than the great
continents on which you and I live.

A chart of the sea always locates the dangerous places. They show where
other ships have been foundered, and oftentimes where hundreds and
thousands of lives have been lost. It also shows what are really rivers
in the sea, or great currents, one of which we call the Gulf Stream.
When a ship is crossing the Gulf Stream the motion or current of this
water might carry it many hundreds of miles out of its course, and if
the captain had no chart he would not be able to allow for this
distance, which the ship is being carried, either north or south.

Now, you and I are travelers in this world. We are out upon a great
voyage, and it is necessary that we should have a chart, and therefore
God has given us the Bible, which you and I can use greatly to our
advantage. In the Bible, God has pointed out the dangers which lie like
the hidden rocks under the surface of the sea. In the commandments God
marks out the great dangers which beset you and me. There is the rock of
Idolatry. Whole nations of the earth have been wrecked on this rock.
Then there is another, Profanity, swearing: Oh! how many boys and men
are ruined because they do not observe how God has marked this
dangerous rock, against which no one can run without danger of losing
his immortal soul. Then there is Sabbath breaking, another rock; and
there is reverence due to parents; and God marks another, "Thou shalt
not kill"; and then there are others, against stealing, against bearing
false witness, against covetousness. All these dangerous rocks God has
marked in the Bible, in order that you and I may not run against them,
and thus be shipwrecked in our voyage to the haven of everlasting rest.

[Illustration: Rocks and Mountains at the Bottom of the Sea.]

God also marks the influences which you and I must come in contact with.
Every boy who goes to school feels the influence of other boys, some of
whom are very bad. If he permits himself to be moved by these things he
will go wrong, just the same as the ship that is crossing the Gulf
Stream is carried out of its course. So the Bible warns us against bad
company.

Now the chart which the sea captain has, indicates also the ports of
safety. It shows the location of these different ports, and the
direction the captain must take in order to reach them. So the Bible
shows us where you and I can find refuge in the day of storm, and in the
day of trial, and in the day of