THE SHIPWRECK.
A ship sailed out on the billowy sea,Full freighted with precious souls;And manned by a crew both gallant and free,Who sing as the brave ship rolls.“O, a life on the sea—the foaming sea,And a home on the rolling tide,O, a sailor’s life is the life for me,Yo heave,” they merrily cried!“Our boat is stanch, and tried and true,And a captain brave have we.Hurrah! Hurrah! we’re as jolly a crewAs sails on the bounding sea!”But their song is hushed, as they feel a shockWhich makes their stout hearts quail.“O, God,” they cry, “The rock! the rock!The ship has struck a gale!”Men, women and children rush on deck,Their faces blanched with fear.They clasp each other about the neck;And they feel that death is near.“Go down! go down!” cries the captain brave,“This is not the place for you.I will do my best the ship to save;She has a gallant crew.”But e’en while he spoke, above the blastWas heard the fearful cry—“A leak! the ship is filling fast!”And no earthly help was nigh.“Man the life-boat!” cries the captain braveIn a tone of firm command.“Man the life-boat these lives to save!And let every sailor stand,“Firm at his post, till I give the signFor him to leave the ship.All hope of rescue I now resign,”He said, with quivering lip.They lowered the boat o’er the vessel’s side,Down into the surging sea.While over it swept the angry tide;And they felt that only HeWho holds the billows in His hand,Could guide this bark so frail,With its precious cargo, safe to land,And help it outride the gale.Then over the side of that dreadful wreckThe passengers clambered fast;Till the boat, which seemed like a tiny speck,Was crowded full at last.At length all are gone, but the sailors brave,Who await their captain’s word;And soon, above the roaring wave,His manly voice is heard.“Now go, my sailors! go,” he cried.“You have been brave and true;And oh, may God, your frail bark guide!Adieu! brave lads, adieu!”“Nay, wait not for me; my place is here,And firmly here will IStand at my post, without one fearWhether I live or die!”Alone, upon that dreadful night,They left that captain brave.And, ere another morning’s light,He found a watery grave.Ah! brave young heart! would that we allMight be as brave and true;As prompt to answer duty’s call,As was that gallant crew.How few are the hearts, that bravely will standBy the wreck of a human soul.Holding on with a firm, loving clasp to the handAs o’er it the dark billows roll.Perchance in smooth waters, our life-boat may glide,While some tempest-tossed brother may beSinking into the dark waves of sin, by our side;Down into the turbulent sea.Shall we stand idly by, without seeking to saveFrom a fate which far worse may be,Than the fate of that captain, so gallant and brave,Who was drowned in the depths of the sea.We each have a work for our brother to do.“His keeper,” God made us to be.O! then to our trust let us ever be trueAs we sail over life’s stormy sea.
A ship sailed out on the billowy sea,Full freighted with precious souls;And manned by a crew both gallant and free,Who sing as the brave ship rolls.“O, a life on the sea—the foaming sea,And a home on the rolling tide,O, a sailor’s life is the life for me,Yo heave,” they merrily cried!“Our boat is stanch, and tried and true,And a captain brave have we.Hurrah! Hurrah! we’re as jolly a crewAs sails on the bounding sea!”But their song is hushed, as they feel a shockWhich makes their stout hearts quail.“O, God,” they cry, “The rock! the rock!The ship has struck a gale!”Men, women and children rush on deck,Their faces blanched with fear.They clasp each other about the neck;And they feel that death is near.“Go down! go down!” cries the captain brave,“This is not the place for you.I will do my best the ship to save;She has a gallant crew.”But e’en while he spoke, above the blastWas heard the fearful cry—“A leak! the ship is filling fast!”And no earthly help was nigh.“Man the life-boat!” cries the captain braveIn a tone of firm command.“Man the life-boat these lives to save!And let every sailor stand,“Firm at his post, till I give the signFor him to leave the ship.All hope of rescue I now resign,”He said, with quivering lip.They lowered the boat o’er the vessel’s side,Down into the surging sea.While over it swept the angry tide;And they felt that only HeWho holds the billows in His hand,Could guide this bark so frail,With its precious cargo, safe to land,And help it outride the gale.Then over the side of that dreadful wreckThe passengers clambered fast;Till the boat, which seemed like a tiny speck,Was crowded full at last.At length all are gone, but the sailors brave,Who await their captain’s word;And soon, above the roaring wave,His manly voice is heard.“Now go, my sailors! go,” he cried.“You have been brave and true;And oh, may God, your frail bark guide!Adieu! brave lads, adieu!”“Nay, wait not for me; my place is here,And firmly here will IStand at my post, without one fearWhether I live or die!”Alone, upon that dreadful night,They left that captain brave.And, ere another morning’s light,He found a watery grave.Ah! brave young heart! would that we allMight be as brave and true;As prompt to answer duty’s call,As was that gallant crew.How few are the hearts, that bravely will standBy the wreck of a human soul.Holding on with a firm, loving clasp to the handAs o’er it the dark billows roll.Perchance in smooth waters, our life-boat may glide,While some tempest-tossed brother may beSinking into the dark waves of sin, by our side;Down into the turbulent sea.Shall we stand idly by, without seeking to saveFrom a fate which far worse may be,Than the fate of that captain, so gallant and brave,Who was drowned in the depths of the sea.We each have a work for our brother to do.“His keeper,” God made us to be.O! then to our trust let us ever be trueAs we sail over life’s stormy sea.
A ship sailed out on the billowy sea,Full freighted with precious souls;And manned by a crew both gallant and free,Who sing as the brave ship rolls.
