Scripture Verse

Introduction

Origin of the Hymn

On one oc­ca­sion the ves­sel on which [Dwight L.] Moody was re­turn­ing from Eur­ope, ac­com­pa­nied by his old­est son, was dis­a­bled by the break­ing of a pro­pel­ling shaft.

Mrs. Moody was at my home in Brook­lyn, wait­ing to re­ceive them on their ar­ri­val. Day af­ter day passed with­out word from the steam­er, and Mrs. Moody be­came al­most fran­tic with an­xi­e­ty.

At last I re­ceived this ca­ble dis­patch from Mr. Moody: Saved, thank God. I learned af­ter­wards that the peo­ple ga­thered around him and begged him to pray for their de­liv­er­ance.

Several in­fi­dels on board, who had been mak­ing light of Mr. Moody’s work, were found kneel­ing at his side, and through the ear­nest­ness of his pray­ers and di­vine help they were led to Christ.

Sankey, p. 222

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We watched the wreck with great an­xi­e­ty. The life boat had been out some hours, but could not reach the ves­sel through the great break­ers that raged and foamed on the sand bank.

The boat ap­peared to be leav­ing the crew to per­ish. But in a few min­utes the Cap­tain and six­teen sail­ors were ta­ken off, and the ves­sel went down.

When the life boat came to you, did you ex­pect it had brought some tools to re­pair your old ship? I said.

Oh no, she was a to­tal wreck. Two of her masts were gone, and if we had stayed mend­ing her on­ly a few minutes, we must have gone down, sir.

When once off the old wreck and safe in the life boat, what re­mained for you to do?

Nothing, sir, but just to pull for the shore.

Whittle, p. 133