Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-12-31
STAND BY!
a Nautical Phrase Which Brings Its
Message and It's Lesson to
the Christian.

The lingo of the sailors. which smacks
Of the salt sea and the vastly deep. con-
tains many short and suggestive
phrases, which in figurative way may
have meaning and an application for
landsmen. Among the terse commands
which often ring out from the quarter
deck is the familiar order: stand by."
These two little words stand by" are
usually Introductory to some special
piece OF work. Sometimes it is:
stand by to heave the lead," some
nmes: Stand by to loose the to'-gal-
liant sails.' and again: Stand by to
get the cutter aboard" or: Stand by
the main sheet,''
Inc phrase as used by the men of the
sea, who have no time to lose in round
about expressions, means to keep near
to post of duty and to maintain
oneself in state of attention, ready to
execute piece of important work with
out de ay and without a miss as soon as
the next order comes. There is also
another familiar application of these
WORDS among seamen. as when the cap
tain of one ship Stands by" another
vessel in distress. keeping near II on
the nigh seas so long as danger threat
ems ready at moments notice to rem
der needed assistance.
In life at large there is constant need
OF standing by to do the thing that is
duty or to offer the succor that is re-
quired by some suffering or perishing
soul. says Rev. Charles A. S. Dwight.
In New York Observer. To stand by"
Is TO be alert and attentive to the duty
Oh the moment. A captain would make
snort work of sailor who while on
watch should remain star-gazing. or
should take nap in the long boat. while
sharp, quick orders were being given
on the execution OF which might depend
the safety of the ship and its passen-
gers. So on land as well as at sea eter-
nal vlgllance-a constant watchfulness
Tor the chance to DO or dare-is the
price of success and fame. Not aIoof-
ness but alertness is the characteristic
of the successful man.
The scholar who Stands bv' TO
mark and ponder the instructions of
teacher, the clerk who Stands by
to catch and execute the request of a
NNSNNhSAs vi the OIuST OIL MS en-
ployer, the conductor who stands by
to read carefully and obey the teIe-
gram from the train-dispatcher, the
Waterman who stands by to guard
valuable property from loss by fire
or theft, the doctor who Stands by''
the bedside OF the sick to save a still
more valuable life. the statesman who
stands by" his desk at the nations
capital to follow with close thought the
latest DEVELOPMENTS in worldwide
Tolitics. e., 2TorH Illustrations ot ad-
mirable achievement through atten-
ton to the task of the hour. BY thus
standing by" to do the next thing
many man. once in very humble
circumstances, has climbed the ladder
| of success by successive rounds of eff
fort until at last perhaps the whole
| world knows his name and holds him
in honor. For one opportunity i'm
| proved leads to another, and one duty
| done affords the basis for a bigger and
| drawer doing thereafter.
The Christian is man who stands
by to hear what God may have to say
to him, and 10 execute the Divine COM
mands as they come. Standing by"
is after all hut the modern colloquial
paraphrase of the familiar injunction:
Watch and pray" The Christian Is
perpetually on guard, ready alike for
defense and for advance against evil
| Life is crowded with golden opportuni-
ties OF service for God and man. Heed
the call Of the Great Captain when
He commands: "Attention,"-"stan
by to serve as occasion offers and
| Providence points the way.