 Impotence as the journey
comes nearer TO ITS close! The old
ships propeller will not revolve fast
enough. You hang around the chart
which Is daily posted In the ship 9
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
rIioay HiSntl linen III the snip Is de-
tained, AS ours was all night long in
a fog just outside of New York harbor
oh. how the time does dragl l never
slept wink that last night on my
journey around the world. / walked
up and down the deck, up and down.
wondered IL the telegram had been
flashed to my folks from Barnegat
lighthouse that the EtrurIa had been
sighted. l wondered II they would be
down at the docks to greet me. And,
though Ii was stormy day when we
went up the Narrows, stood out near
the bow. l was alone, entirely alone.
without kith or kin for q travelling
companion; yet, when 1 saw my dear
ones upon the dock, nudged the man
nearest to me and cried out: "There
they arel There are my folks! There
are father and my sisters! Yes. there
they all are" And the tears of ioy
rolled down my cheeks. That is the
way the Christian voyager shall enter
the harbor OF peace. The physical
ship In which he sails may he bruised