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Choose You This Day, December 19
Choose you this day whom ye will serve.
Joshua 24:15
.
The wind is increasing until it blows a gale. I do not venture upon the
deck [of the steamer
Wairarapa
]. I feel glad to keep still....
I was lifting up my heart to God for Christ, who stilled the tempest, to say
“Peace, be still.”
All at once the rainbow spanned the heavens. I could see the signs of
God’s promise in the bow in the clouds, and I was resting in confidence in
His protecting arms....
The lady in waiting [i.e., stewardess nurse] is very kind to me. I gave her
Steps to Christ
and some papers and pamphlets. I talked with her in regard
to her soul’s salvation. I pointed out the perils of anyone whose life was on
the sea. She said she had thought of this ofttimes, but she said, “If I could,
I would be a Christian, but I cannot. It would be an impossibility to serve
God on such a vessel as this. You do not know, you cannot have any idea
of the wickedness of these sailors. The captain and mates are so closely of
the same character with the crew of sailors that they have no influence to
introduce reform, if they desired such a thing.” I asked why she did not seek
some other employment. She said, “It would be no use. I have four children
to support and I have not strength to do hard work.” She was a small, delicate,
fine-featured woman....
I tried to open before her the danger of living a prayerless life. She said,
“It is no use to pray here, or try to be religious.” I told her if the Lord had
appointed her that place she would, if she would accept Christ as her Saviour,
realize Christ as her refuge. She said, with tears in her eyes, “It is impossible.
I know the company on this ship. I could not live religion here. I hope some
time to have some place opened for me where I can support my family, and
then I shall give my attention to serious things. If I could only be with my
children and support them in a humble way I would only too gladly choose
to do so.”—
Manuscript 88, December 19, 1893
, diary, en route to Sydney,
Australia, from New Zealand.
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