Most of the _Dolphin's_ passengers went into the city to attend church the
next morning, but Grandma Elsie and Grace, not yet entirely recovered from
their fatigue, remained behind with the little ones. They watched the
departure of the others, then Elsie, taking a seat close at her grandma's
side, asked for a Bible story. "I like so much better to hear you or papa
or mamma read or tell it than to have to read it for myself," she said.
"Yes, dear, and I always enjoy reading or telling those sweet stories to
you," replied Mrs. Travilla, turning over the leaves of her Bible.
"Please read 'bout Jesus walking on the water, grandma," pleaded Neddie.
"Yes," she said. "Here in this chapter Mark tells about Jesus feeding the
multitude--five thousand men--with five loaves and two fishes; making so
much of that small quantity of food that they all ate and were filled, and
there were twelve baskets full of fragments left. Then he constrained his
disciples to get into the ship and go to the other side before unto
Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. Now, do you remember what he
did after the disciples and the people were gone?"
"Went up into a mountain to pray," answered Elsie. "Grandma, why did he
pray when he was God and could do everything?"
"We cannot fully understand it, dear, but he was both God and man and
loved to talk with his Father, God."
"Yes, grandma, I love to talk to my father," said Ned.
"So do I," said Elsie; "he is such a dear, kind papa, and we all love him
so much."
"That is right," grandma said with her sweet smile; "and I hope you
sometimes thank God, our heavenly Father, for giving you such a good, kind
papa."
"Yes, grandma, yes indeed!"
"Now listen while I read," she said, and began: "'And when even was come,
the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw
them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the
fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and
would have passed by them. But when they saw him walking upon the sea,
they supposed it had been a spirit, and they cried out: (For they all saw
him, and were troubled.) And immediately he talked with them, and saith
unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto
them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in
themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the
miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.'"
"Oh, grandma, I don't want my heart to be hardened like that--so that I
won't believe in Jesus and love and trust him," Elsie said earnestly.
"No, dear child; ask God very often not to let it ever be so hardened; but
to give you strong and abiding faith; faith that will never for an instant
doubt his power or love. Remember he says, 'I love them that love me, and
those that seek me early shall find me.'"
"Early in the morning, grandma?" asked. Ned.
"Yes, dear; and early in life--while you are a little child."
"How, grandma? What's the way to do it?"
"Perhaps you may sometimes want papa when you do riot know exactly where
he is, and you go about the house and grounds looking for him; that is
seeking him; and when you have found papa you say to him what you wish to
say. But Jesus, being God, is every where; he sees you and hears all you
say, knows all your thoughts; so if you speak to him only in your heart
he will know it--know all you want and listen to your prayer; for he is so
good, so kind, so condescending that he will not turn away from anyone who
really prays--asks with all his heart to be cleansed from his sins and
made truly good--such an one as will be pleasing in the sight of God."
"Yes, grandma," said Elsie, "that's what papa and mamma, too, have told
Neddie and me many times; and I do ask God earnestly very, very often to
give me a new heart and make me his own dear child. Grandma, papa often
tells me he loves me very dearly, but that Jesus loves me still more."
"Yes, dear child, the Bible tells us so and it is very sweet and
comforting to think of. Jesus loves to have us carry our troubles to him
and he feels for us in them all. He says, 'As one whom his mother
comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted.'"
"And mamma is such a dear comforter when we are in any trouble or
suffering pain," remarked Elsie.
"Yes, your mamma loves you very dearly, but Jesus' love is still stronger.
Now I will read of another time when Jesus stilled the waves with a word.
"'Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his
disciples: and he said unto them, let us go over unto the other side of
the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and
there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with
water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying,
Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind, and the
raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said
unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one
to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds
and water, and they obey him.'"
"Nobody but God could do that," Neddie remarked, half in assertion, half
enquiringly.
"No, dear child, it is only the voice of God the winds and waters will
obey, or the dead when summoned to come forth from their graves. Jesus is
God; and he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God, by
him. The Bible tells us so; the Bible which from beginning to end is God's
own holy word. Listen to its closing words;" and again she read aloud from
the Bible in her hands.
"'I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the
churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and
morning star. And the spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that
heareth say Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will,
let him take the water of life freely. For I testify unto every man that
heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto
these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this
book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this
prophecy God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of
the holy city and from the things which are written in this book. He which
testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly: Amen. Even so, come,
Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.'"
"Is it Jesus who says, 'Surely I come quickly, grandma?" asked Elsie.
"Yes, dear; and he says to each one of us: 'Take ye heed, watch and pray:
for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a
far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and
to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye
therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even,
or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning: Lest coming
suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all,
Watch.'"
"Watch," repeated Neddie. "What for, grandma?"
"That we may be ready to meet him with joy; our hearts full of love to him
and his cause, caring little for the things of earth, but very much for
things heavenly and divine; setting our affections on things above."
"Oh, there they come!" cried Neddie the next moment; "papa and mamma and
all the rest," and he ran to the side of the vessel to give them a joyous
greeting as they presently stepped upon the deck. In the afternoon the
captain gathered his young people together for a Bible lesson, which all
liked as he was sure to make it both interesting and instructive. The
subject was the miracle of Christ wrought in the healing of the paralytic
as related in Mark II. 1-12. "'Seeing their faith?' How did they show
their faith, Lucilla?" asked the captain.
"By their works, papa. I think that if they had not believed that Jesus
could and would heal their friend they would hardly have taken the trouble
to break up the roof that they might let him down before the Lord. And the
paralytic too must have had faith in the power and willingness of Jesus to
heal him or surely he would have objected to being moved so much--carried
from this house along the street to the place where Jesus was, then up to
the roof, and let down from there in his bed."
"Yes, he, too, surely must have had faith in the power and willingness of
Christ to heal him, and is included in the number of those spoken of as
having faith. Let it never be forgotten that faith in Christ is necessary
to salvation; for without faith it is impossible to please him'; but, 'all
things are possible to him that believeth.' 'Ye believe in God, believe
also in me,' Jesus said to his disciples in his farewell talk with them
the night before his crucifixion. If we would be saved we must have 'the
righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon
all them that believe.' None can be justified by works, 'for all have
sinned and come short of the glory of God,' and if we are justified it
must be 'freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus.' Ah, let us all pray as did the disciples, 'Lord, increase our
faith.'"
"Why did Jesus say to the man 'Son, thy sins be forgiven thee,' papa?"
asked little Elsie. "I thought it was to be cured of his sickness the man
came."
"Yes, daughter, but sin is the cause of all sickness and disease; if man
had not sinned there would never have been any sickness or pain, and
there will be none in heaven where all are holy.
"And in pronouncing the man's sins forgiven Jesus asserted himself to be
God. The Scribes sitting there understood it to be so, and said in their
hearts, 'Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins
but God only?' And Jesus knew their thoughts, for he asked, 'Why reason ye
these things in your hearts?'"
"That he could see their thoughts I should think was another proof that he
was God," remarked Walter, "and when that was followed by the
instantaneous healing of the man, it seems to me wondrous strange that
they were not convinced beyond the possibility of a doubt."
"The trouble with them was the same with that of many in these days,"
returned the captain; "their hearts were more in the wrong than their
heads; they did not want to be convinced."