28. Striking of the Ironclad

Sinking of the Ironclad "How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished."—2 Samuel 1:27.

"Ye see my casting down and are afraid."—Job 6:21. The newspapers, of June 1st, contained paragraphs similar to the following:—"Three ironclad ships—the Grosser Kurfurst, Koenig Wilhelin, and Preussen, left Wilhelmshafen for Plymouth, on Wednesday night, and were reported off Dover, at 8 a.m. on Friday morning, May 31st. The weather was calm and a slight wind blowing, when about five miles due south of Sandgate Castle, the Koenig Wilhelm ran into the Grosser Kurfurst and sank her. The ship went down in a few seconds with the larger part of her crew."

We mourn over this sudden wreck and the dreadful loss of life, and then we take breath and moralize. Peace has its dangers as well as war. No enemy had ever fired a shot at the huge ironclad, but it perished by a friend, and that not by treachery but by pure mischance. There was scarcely a ripple upon the waters, but the smoothness of the sea did not secure the proud vessel from sinking into the deep; the air was clear, the accident was not occasioned by a fog, but no result came from this circumstance except that the destruction was the more visible to the astonished spectators. Thus too have men who seemed capable of great deeds perished before our eyes by the hand of one of their own comrades, and that not by wicked intent but by an unwise movement never meant to involve such ruin. A hasty word has been spoken, evil feelings have been aroused, and the injured man has no longer been numbered with the professing people of God. We never dreamed that such a result could happen, and yet it has occurred when all has been apparently going well: there has been no persecution, no heresy, no schism, but the man has been offended, and has passed away. It seemed as if none could injure the ironclad professor, and yet in an instant he has ceased to be a member of the squadron. We have looked on awe-stricken as we have seen the apparently sound professor suddenly sink in the deep waters of sin never to be heard of again. Keep us, O Lord, yea, keep us every moment, lest we come to an untimely end. Even in the company of our own brethren we are in danger unless thou thyself shalt be on board our vessel and preserve it from itself.

There is another aspect of this occurrence which has somewhat impressed us. This was the" German Squadron of Evolution;" fit name, and fit country to remind us of the school of modern-thought who proudly float upon our seas at this time and threaten the peace of our churches, These philosophers are all ironclads, and cannot be touched by the heaviest guns of those poor simple souls who believe in the Bible and its plenary inspiration. Nevertheless we need not fear them, for happily they destroy one another, and that very readily, as if they were created on purpose for this and nothing else. A little change in the steering and they ram each other to the bottom. As it was of old so is it now, "the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another." One school of unbelief effectually sweeps away another. So let it be. In perfect peace the true believer may," stand still and see the salvation of God." Already over scores of ironclad infidelities we may sing," the depths have covered them, they sank into the bottom like a stone." The fishing boats in the neighbourhood of the huge monitors did admirable service by rescuing many of the drowning sailors, and so may true-hearted men hover around the huge infidelities of the period, and snatch here and there a sinking doubter from destruction. It would be idle for smacks and luggers to attack an ironclad; they can far better distinguish themselves by coming to the rescue in the hour of distress; and in the same way simple-minded believers, who know nothing of controversy, can do a vast amount of service by bringing salvation to those who are ready to perish. Let us not argue, but let us love. We will not confront the sceptical with reasoning, but, by God's Spirit, we will save them by the gospel and by believing prayer.