the face calmly, though still they clung to the doomed vessel,
hoping against hope to the very last.

Many of the passengers were asleep in their berths when the vessel
first struck. The steward ran down to give the alarm without loss of
time.

"For God's sake, get up, all of you. The vessel is on the rocks, and
we shall all be drowned."

What a terrible awakening it was for those who had gone calmly to sleep
the night before! No warning had been given to them. They little knew
how the angels wrote above their cabin, "There is but a step between
thee and death." With busy brains, planning all sorts of work for
future years, and dreaming of worldly success and prosperity, they laid
down to sleep. While the night yet lasted came the terrible cry,
"Behold, the bridegroom cometh: go ye forth to meet Him." And what
terror and affright the message caused, only He knew who looked down
from Heaven into the souls of the men and women. Was it not a pity
that they had not thought of this before? If only they had been His
friends, they would not have feared to see His face. But to those who
had persistently turned deaf ears to His invitations, the cry, "Prepare
to meet thy God," sounded like a summons to eternal doom.

To others, however, it was not so. They looked across the waters to
another shore, where the lights are always burning, and where shining
ones stand to welcome the weary voyagers who would safely gain it. As
they saw the danger they knew that the shore they loved was not far
away; and when they cried in strong faith, "Come, Lord Jesus, come
quickly," they heard the still small voice of their God saying, "It is
I, be not afraid." Death by drowning was for them only a short swift
passage to the heavenly land, where "there shall be no more sea." And
though life must have been dear to them--for every one had some tie to
keep him below--still, there was not one Christian but would be willing
"to depart and be with Christ, which is far better," and the summons,
though it was brought by seething waters and howling winds, could not
be unwelcome. For a few seconds there would be nothing but darkness,
pain and bewilderment, but then all would be over, and their day would
begin. "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more. The Lamb
which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead
them to living fountains of water, and God shall wipe all tears from
their eyes." Happy, indeed, are