Installment nine

Michelle Andaya singing God's praises.
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Yesterday we left Harold Wilson at the moment he's
about to meet Captain Mann on his new ship.
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Installment nine

Harold was finally face to face with the captain and he
rushed to grasp his hand. "Captain Mann! Thank God
for the chance to sail with you again!'
The captain's big, wholehearted hand gladly grasped
Harold's, reciprocating fully the spirit of good will; but
he had a puzzled look on his face. "My young man, why
do you thank God? When I knew you, you had no
regard for God."
"Yes, captain; but I have fought long enough what I
know is right. I want to find God and know Him just
as you did that day the fire broke out on the "Alaska
Transport." I want to know and serve Him just as my
mother did. Do you remember the talk you gave us
about the Bible and its promises?"
"Yes, but I have no memory it did you any good."
"That is true, captain; for that very day, I went and
hatefully threw into the sea the Bible my dear mother
gave me. And she had marked it for me, too. Do you
know? She had marked in it that very verse you said
saved us from the fire! But, Captain Mann, I have
another Bible, and one that is marked. That verse in
the Psalms is marked, the Ten Commandments are
marked, yes, and a great number of other texts."
"Where did you find such a Bible, my boy?" the
captain kindly inquired.
Then Harold told the sad story of his mother's death,
his abandonment to sin, his arrest, his sentence, and
the discovery of the Bible, and the meeting of the old
gentleman at the Oakland Pier.
"Oh, yes," said the captain, "I know of that gentleman.
He belongs to a very peculiar people who keep Saturday
instead of Sunday; and he has placed in the reading room
of this vessel a large number of papers and leaflets."
"Well, captain, he found me reading the Bible at the pier;
and when he saw that I was longing for it, he let me bring
it with me. I tell you he was the best man I ever met. He
understood me. And when I told him how far down I had
gone, he had a little tear for me, and prayed that I might
find deliverance from all my wrong habits, and have rest
in Christ. What he said to me seemed to open the whole
plan of right living, and I made up my mind to try to be
a better man. And I want you to help me, captain."
"I certainly will do my best to help you become a
Christian; but I fear I shall not be able to help you
believe as that old gentleman believes, for I think he
is wrong about the keeping of Saturday. There are a
number of his people aboard the vessel, though -
missionaries to the Philippines; and they will help
you. But look out, my boy, and don't go wild."
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To be continued......