A ship sailed out on the billowy sea,
Full freighted with precious souls;
And manned by a crew both gallant and free,
Who sing as the brave ship rolls.
“O, a life on the sea—the foaming sea,And a home on the rolling tide,O, a sailor’s life is the life for me,Yo heave,” they merrily cried!
“O, a life on the sea—the foaming sea,
And a home on the rolling tide,
O, a sailor’s life is the life for me,
Yo heave,” they merrily cried!
“Our boat is stanch, and tried and true,And a captain brave have we.Hurrah! Hurrah! we’re as jolly a crewAs sails on the bounding sea!”
“Our boat is stanch, and tried and true,
And a captain brave have we.
Hurrah! Hurrah! we’re as jolly a crew
As sails on the bounding sea!”
But their song is hushed, as they feel a shockWhich makes their stout hearts quail.“O, God,” they cry, “The rock! the rock!The ship has struck a gale!”
But their song is hushed, as they feel a shock
Which makes their stout hearts quail.
“O, God,” they cry, “The rock! the rock!
The ship has struck a gale!”
Men, women and children rush on deck,Their faces blanched with fear.They clasp each other about the neck;And they feel that death is near.
Men, women and children rush on deck,
Their faces blanched with fear.
They clasp each other about the neck;
And they feel that death is near.
“Go down! go down!” cries the captain brave,“This is not the place for you.I will do my best the ship to save;She has a gallant crew.”
“Go down! go down!” cries the captain brave,
“This is not the place for you.
I will do my best the ship to save;
She has a gallant crew.”
But e’en while he spoke, above the blastWas heard the fearful cry—“A leak! the ship is filling fast!”And no earthly help was nigh.
But e’en while he spoke, above the blast
Was heard the fearful cry—
“A leak! the ship is filling fast!”
And no earthly help was nigh.
“Man the life-boat!” cries the captain braveIn a tone of firm command.“Man the life-boat these lives to save!And let every sailor stand,
“Man the life-boat!” cries the captain brave
In a tone of firm command.
“Man the life-boat these lives to save!
And let every sailor stand,
“Firm at his post, till I give the signFor him to leave the ship.All hope of rescue I now resign,”He said, with quivering lip.
“Firm at his post, till I give the sign
For him to leave the ship.
All hope of rescue I now resign,”
He said, with quivering lip.
They lowered the boat o’er the vessel’s side,Down into the surging sea.While over it swept the angry tide;And they felt that only He
They lowered the boat o’er the vessel’s side,
Down into the surging sea.
While over it swept the angry tide;
And they felt that only He
Who holds the billows in His hand,Could guide this bark so frail,With its precious cargo, safe to land,And help it outride the gale.
Who holds the billows in His hand,
Could guide this bark so frail,
With its precious cargo, safe to land,
And help it outride the gale.
Then over the side of that dreadful wreckThe passengers clambered fast;Till the boat, which seemed like a tiny speck,Was crowded full at last.
Then over the side of that dreadful wreck
The passengers clambered fast;
Till the boat, which seemed like a tiny speck,
Was crowded full at last.
At length all are gone, but the sailors brave,Who await their captain’s word;And soon, above the roaring wave,His manly voice is heard.
At length all are gone, but the sailors brave,
Who await their captain’s word;
And soon, above the roaring wave,
His manly voice is heard.
“Now go, my sailors! go,” he cried.“You have been brave and true;And oh, may God, your frail bark guide!Adieu! brave lads, adieu!”
“Now go, my sailors! go,” he cried.
“You have been brave and true;
And oh, may God, your frail bark guide!
Adieu! brave lads, adieu!”
“Nay, wait not for me; my place is here,And firmly here will IStand at my post, without one fearWhether I live or die!”
“Nay, wait not for me; my place is here,
And firmly here will I
Stand at my post, without one fear
Whether I live or die!”
Alone, upon that dreadful night,They left that captain brave.And, ere another morning’s light,He found a watery grave.
Alone, upon that dreadful night,
They left that captain brave.
And, ere another morning’s light,
He found a watery grave.
Ah! brave young heart! would that we allMight be as brave and true;As prompt to answer duty’s call,As was that gallant crew.
Ah! brave young heart! would that we all
Might be as brave and true;
As prompt to answer duty’s call,
As was that gallant crew.
How few are the hearts, that bravely will standBy the wreck of a human soul.Holding on with a firm, loving clasp to the handAs o’er it the dark billows roll.
How few are the hearts, that bravely will stand
By the wreck of a human soul.
Holding on with a firm, loving clasp to the hand
As o’er it the dark billows roll.
Perchance in smooth waters, our life-boat may glide,While some tempest-tossed brother may beSinking into the dark waves of sin, by our side;Down into the turbulent sea.
Perchance in smooth waters, our life-boat may glide,
While some tempest-tossed brother may be
Sinking into the dark waves of sin, by our side;
Down into the turbulent sea.
Shall we stand idly by, without seeking to saveFrom a fate which far worse may be,Than the fate of that captain, so gallant and brave,Who was drowned in the depths of the sea.
Shall we stand idly by, without seeking to save
From a fate which far worse may be,
Than the fate of that captain, so gallant and brave,
Who was drowned in the depths of the sea.
We each have a work for our brother to do.“His keeper,” God made us to be.O! then to our trust let us ever be trueAs we sail over life’s stormy sea.
We each have a work for our brother to do.
“His keeper,” God made us to be.
O! then to our trust let us ever be true
As we sail over life’s stormy sea.