inners to repentance.
Hateful as must have been to Him the atmosphere of guilt and degradation
in this lower world, he left his Father's throne and came to seek and to
save that which was lost." Ah, how unlike the ministry of the Son of
man had been Blair's proud, self-exalting, unloving demeanor. Perhaps
mercy for those poor abandoned men had sent a Christian boy to dwell
among them and show forth the image of his Master. With deep shame Blair
saw how unchristian had been his thoughts and acts towards his
uncongenial associates. Had he not cherished the very spirit of the
Pharisee, "Stand by thyself; I am holier than thou?" Blair thought of
his proud and hasty temper and of the many sins of his boyhood, and
meekly owned that but for the loving hand of God which had hedged him
round against temptation, and planted him in the garden of the Lord, he
might have been even worse than these wild rovers of the sea. Earnestly
he prayed that he might so live and love on board the Molly, that at
least a faint image might be given of the great Example, who endured
the contradiction of sinners, and for their sakes was willing to suffer
even unto death.

Shame and indignation that such men should profess to be defenders of
the American flag had hitherto been a chill to the patriotism of Blair
Robertson. Now the thought struck him, that if he could but win one of
these hardy sailors to be a Christian servant of his country, an honor
to the flag under which he sailed, not in vain would a young patriot
have endured the trials and temptations of the "Molly." "But," thought
Blair, "what am I, single-handed, against so many? How can I hope to
bring a blessing by the prayers of my one heart, be it ever so devoted?"
He remembered that the prayer of the patriot Moses saved the hosts of
the children of Israel from utter destruction at the hand of their
offended God. At the prayer of Paul, the Ruler of the seas gave him not
only his own life, but the lives of all that were with him in the ship.
"I cannot," he said to himself, "hope to prevail like these saints of
old, at least not for my own sake; but the name of Jesus is
all-powerful. I will plead it for the poor wanderers about me, and God
will in due time, I trust, prosper and bless my efforts."

CHAPTER XII.

THE FIRST EFFORT.

"I've broken my jack-knife," said the yellow-headed, yellow-faced tar
who rejoiced in the nickname of Brimstone. The speech was accompanied by
an oath