Dear Boys and Girls,
This is the story of a little ship named “Lorna.” It was given that name by its owner and called after the owner's little girl. It was a very brightly painted little ship and always had lots of flags flying in the breeze.
One day, this little ship was sailing on the Niagara River in America. It was on its way from Chicago to New York and intended to enter the canal leading to New York. The river where the canal enters is quite safe and no fear was felt, but the “pilot” missed the entrance to the canal and sailed on down the river, thinking all the time that he would soon come to the canal. The water became swifter and swifter, but the little ship sailed gaily on and when the people along the shore, knowing the danger, tried to signal the ship, those on the little cruiser waved back cheerily and sailed on merrily down the river, unaware that they were headed for the rushing water-falls and certain death.
Suddenly a great gust of wind blew the ship on to the rocky reef at the foot of a little island. If it had sailed on ten minutes more it could not have escaped plunging over the Falls. The ship turned over on its side and the four people on board had to cling to the wreck for more than an hour before they were taken off by strong men in a rowboat who risked their lives to save them.
There is a verse in the Bible, boys and girls, which says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.” The danger came for that little boat by missing the right “path”, for there are paths in the water as well as on the dry land. There are paths on land and sea which lead to safe harbours, and there are paths which lead to danger and death. The pilot of the little ship “Lorna” missed the entrance to the safe water. The way he took seemed right to himself, but it was the way of tragedy.
How important, then, it is, boys and girls, that we have a “Pilot” who can safely guide us through this life and take us to heaven to be with Himself at last. There is only One who can do both these things, and that is Christ, the Son of God. Perhaps you know –
“Jesus Saviour pilot me,
Over life's tempestuous sea.”
Love,
Mrs Seaton.
