TITANIC SAVED OR LOST? By Rev. William Claire Greiner |
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Shortly after midnight, on the morning of April 15, 1912, the largest ship in the world sank beneath the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. More than 1500 people were carried to an unexpected death. News of the disaster flashed around the world. The unsinkable Titanic had sunk. The Titanic was no ordinary ship. It was a floating hotel, a small town at sea, and the ultimate symbol of luxury and power. More than 100,000 people gathered to watch its launching in Liverpool. Eva Hart, a 7-year-old survivor at the time, said in an interview before her death in 1996, "The wreck of the Titanic is a monument to man’s arrogance." Before leaving on its maiden voyage to New York, the ship was deemed so unsinkable that someone commented, "Even God could not sink it." How foolish to tell God what He cannot do! As the ship set sail, none of the passengers thought it would be their last voyage. And when they wakened that fateful day, no one expected it would be their last day on this earth. There were at least 20 newlywed couples taking their honeymoon aboard the Titanic. Only one of those couples lived to tell the tale. The Titanic was 882 feet, 9 inches long—almost the length of three football fields. It was the greatest ship afloat, and it was thought it could not be sunk. And yet at full speed it hit a glancing blow against an iceberg which placed a huge gash quietly in its side through solid steel. While many passengers were totally unaware there had been a collision, the crew recognized that the Titanic was a lost cause and gave her no more than two hours, possibly as little as one hour. The unsinkable ship was about to go down. The command was issued to prepare the lifeboats. But there were only enough for about one-third of the passengers and crew. Finally with great effort some seven-hundred people (plus a few more) were placed in the lifeboats. There was frantic rowing to get away from the undertow produced by the sinking ship. And, according to some testimonies, the sounds of the hymn "Nearer My God To Thee" echoed across the waves. Someone pointed and everyone stopped rowing. They watched in silent unbelief as the stern of the great ship rose into the air. Higher and higher it rose until it hovered many stories above the sea. The time was 2:17 A.M. More than 1500 people were still on board. The Titanic’s lights blazed almost defiantly. Suddenly they flickered and went out, but came back on for a few brief moments. They flickered again, then went out to stay. There was no moon, yet a myriad of stars glistened like crystals in the silent sky. The waters were unusually calm and icy cold. Passengers and crew clung desperately to the deck rails as the stern of the Titanic perched momentarily high above the waters of the Atlantic. The dying ship poised almost vertically for about thirty seconds. Inside, everything movable crashed along the hull with a deafening, thunderous roar. Two of the four funnels broke off, as clouds of soot gushed into the sky. A series of explosions could be heard as the submerged forward section broke away from the stern. At last the stern also slipped beneath the surface and began its two-and-one-half-mile voyage to the bottom of the sea. Faint cries for help echoed across the icy water. Eyes strained towards the horizon as survivors prayed for the sight of an approaching ship. What a dramatic picture before the great ship sank—1513 people
crowded farther and farther back up the stern, seeking to flee from the encroaching waves,
while 700 people filled the lifeboats. What a chasm between the two—700 people saved,
1513 people lost! THE SHIP OF LIFE That is a stark portrayal of humanity. We are all on the ship of life. Many don’t realize that it has been struck a fatal blow, even as most of the passengers on the Titanic didn’t know that their ship had been hit. They continued with their gaiety, their songs, their drinking, their dancing and laughter. What a sad, yet real, picture of America—morally dying, having hit the iceberg of sin—doomed! Men and women are living with little or no thought of eternity, ignoring the rapidly sinking ship. Many of the Titanic passengers felt falsely secure with their possessions, wealth, power and prestige. Colonel John Jacob Astor IV, a prestigious passenger, boasted of a personal wealth estimated at eighty-seven million dollars. One woman, Mrs. Cardea, had trunks laden with 70 dresses, 10 fur coats, 38 feather boas, 22 hatpins, and 91 pairs of gloves. Apparently she did not believe in traveling light. A prominent Philadelphian, Bill Carter, came aboard with 60 shirts, 15 pairs of shoes, two sets of tails, 24 polo sticks, and a new Renault car. Everything including the car went down, although he himself survived. The passengers had no thought they were lost, that the headlines the next day would read "lost at sea." Many of them even resisted the effort to get them into lifeboats. And yet at length, after about three hours, it finally dawned on those that remained on the ship that it was going down, that they were lost, that they were soon to face their Maker.
