Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

or, How Venice was Saved

When Venice was “Queen of the Adriatic,” not only because of her beauty, but because of her wealth and power, she had many enemies. Doubtless many of these were made by the arrogance of her rulers, while some were her foes because they were jealous of her greatness.

About the year 1378 several of the neighbouring states formed a strong confederacy in the hope of humbling her pride and destroying her power. In this the State of Genoa took the lead. A fierce war was the result, and most of the fighting took place upon the sea.

It happened about this time that an epidemic broke out in the Venetian fleet, which carried off a great number of the fighting men. In this weakened state the Genoese opened an attack upon them, and drove them into Venice. Enraged at this reverse, the fickle Venetians took the admiral Vettor Pisani, and cast him into prison. There he lay for some time, and though he loved his country, he was unable to render her any assistance.

Meanwhile the successes of Peitro Doria, the Genoese admiral, continued, and in one engagement he took 5,000 Venetians prisoners. This made him certain of final success, while it reduced Venice to the verge of despair. This was deepened when the Genoese fleet appeared before the ramparts of the city.

It was then hastily decided that the only chance of saving the city was to treat for peace, and delegates were sent out, offering to make very great concessions; in fact the Venetians were ready to give up everything to the invaders but their liberty.

Doria answered with a bitter sneer, saying there should be no peace for Venice until he had entered the place a complete conqueror, and bridled the bronze horses in the square of St. Marks, and he at once prepared to blockade the city and reduce it by famine.

In their extremity the Venetians remembered the man whom they had despised and treated unjustly. Pisani was taken out of prison, and besought by the Senate to defend his country. This he gladly undertook to do, refusing the adulation of the people, and the honour which the Doge of Venice would have put upon him.

He was a man of vigour and decision, and soon had a fleet equipped, and gave battle to the invaders. The tide of victory now turned, and instead of the Venetians being forced to surrender, they drove the Genoese into the harbour of the town of Chiaggia, which they had taken some time before. Here they held out for a while, but in one battle they lost very heavily, and Doria was killed, then they yielded to Pisani, who dictated terms to them, which were most honourable to his people. Thus did the one whom the Venetians had accounted unworthy of their confidence become their deliverer.

This incident shall illustrate for us a more serious matter, and one which concerns each reader of this page.

The truth is not always pleasant, but it is necessary to make it known. Every man, woman, and child needs a deliverer from a foe who will give no quarter. Nothing but abject and utter surrender to his power will satisfy the devil, who is the foe of man; the power which he wields is death. All that men have will they give to escape death, but it is of no avail. As Doria refused to be bought off, so death refuses to relinquish his claims it must be a conflict to the bitter end, utter defeat or complete victory.

Who amongst the strongest and the wisest of the earth-born race can grapple with this foe and overcome? There is none; a deliverer must be found, or all will be lost.

Joyous news! There is a Deliverer, One who cannot fail those who trust in Him. He is the One whom men despised; the One whom they set at naught and reviled in bitter scorn, naming Him “The Nazarene.” But all this changed not the love of Jesus. He would meet the foe on the behalf of poor sinners, “who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” He has met the foe, and in single combat has gained a glorious victory. He died for our sins, but has risen again from the dead, and now a happy and eternal deliverance is the portion of all His people, and they will share for ever in the fruits of His victory.

How do you stand with regard to Jesus?

Have you thankfully bowed to Him and accepted Him as your Saviour? If not, you are still exposed to the relentless power of the foe.

There are thousands who despise this only Saviour. Oh! the madness and base ingratitude of so doing!

 

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You have doubtless read of John Davies, a celebrated English seaman and explorer. In the year 1604 he was sailing for India when he fell in with a party of Japanese drifting out to sea in a leaky junk and without provisions. They were a cut-throat looking set of men, and he believed them to be pirates in spite of their protestation of honesty, but he took pity on them in their perilous situation, and took them aboard his ship. These very men plotted together and murdered their benefactor in cold blood.

What would be said to-day of such an act of black ingratitude. Why the wretches would be hounded down and hung by the neck for their base crime. And even the most tender-hearted would acknowledge that such an end was richly deserved.

This world is guilty of an act of infamy, which throws the murder of John Davies into the shade. The holy Son of God, full of grace and compassion, came into this world to bring the blessings of heaven to men, and they took him with wicked hands, and crucified and slew Him. And if you have not yet bowed to Him and owned Him as your Lord, you are still on the side of the world that was guilty of such an act. Judgment, swift and terrible, must fall upon this world some day; if you would escape it, take side with Jesus. Trust Him as your Saviour. Honour Him as your Lord. The Venetians did not withhold the honour that was Pisani’s due when they discovered his real worth. You have heard of Jesus, what He is, and what He has done. Is He not worthy of your praise? Then despise Him not, reject Him not; but trust Him now.