We cannot change the world that is before us, but we can train the men of the sea for the life of that country which is their home and ours. We can bring them into the Fatherhood of God, into the friendship of Him who often was in the fishers' boats, who knew the waves and winds and ruled them, and who chose his closest friends from fishermen. We can teach the sailor truth, virtue, piety; prepare him to leave the sea and enter upon the land, prepare him for the place which the Friend of sailors has prepared for them. Pardon me if I speak one more personal word. My father was a sailor. I was a boy when he came back from a three years' voyage. The ship had been signaled from far away, and a friendly officer of the Customs let me go down in his boat, for he knew who I was. He was a plain man, but to my memory one of the finest-looking men I have seen. As we drew near the ship I stood in the bow, and at length could see my father leaning over the side of the ship, and watching for the boat which at last would bring him to his home. When we came near enough together I waved my cap. He saw me, and called out to one of the men, "Throw a rope to my boy." The sailor threw the rope, and in a few moments the boy was in his father's arms. It was a simple thing, but many a time since have I heard that voice, that command which has become entreaty; and it has become the voice of the Father who is in heaven watching some child of his who needed to be brought near to Him; and I have heard the word and loved it, and tried to make it God's word to me, and the inspiration of my life, "Throw a rope to my boy!" MENDING, LAUNCHING, AND It was quiet on the Sea of Galilee in the morning when Jesus walked that way and saw two boats standing by the lake, and the fishermen washing and mending their nets. All the night they had taken nothing, but that day was to make up for the failure. To this point the story is commonplace, but the end of it is of interest to all the world. He bade them push out a little from the shore; and when He had taught the people from one of the boats, He directed the fishermen to launch out into the deep, and to let down their mended nets. It was against their experience, but they obeyed because He said it. This is Christian obedience in a very simple form, - the doing at Christ's word what otherwise would not be done. They filled their nets until the strain After they had come was too heavy upon them. to the shore, He bade them leave their boats and follow Him, to be made fishers of men. This also they did because He said it, and we who hear of this to-day are of the fish they caught. |