Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

or, The Loss of the “White Ship.”

I have tried to show you in our last chapter that we need a Saviour who is able and willing to save, and this is of such special importance that I must lay stress upon it. Love and power must go together or there will be no salvation. A well-known sea incident from England’s history will prove this.

Henry I. of England, with his son William, the heir to the throne, had been spending some time in France, receiving the homage of the barons of Normandy which was then a British possession. They were about to return to England when a celebrated sea-captain, Thomas Fitz-Stephen by name, came forward and begged the King to cross the channel in his vessel the “White Ship.”

The King had already chosen his vessel, so could not accompany Fitz-Stephen, but he allowed Prince William and his company to sail with him.

The King set sail, leaving the White Ship to follow later. Fitz-Stephen boasted that his ship was the fastest afloat, and would overtake the King’s barge even if they did not sail until midnight. In consequence cask after cask of wine was opened and freely drunk, and the Prince and his gay companions danced on the deck in the moonlight. When the vessel was ordered to start there was not one sober man amongst the fifty sailors who manned her.

And here I would remark that sinful indulgence often brings swift retribution. None can plunge into sin with impunity. All sin is terrible in the end, no matter how fascinating it may be at the start, and amongst the many sins of which we would warn the youthful reader is that of wine drinking; it may be pleasing at first, but in the end it bites and stings and destroys.

At midnight the sails were set and the oars rattled in the oar-locks, and the “White Ship” shot out of the harbour of Barfleur.

The sea was smooth, and everything seemed to go merrily for a tithe; when, suddenly the splash of the oars gave place to a terrible crash, and the stillness of the night was broken by an awful cry from three hundred lips. The “White Ship” had struck upon the Cutte-raze rocks, a great rent had been made in her side, the waters were rushing in, and she was going down.

Fitz-Stephen hastily lowered the boat, and forcing the Prince and a few nobles into it, he said: “Push off quickly, the land is not far off, the rest of us must die.”

They plied the oars, and swiftly through the water they sped, leaving behind them the terror-stricken people on the sinking ship. They had not gone far, however, when the Prince heard the voice of his sister Marie calling bitterly for help. This was too much for him, for he loved his sister, and he cried: “Row back again at all costs we must save my sister.”

They rowed back to the side of the wreck, and William held out his arms to catch the Princess, but at that moment so many jumped into the boat that it was overturned, and at the same moment the “White Ship” went down.

One man only escaped to tell the story, and when the sad news reached the King he fainted away, and was never seen to smile again.

Prince William would have saved his sister if he could, his love for her was great enough to induce him to try; but he was not able, and they perished together.

But what a different story we have to tell of our Saviour. He came into the world to save sinners, and there was no doubt at all as to the result of his coming from the very beginning. You will remember that the angels sang his praises with joyful tongues when he was born in Bethlehem. They sang because they knew He could not break down or fail. If there had been any doubt as to this in their minds, they would have kept their song until the work of salvation was finished. The Princess Marie cried out in her distress, and that cry touched the heart of her brother, and brought him back to attempt to rescue her; but Jesus’ love led Him to come to save before ever we cried to Him; before we felt our need or saw our danger He braved the storm and suffered death. His love brought Him down, as we have already seen; His resurrection proves that He has finished the work, and that His power is sufficient to save. His love is as great as His power.

Oh! what a Saviour He is, just the Saviour you need, full of love and full of power; then see to it that He is your Saviour.