CHAPTER X.
Most of the _Dolphin's_ passengers went into the city to attend church thenext morning, but Grandma Elsie and Grace, not yet entirely recovered fromtheir fatigue, remained behind with the little ones. They watched thedeparture of the others, then Elsie, taking a seat close at her grandma'sside, asked for a Bible story. "I like so much better to hear you or papaor 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 toyou," 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 themultitude--five thousand men--with five loaves and two fishes; making somuch of that small quantity of food that they all ate and were filled, andthere were twelve baskets full of fragments left. Then he constrained hisdisciples to get into the ship and go to the other side before untoBethsaida, while he sent away the people. Now, do you remember what hedid after the disciples and the people were gone?"
"Went up into a mountain to pray," answered Elsie. "Grandma, why did hepray when he was God and could do everything?"
"We cannot fully understand it, dear, but he was both God and man andloved 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 himso much."
"That is right," grandma said with her sweet smile; "and I hope yousometimes thank God, our heavenly Father, for giving you such a good, kindpapa."
"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 sawthem toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about thefourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, andwould 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 sawhim, and were troubled.) And immediately he talked with them, and saithunto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up untothem into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed inthemselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not themiracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.'"
"Oh, grandma, I don't want my heart to be hardened like that--so that Iwon'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; butto give you strong and abiding faith; faith that will never for an instantdoubt his power or love. Remember he says, 'I love them that love me, andthose 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 wherehe is, and you go about the house and grounds looking for him; that isseeking him; and when you have found papa you say to him what you wish tosay. But Jesus, being God, is every where; he sees you and hears all yousay, knows all your thoughts; so if you speak to him only in your hearthe will know it--know all you want and listen to your prayer; for he is sogood, so kind, so condescending that he will not turn away from anyone whoreally prays--asks with all his heart to be cleansed from his sins andmade 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 toldNeddie and me many times; and I do ask God earnestly very, very often togive me a new heart and make me his own dear child. Grandma, papa oftentells 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 andcomforting to think of. Jesus loves to have us carry our troubles to himand he feels for us in them all. He says, 'As one whom his mothercomforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted.'"
"And mamma is such a dear comforter when we are in any trouble orsuffering 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 hisdisciples: and he said unto them, let us go over unto the other side ofthe lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: andthere came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled withwater, 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 theraging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he saidunto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying oneto another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the windsand water, and they obey him.'"
"Nobody but God could do that," Neddie remarked, half in assertion, halfenquiringly.
"No, dear child, it is only the voice of God the winds and waters willobey, or the dead when summoned to come forth from their graves. Jesus isGod; and he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God, byhim. The Bible tells us so; the Bible which from beginning to end is God'sown holy word. Listen to its closing words;" and again she read aloud fromthe Bible in her hands.
"'I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in thechurches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright andmorning star. And the spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him thatheareth 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 thatheareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add untothese things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in thisbook: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of thisprophecy God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out ofthe holy city and from the things which are written in this book. He whichtestifieth 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 afar journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, andto every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch yetherefore: 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 comingsuddenly 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 himand his cause, caring little for the things of earth, but very much forthings heavenly and divine; setting our affections on things above."
"Oh, there they come!" cried Neddie the next moment; "papa and mamma andall the rest," and he ran to the side of the vessel to give them a joyousgreeting as they presently stepped upon the deck. In the afternoon thecaptain gathered his young people together for a Bible lesson, which allliked as he was sure to make it both interesting and instructive. Thesubject was the miracle of Christ wrought in the healing of the paralyticas related in Mark II. 1-12. "'Seeing their faith?' How did they showtheir faith, Lucilla?" asked the captain.
"By their works, papa. I think that if they had not believed that Jesuscould and would heal their friend they would hardly have taken the troubleto break up the roof that they might let him down before the Lord. And theparalytic too must have had faith in the power and willingness of Jesus toheal him or surely he would have objected to being moved so much--carriedfrom this house along the street to the place where Jesus was, then up tothe roof, and let down from there in his bed."
"Yes, he, too, surely must have had faith in the power and willingness ofC
hrist to heal him, and is included in the number of those spoken of ashaving faith. Let it never be forgotten that faith in Christ is necessaryto salvation; for without faith it is impossible to please him'; but, 'allthings are possible to him that believeth.' 'Ye believe in God, believealso in me,' Jesus said to his disciples in his farewell talk with themthe night before his crucifixion. If we would be saved we must have 'therighteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and uponall them that believe.' None can be justified by works, 'for all havesinned and come short of the glory of God,' and if we are justified itmust be 'freely by his grace through the redemption that is in ChristJesus.' Ah, let us all pray as did the disciples, 'Lord, increase ourfaith.'"
"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 mancame."
"Yes, daughter, but sin is the cause of all sickness and disease; if manhad not sinned there would never have been any sickness or pain, andthere will be none in heaven where all are holy.
"And in pronouncing the man's sins forgiven Jesus asserted himself to beGod. The Scribes sitting there understood it to be so, and said in theirhearts, 'Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sinsbut God only?' And Jesus knew their thoughts, for he asked, 'Why reason yethese things in your hearts?'"
"That he could see their thoughts I should think was another proof that hewas God," remarked Walter, "and when that was followed by theinstantaneous healing of the man, it seems to me wondrous strange thatthey 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 theirheads; they did not want to be convinced."