SAVED OR LOST Everyone today is either in a lifeboat or on the sinking Titanic—those who are saved and those who are lost. When the ship left Liverpool there were three classes on board—first, second and third class. But when the Titanic sank, there were only two classes — Saved and Lost. Following the disaster, the White Star office in Liverpool, England
placed a large board on either side of the main entrance. On one they printed in large
letters, KNOWN TO BE SAVED, and on the other, KNOWN TO BE LOST. Relatives and friends of
the ship's passengers gathered on the street, watching and waiting. As news of a passenger
would come in, an employee would print the name on a piece of cardboard and carry it out
to the gate. A deathly stillness crept over the crowd as friends and loved ones anxiously
watched to see on which of the boards the name would be placed. It gives us great pause to
wonder what names we are going to look for in eternity. Will we find them listed as
missing, or lost? It is a sobering thought. GOOD NEWS Although mankind is lost, there is One who has come for our salvation. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). What a glorious message! The Captain of our Salvation came because He knew our plight. He loved us and came to save us.
IGNORING THE FACTS The difficulty, however, is to get people into the lifeboats. That’s not always easy, because people resist the idea that they are lost. Yet the Word of God clearly tells us that the world is lost, and on its way to eternity. "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). The ship of life is sinking. We do not want to think about it, and do our best to forget it. We continue with the gaiety of life, pursuing our dreams and fortunes. The Titanic certainly seemed a safe place to be, and so this present world seems to be a pleasant and safe place. The idea that we are lost is not a pleasant one, and yet all you have to do is pick up the newspaper. The headlines scream out, "We are lost!" There is one horrible crime after another—murder, kidnapping, rape, and arson. We are lost! The ship is sinking! Children, too, are lost and perishing. Matthew 18:14: "Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." Chuck Colson told about a funeral in Chicago—the funeral of Robert Sandifer, known as "Yummy." Not many tears were shed at the funeral, because "Yummy" had been arrested twenty-three times for felonies such as robbery and burglary. In fact, at the time he was killed by his own gang members, he was wanted for the murder of a fourteen-year-old girl. The odd thing was that in the coffin, "Yummy" held a teddy bear in his arms. But I suppose that is not so odd, when you remember that "Yummy" was only eleven years old. That is the new face of crime in America—children killing children. One fourth of all weapons’ offenses today are by juveniles. It is dangerous being a child these days. And God says it is not His will that "one of these little ones should perish."
BE PREPARED Shortly after midnight on that fateful morning of April 15, 1912, Captain Smith ordered the crew to uncover and man the lifeboats. But the ship’s crew was ill prepared. They were confused as they tried to operate the davits to lower the boats. Few of the men seemed to know the number of their boat station. While each crewman had been assigned to a boat to row and steer the passengers to safety, many had not bothered to read the lists. Their ineptness was further seen in the water, as many of the crewmen did not even know how to row a lifeboat. They had not been properly drilled. In many cases some of the passengers had to take command. On Sunday morning, April 14, a boat drill had originally been scheduled for all hands, passengers and crew, to assemble in life jackets at their boat stations. But Captain Smith, believing the Titanic was unsinkable, cancelled the drill. It would be a waste of time. Again, a sad picture of humanity—complacent, smug, unprepared, lethargic. Amazingly we prepare for everything in life except eternity! It is significant that at the early planning stages of the Titanic, between four and five hours were devoted to discussing decor and fittings, but no more than ten minutes given over to lifeboat capacity. Men and women will spend hours training, studying and working for earthly goals. They devote themselves to pleasures, television, amusements, while souls are perishing and going into a Christless eternity. How much time do we give to church attendance, to a faithful study of the Word of God, and to prayer? The Bible says, "Be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you" (1 Peter 3:15).
