Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

or, the Cruise of Juan Ponce de Leon.

“There go the ships.” From the noble liner with her freight of ten hundred souls down to the trim schooner. Taut and fair they look as they gallantly plough or gaily skim the sea, all having some port in view, we wish them a safe voyage. And yet some of them may never reach the port again. The tempest may seize them in its angry grip and leave them tangled and broken on some rock-bound shore.

“As the swift ships,” so is your life. Old and young, rich and poor, are all sailing over the waters of Time. We put the trumpet to our lips and with earnest and friendly voice we cry, “Men and women, youths and maidens, Whither Bound?” Shall the voyage upon which you have started end in harbour and home, or in storm and wreck and ruin?

Ah! this is a question of stupendous importance. May it be faced and answered satisfactorily by every reader.

 

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Our book shall tell of Jesus, the one and only Saviour, of His grace and power and love and free salvation. He alone can save your soul and guide you clear of rock and shoal, through foes and storms to the hoped-for port beyond the fog. And this He offers to do without money and without price.

 

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Our book shall also warn of the dangers that lie ahead of those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Time is short. The “now” of God’s salvation day may soon be past and gone. The barometer is going down and the storm cone is going up. Oh! Wake up! Wake up! Hasten away to Jesus, and do it now. That those who read may be saved eternally is the prayer of the writer.

Boundless wealth and Perpetual Youth; or, the Cruise of Juan Ponce de Leon.

“Boundless wealth and perpetual youth.” Well the very mention of such things, so greatly to be desired, almost takes away one’s breath, and we cannot wonder that in days long ago, when people were less enlightened and more superstitious than they are to-day, expeditions were fitted out, and went forth to search beyond the seas for the land where such things were said to exist. But to-day we laugh at the folly of our forbears, for everybody knows that the wealthiest are often the least satisfied, and that every rolling year — nay, every swing of the pendulum, puts youth further behind, and brings old age, wrinkles, pain, and the grave nearer and nearer.

And yet what would not men endure even in this enlightened day to lay hold of these things, to never grow old, but to have the buoyancy of youth for ever, and to be possessed of limitless wealth — well, you exclaim, that would be “Paradise regained.”

In olden days it was firmly believed that a land existed somewhere surrounded by blue and stormless waters, whose springs yielded the blessing of which they had dreamed; nor was it only the credulous-minded who believed these things.

Peter Martyr, a man of eminent learning, wrote to Pope Leo X. in the 15th century: “Among the islands on the north side of Hispaniola, there is one, as they say, who have searched the same, in the which is a continual spring of running water of such marvellous virtue, that the water thereof, being drunk, perhaps with some diet, makes old men young again.” See note.

{Note: Washington Irving’s “Companions of Columbus.” End of note.}

Small wonder, then, that Juan Ponce de Leon, a famous Spanish seaman, set sail with three ships from Porto Rico in search of this island, which was believed in, in Europe, and of which Indian tradition spoke.

He sailed towards the Bahamas, but failed to find the island there; nor had any of the natives heard of it, and though he himself drank of many springs in that group, he became not one whit more youthful in appearance or spirits.

Disappointed, but not discouraged, he refitted his ships, and taking a new course, arrived eventually off the coast of Florida.

The sea was very tempestuous, but at length he contrived to bring his ships to anchor. Everything was in the fresh bloom of spring; the trees were laden with blossom, and the fields covered with fragrant flowers when he landed. It was the beauty of the land which led him to name it Florida. Here he stayed three months, but found neither gold nor youth.

Returning to Porto Rico, he took a new route, and on the way sighted a new group of islands. Landing here, still bent upon his search, he discovered that the only inhabitant was a wrinkled old Indian woman. This fact, and probably the chagrin he felt at being again disappointed, led him to call the islands La Reja, or the Old Woman Group.

At last he gave up the search, and returned to Spain, poor in purse, a thoroughly disappointed and disillusioned old man.

Now Ponce de Leon failed to find what he sought, because he searched in the wrong place. In a world where sin is, death and pain and sorrow must be. And yet there are blessings for all who will have them — blessings brighter and fairer than ever poets dreamed or sung. Perennial youth and boundless wealth may be had for the asking, but these things are connected, not with earth, but with the heaven from which Jesus came.

By His coming and dying He opened that heaven for sinners, and all who believe in Him receive everlasting life, and are made the heirs of God. Here are perennial youth and boundless wealth for you; will you not go in for both?

You may have tried the springs of this world’s pleasure in some measure, and discovered that they do not satisfy, and they never will.

This has been proved by thousands. Take the discoverers and explorers of the Western Hemisphere for example. Like Ponce de Leon, they all hoped to find that which should satisfy them; but of the greater part of them a historian writes: “They were cut off in the flower of their days, and few laid their bones in their father’s grave.” And if any of them became famous and lived to an old age, it was often to reap bitter disappointment — to be neglected, prosecuted, and even imprisoned.

True, indeed, are the words of the Son of God: “He that drinks of this water (the springs of earthly pleasure) shall thirst again.” And equally true are the words that followed the foregoing: “But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:13-14.) No wonder that the one to whom these words were uttered said: “Sir, give me this water.”

Oh, does not your heart desire it? If so, you may have it, for if you ask of Him who has it to give, He will give you this living water.

But it is all connected with heaven; that is the land of eternal life and incorruptible wealth, a land brighter and fairer than all the imagination of man can conceive.
“Dreams cannot picture that world so fair;
 Sorrow and death cannot enter there;
 Time does not breathe on its fadeless bloom:
 Beyond the cloud and beyond the tomb,
 It is there.”

But who can discover that world for us, and bring us there in safety? Thank God He has opened the Golden Gates of that land of glory. He sent His Beloved Son to die for our sins that we might be made fit to be there. His invitation comes ringing down to you to-day. God wants to have you in heaven forever, eternally happy and enriched with the choicest blessings that are there, and all may be secured through the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, blessed is the prospect of those who trust in Him.

Nor have they to wait until they reach heaven to be happy and satisfied here and now; the Holy Ghost, which those that believe receive, makes them joyful and bright in the knowledge of God’s wonderful love. They sail the waters of time to the land of glory, knowing full well that they will reach the port in safety, and the sun shines upon them as they sail — even the Sun of Jesus and His love.

Once again, will you have the present blessing of the Christian, and will you reach the home of the Saviour at last? There is room for you there. The blessing is near to you now. Oh, see to it that you do not miss it.