will even
now turn to Him: `Now is the day of grace, now is the day of salvation.'
Oh, lads, I pray you to throw yourselves on His mercy, to trust to Him.
His blood cleanseth from all sin."

The seamen listened attentively to what Andrew said: they had often
heard similar words from the lips of the captain, but they were in
safety then on board their stout ship, and they had allowed them to pass
away unheeded. Now, although they still hoped to escape, they could not
help acknowledging that they were in a fearfully perilous position.
Still no one replied. What was passing in their minds Andrew could not
tell. He continued, addressing them in the same strain for some time.
Again and again he told them of the Saviour's love, and how earnestly He
desired them to come to Him and be saved.

Archy, however, had drunk in every word Andrew had said.

"But would Jesus pardon me, who has so grievously offended Him?" he
asked at last--"me, who have so often been told of His loving kindness
and mercy?"

"Yes, lad, that He will," said Andrew, taking Archy's hand, "He has
promised it, and His word is sure. He has sent us this blessed
message:--`The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.' He does
not say from some sins, or from only slight sins, but from all sins."

"Oh, then, I'll try and give Him my heart," exclaimed Archy. "I'll
trust to Him."

"Yes, do that, Archy; but give him your heart now--trust to Him now,"
said Andrew, earnestly. "We will pray, lad, that the Holy Spirit will
help you, for He alone can carry out the work in your heart;" and the
pious old man, kneeling down on the ice, lifted up his voice in prayer;
and surely that prayer was not uttered in vain. Still, although the
rest of the party made no response to his exhortations, he persevered;
and from the loud crashing roar of the ice, as the broken fragments were
dashed together, it seemed too likely that the day of grace for all
would ere long be past. Hour after hour went by, and yet the portion of
the floe on which they had taken refuge kept together. The storm
continued to rage, and the snow still fell heavily. Piece after piece
of the boat had been cut away its place being supplied with a wall and
roof of snow, which the seamen gradually built up. They were beginning
to feel the pangs of hunger, and they could scarcely get sufficient
warmth from the small fire they were able to maintain to keep themselves
from being frozen. It was nea