WARNINGS Perhaps we are too busy, or we don’t want to be disturbed. At 11:00 P.M., shortly before the Titanic hit the iceberg, the wireless operator, John Phillips, was busy sending messages for the passengers. He was suddenly interrupted by a loud signal from the nearby S.S.California, announcing, "We are stopped and surrounded by ice." It was the sixth warning of icebergs in the path of the Titanic. Angry at the intrusion, Phillips retorted, "Shut up! You’re jamming my signal. I’m busy." Shortly thereafter, facing death he was heard to cry out, "God forgive me! God forgive me!" So, too, God has given us ample warning; yet we ignore Him.
SAVE THE CHILDREN In his last few minutes alive, Captain Smith gave the orders to his men, "Do your best for the women and children." God puts a high premium on children. He warns us not to trifle with the eternal soul of a child. It is precious in His sight. "Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 18:10,11). "And whoso shall receive one such little child in My name receiveth Me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matthew 18:5,6). I wonder if our apathy and pride and selfishness keep us from getting others into the lifeboats? We do not want to be disturbed or have our comfort interrupted. Perhaps we are afraid of upsetting the lifeboat! The first lifeboat launched had twelve people on board, while there was room for sixty-five. One of the passengers was Sir Cosmo, an extremely wealthy man. After the Titanic had sunk and the icy seas were filled with people drowning or freezing to death and calling for help, Sir Cosmo offered each of the seven crewmen money to not turn back. He promised to replace the possessions they had lost, if they would not risk their boat being overly crowded and possibly capsizing. God’s lifeboats always have room for more. The gospel hymn rightly says, "Though millions have come, there’s still room for one."
IMPORTANCE OF UNITY One event that April night illustrates the importance of unity and cooperation in reaching the lost and dying. An officer by the name of Lowe adopted the policy of safety and strength in numbers by tying five boats together and rigging a mast and sail on one of the boats. Not only did this hasten their progress to the rescue ship S.S.Carpathia, but it also made possible the rescue of more survivors. Manning the lifeboats requires teamwork. There were many dramatic stories of men who risked their lives that fateful night. The Titanic’s chief baker, Charles Joughin, helped throw young children across the daunting five-foot gap between the lifeboat and the side of the sinking ship. Amid the crush of bodies on the boat deck, a second-class passenger managed to pass his two young sons, Michel and Edmond, through a human chain to a place of safety on the last boat. It is that united effort that is needed in our missionary thrust to a dying world. We need to make a human chain and put forth a concentrated effort to get men and women, boys and girls into the lifeboats. It might be the last lifeboat. In the days that followed the sinking of the Titanic, a total of 328 bodies were found. 128 were unrecognizable. Among them was the body of a small boy, approximately two years of age. He had no identification, and was buried in Halifax as "the unknown child." How many "unknown children" are perishing today because there is no one to get them into the lifeboats? In eternity will their names be listed as LOST?
THE CRY OF THE PERISHING There was another captain on the ship besides Captain Smith. His name was Captain Archibald Gracey. He was an elderly gentleman and retired. He worked diligently with all his strength to get as many folk as possible into the lifeboats. He was still on the ship when it sank, but miraculously was rescued. He survived for one year after the disaster, during which time he wrote his memoirs. "The most pathetic and horrible scene of all," he said, "was the piteous cries of those who were perishing around us. The cries still ring in my ears." Captain Gracey's last words on his deathbed were, "Get them all into the lifeboats. We must get them all into the lifeboats." That tragedy had lived in his mind and in his thoughts for the entire year that he survived. There was an urgency—a compelling need to get everyone into the lifeboats. That was the mission of Christ, and that ought to be our mission as well. We must get them all into the lifeboats before it is too late. There is room. God needs each one of us in manning the lifeboats. We need to throw out the lifeline by praying, going and giving.
