CHAPTER XI.

THE LIFE-BOAT.

"BROTHER," said Netta, on Saturday morning, "are you going to have a little service to-day?"

"Yes, every day, dear, if the children come to listen."

"Oh, no fear of that!" said Arthur. "We had quite a crowd."

"But what shall we do when there is only shingle?" said Ada.

"Then we must collect a circle of stones to sit on, and get the children to heap up shingle for seats."

"It will not be so nice," said Ada.

"No, not quite; but I do not think we shall mind."

"What a quantity of hymn sheets you will want!" said Isabel.

"One apiece, all round, every morning!" said Arthur.

"Well," answered Walter, "it is another way of giving away tracts, as some do. You see these are all sweet little hymns, and often sink into the heart when other words are forgotten."

"I see," said Arthur; "so you look at giving those away as some part of the work you want us to do?"

"For God," added his brother.

"Yes; I meant that," said Arthur.

"Shall we always sing the same?" asked Ada.

"No; I have twelve different sorts. That will be a change, you see, for twelve days; and then begin again."

"I wonder what the children do with the hymns?" said Nellie.

"I have heard," answered Mrs. Arundel, "that the children sometimes make little cardboard portfolios to hold them, as, if they love the hymns, they do not like to lose them and get them scattered."

"I wonder how they are made?" said Ada.

"I will show you," answered their mother, "if you will buy some cardboard and narrow ribbon in the town to-day."

"Oh, do, mamma! And that will be something to do after it gets dark."

About eleven o'clock Walter appeared on the sands, and began to select the spot for his little service. While his helpers were digging out the trench as they did the day before, Walter wrote his text on a smooth place on the sand—

"CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS;"

And underneath this he drew a picture of the life-boat belonging to South Bay, with which they were all familiar. Many inquiring glances were directed to the text and the picture; and very soon more and more children brought their spades and began to help. Nurses and mothers grouped themselves near: the promised shortness of the service being a great attraction to many.

"I wonder what it will be about?" said a child to Ada, who was busily digging out sand.

"You will see," answered Ada; "I guess the life-boat has something to do with it."

"I suppose it has; but I do not see how."

Just before half-past eleven, Christina came up to Mrs. Arundel, and sat down close to little Tom. Tom turned his head with a pleased look.

"I like your singing; I wish you would always come by me," he said.

"So I will, when I am here. Did you like it yesterday, Tom?" she said softly, looking in his face with her dark eyes.

"Yes," said Tom, hesitating; "but it was not meant for me. I cannot do anything for God!"

"Can you not, dear? I think you can. I will tell you another time. See! They are going to begin."

Walter now gave out, "Safe in the arms of Jesus," which they sang through; and then he asked the children to read his text over as on the day before.

"'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.'"

"What did He come for, dear children?"

"To save sinners."

"Now you see underneath our text a picture; what is it a picture of?"

"A life-boat," said a number of voices.

"And what is a life-boat for?"

"To save men from drowning," answered Arthur, after a short pause.

"Quite right," said Walter. "Now all of you,—What is a life-boat for?"

"To save men from drowning," answered all.

"Now, children, you have the key to understand what our text means. You have often heard that text before; but I do not suppose you have ever thought about Jesus being like a life-boat, have you? No, I daresay not; and that is why I want you to think about Him in quite a new light to-day.

"Not far from here, one very stormy day, a vessel was driven, by the violence of the waves, on to that sandbank over there."

All eyes followed Walter's; and now on this calm sunshiny morning, far out at sea, there was a little gleaming line of white to be seen near the horizon.

"There is the sandbank! Even on this calm day, when we have hardly a ripple here, the waves dash and foam over there; but if they do so in this weather, what must it be in a storm?

"That day the gale was very, very severe; and the coastguard watching heard a signal of distress, and very soon the brave sailors had manned the life-boat, and she was on her way to the wreck.

"What do the people on board that sinking vessel think when they see the life-boat battling with the waves, yet steadily and surely coming nearer and nearer? Do you think they are glad? Or do you think they do not care? Ah, they know their danger! Soon, soon their ship will sink; soon the waves which now wash over almost every part of the vessel must engulf them. No doubt whether they are glad!

"The life-boat comes nearer. Between the awful breakers they can see her, rising and falling. She is close now. For a moment the rush of the waves lessens.

"The brave men seize their opportunity. 'Jump!' they shout—'Jump!' Several obey, and are safe; but the giant waves rush forward, and the lift-boat is carried far beyond the wreck.

"'How many are left?' shouts the captain.

"'Five,' is answered back in a voice of despair!

"'Oh, don't leave us behind!'

"'No, no!' says the captain, and they put the head of the life-boat towards the ship again.

"A man stands on the edge of the vessel. He grasps a heavy bag. The boat comes nearer again.

"You'll never jump with that,' cries one standing near him.

"'I cannot leave it behind, it is everything I possess,' answers the man.

"The boat is borne close on another wave.

"'Jump!' shouts the captain once more, and four of the perishing ones obey. But the man who holds the bag of gold hesitates one moment, then, as the life-boat is carried back on the relentless wave, with a shriek, he springs forward. The boat is too far off! The bag which he still grasps in his hand becomes entangled, and drags him down and down, and still holding it, he sinks, never to rise again.

"The life-boat bears her freight of saved men and women safely to land; and you can imagine the rejoicing when they arrive there."

* * * * * * *

"Long before this, children, you will have made your own application of my subject; so I will not be long.

"Jesus is our Life-boat. We are on a sinking ship! The waves of our sins are washing over us! Do any of you doubt it? Have you ever felt a sin? Have you ever done a thing that you would not like your mamma to see? I know that each of you at this moment is confessing to yourself with a prick at your heart, 'I should not like her to have seen that!' Well, then, if so, the waves of your sins will sink you.

"Oh, children, we all need the Life-boat! Here it is:

"'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.'

"The Life-boat is come close to every one of you to-day. Will you jump? It may never come so near you again. Jump now! Jump now, children! Do not be like the man that held back, who wanted to take his earthly things with him. You can't do it, dear children. You must leave all behind; think of nothing but the Life-boat, and that will carry you safely to every blessing. Jump into the Life-boat now, children! Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.'"

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