Nearer, My God, to Thee: Remembering the Titanic

Dear Reader,

We welcome you to our humble cottage today! Having good company makes us forget that Lady Spring has forgotten us!

On Monday, Mr. Graham and the oldest girls (along with Grandma Graham) visited the Museum of Idaho to see the "Titanic Artifact Exhibit", which was very fascinating and educational. The museum was set up so as to mimic the experience of actually being on board the ship, from handing out boarding passes with actual passenger names on them, to finding out at the end whether "you" lived or died in the wreck. There was even a replica "iceburg", which one could touch to see how long one would survive in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic.



We have always felt an attraction to the story of this ship (Perhaps because it sank on our birthday?). To us, the voyage of the Titanic is a very real lesson on "Pride goeth before a fall", as well as, "It is better to be safe than sorry." Also, "Cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh" comes to mind. What a sad thing, that so many lives could have been saved if it not for vanity. But also, within the story of such a mortal disaster, is the gallantry of the men and boys who willingly gave up their lives that others could live. What a more Christlike lesson could be taught, than to point to those men and boys, and teach our boys to be willing to do the same in a similar situation. Also, the touching account of the band members who went down with the ship, playing hymns such as "Nearer, My God, To Thee", to cheer those around them. What a marvelous testimony of the power of sacred music, and the need for faith in the Lord to help us when we feel utterly helpless.



We know that nothing happens without a purpose; that the Lord could have prevented this disaster from happening, had it been His will. Perhaps He wanted to preserve a bit of the elegant last Age of Chivalry, before feminism took hold on our culture's hearts, through this great loss of lives. Perhaps He wished to show that human wealth and strength cannot save us; only He has power to save.

May we all ponder on His Providence in our daily lives, especially those things which seem so tragic to us. What are the lessons He would have us learn through them today?

Love,

Marqueta

"Many brave things were done that night but none more brave than by those few men playing minute after minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea...the music they played serving alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be recorded on the rulls of undying fame."
-Lawrence Beesley, Titanic Survivor

"When day broke, I saw the ice I had steamed through during the night. I shuddered, and could only think that some other hand than mine was on that helm during the night."
-Captain Arthur H. Rostron, Commander of Carpathia

"My mother had a premonition from the very word 'GO.' She knew there was something to be afraid of and the only thing that she felt strongly about was that to say a ship was unsinkable was flying in the face of God. Those were her words."
-Eva Hart, Titanic Survivor