ETERNITY AHEAD Are you in the lifeboat or on the great ship Titanic? Are your children safe? Are your friends and neighbors safe? Do not be fooled into complacency or false security. The ship is going down.
AN UNSUNG HERO There is a remarkable story told in a book, The Titanic's Last Hero. Originally published in 1912 shortly after the Titanic sank, it has been republished by The Olive Press. The story focuses on a Titanic passenger by the name of John Harper. John Harper was a Scottish evangelist and preacher who was on his way to speak for the second time at the Moody Memorial Church in Chicago. John had been saved at the age of thirteen and possessed a great passion for souls. As pastor he would often spend the entire night pacing up and down the aisles of his church, praying for hundreds of church members by name. The night before the Titanic sank John Harper was seen on the ship’s deck, earnestly seeking to lead a young man to faith in Christ. Afterwards, seeing a glint of red in the west, he said, "It will be beautiful in the morning." John's wife had died, leaving him to raise a young daughter, Nana. She was also on the ship with him. At the alarm of the doomed ship, Harper handed Nana to an upper deck captain with instructions to get her into a lifeboat. Then he set about helping others. He gave his lifejacket to another passenger. He knew, regardless of what happened to him, his soul was saved, but someone else needed more time and another opportunity to come to Christ. When the ship went down and disappeared beneath the dark waves, John Harper floundered in the icy waters, clinging to some debris. Hundreds huddled in lifeboats and rafts. Others clutched pieces of wood hoping to survive until help came. For fifty terrifying minutes the cries filled the night. Survivors tell of hearing John Harper urging those about him to put their faith in Jesus Christ. A man clinging to a board drifted nearby and Harper cried, "Are you saved?" The answer came back: "No." Harper shouted, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." The man drifted off into the darkness. Later they caught sight of each other once more. Again Harper asked, "Are you saved?" As before, the answer came back, "No." Harper repeated the words of Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Those were his last words as he released his hold and slipped beneath the waves and into a watery grave. The S.S.Carpathia later rescued the man to whom John had preached his last sermon. In Hamilton, Ontario, he testified that he was John Harper's "last convert." God’s faithful servant had exited this world in a blaze of glory. What a way to enter into the presence of the Lord—"bringing one more lost soul into the lifeboat." In a sermon preached the previous year at Moody Church, John Harper said, "A very little while and He will come, and the door will be shut, and the door of Christendom sealed. Only a brief season can remain for us all. But what may not be done in these quickly passing days! What seasons of prayer and intercession may we not have! What sacrifices for Him may we not make! What power from the throne may we not receive! What scenes of blessing may we not witness in the gathering out of the last members of the body of Christ from this doomed and darkening world, while upon it the night shadows of coming judgment are falling fast! Beyond this little while there will be the glory of His presence, the glad reunion with the loved ones, the thrilling "Well done!" of the Master at His judgment seat—the entering in, to go out no more forever. But there will be no more opportunity of praying lost souls to His feet and winning them to His heart forever. GET THEM ALL INTO THE LIFEBOATS! "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16,17). "They that be wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever" (Daniel 12:3). MAN THE LIFEBOATS
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Are you in the lifeboat or on the sinking ship? Perhaps you are not sure, and you have an uneasy feeling and a nagging doubt that you may not be saved. Why not settle the matter today? Jesus died and rose from the grave to purchase your salvation. He paid the penalty for your sins. Your part is to believe that He died for you and receive Him into your life. "As many as received him, to them He gave the power [the right] to become the sons of God" (John 1:12). It’s that simple! God is waiting to hear from you. By faith, step into the lifeboat. Tell Him that you believe Jesus Christ died for your sins and that you now receive His gift of forgiveness. Then thank Him for making you His child. All Materials Copyrighted ©1998 |
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