Musical Notes

Hello OCBC family,

Today is another anniversary of the tragedy of the Titanic.  On April 15, 1912, this enormous transatlantic ship sank because she struck a large iceberg.  In just a few hours,  over 1,500 people died in this tragic event.  I know most of you know have seen or read the popular retellings of this story, but you may not have heard that in the midst of this situation the gospel was shared.

One of the passengers aboard the Titanic was an obscure evangelist named John Harper.  On that disastrous night, he put his 6 year old daughter in one of the life boats and ran back through the ship warning people about the danger.  But he was not talking about the danger of the present situation, rather the danger of going into the eternal life without a Savior.

“Are you saved?” was the question that John Harper repeated over and over to everyone that was in front of him.  At some point in the early morning, he was forced to jump into the cold water of the Atlantic, but even there he was asking the same question, "are you saved?".  When somebody said “no”, he immediately answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."

John Harper was obeying the word of God found in 2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season.”

Let me end this article with the hymn that the legend said was sang that night; “Nearer, My God, to Thee”:

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God to Thee.

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

There let the way appear, steps unto Heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee.

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee.

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be, nearer my God to Thee.

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

In His service,

Israel