The Cruise of the Mary Rose | Page 9

say that the Son of the great God who made heaven and earth, and all those thousands of stars we see up there, did all that for me, and such as me,--that He says all that to me, and such as me?"
"Shipmate," I answer, solemnly, "He did do all that for you, and such as you,--and He says all that to you. Take hold of but the hem of His garment, so to speak, by faith, and you are saved. As to satisfaction to Divine justice, it is done. You have nothing to do with that, you have but to feel that you are sinful and guilty. You have to repent, which, may God the Holy Spirit help you to do. You have to look to Jesus as the only cure, as the only Saviour,--to His blood as the only means by which you can be cleansed; and the holy word of God says it, `Thy faith hath saved thee,'--`By faith ye are saved,'--`His blood cleanseth from all sin.' He doesn't say from little sins, or slight sins, but from all sin. He doesn't say He will receive you by-and-by, perhaps, when you have done something to please Him; but He does invite you, He does receive you. No power of earth or hell can prevent Him from presenting you faultless before the throne of grace. Shipmate, if you only feel your guiltiness, it is you He invites, with all your sins upon you, to come to Him,--it is you He will present faultless and fearless before God's judgment throne, welcomed as a son of God,--not crying out, as numbers will be doing, for the mountains to cover them, for the rocks to fall on them."
"This is news indeed,--glorious news!" says the poor fellow, in a cheerful, happy tone, very different from what he had before spoken in. "I wish that I had known it before. But I know it now, and that's enough. Jesus died for me, and I trust in Jesus."
I have soon to leave him to attend to my duty on deck. Captain Fuller would not hold it as an excuse that I was attending to a dying man. After some time, my watch on deck being almost out, Tony Hinks comes to me and tells me that Collis is dead; but says he, "It was strange to hear him saying over and over, again and again, `Jesus died for me, and I trust in Jesus.' What does that mean, Mr Harvey?"
I tell him. He goes forward, muttering, "Strange! I never heard the like."
I see Collis once more before he is sewn up in his hammock. There is a smile on his features, such as I had never before seen there.
Six days more, and we sight the high land of King George the Third Island, called by the natives Otaheite, or Taheite. As we draw near it, the prospect becomes truly pleasing to the sight. Lofty hills, covered with beautiful flowering shrubs, and fringed by pandanus, cocoa-nut, and various other trees which we see in these tropical regions, rise up into the clear blue sky, with green valleys between them, and sparkling waterfalls rushing down their sides. A line of white breakers intervene, however, foaming over a coral reef, with a belt of deep blue water between it and the white glittering beach and the feathery fringe of vegetation which springs up close to the strand, the trees overshadowing it with their branches. Never have I seen a more lovely picture; and Tony Hinks, who has been here before, tells us there is no country, to his mind, more pleasant to dwell in. "A man may live here," says he, "with nothing to do, abundance to eat, and plenty of people to tend on him." He gives the first mate and me a hint to keep a sharp look-out on the ship's company, or some of them may be missing when we sail. No wonder, I think, if the place is such an earthly paradise. He speaks of many other things likely to prove attractive to seamen. I ask if the natives are Christians. "Christians? no," he answers, with a laugh. "They would be spoilt, to my mind, if they were. They are much better as they are, as you'll agree, Mr Harvey, when you go on shore." I am inclined to be at issue with Tony on that point; but still I would fain judge of the savage virtues of which he speaks before I condemn them.
We coast some way round the island, till we reach an opening in the reef, entering through which we moor the ship in a commodious harbour. Soon she is surrounded with native canoes, laden with cocoa-nuts, bananas, bread-fruits, apples, figs, and other pleasant vegetable productions. The natives bring boughs with