Religion: Do Give Up the Ship

The storm rages; the ship groans and wallows in towering seas. The captain does not need the report of his haggard first mate to know that the pumps have fallen far behind the water rising in the hold; calmly he gives the order to abandon ship. He supervises the manning of the lifeboats, makes sure that all are safely off. Moments later, awestruck crewmen rest wonderingly on their oars to watch, by the ceaseless play of lightning, the stricken ship slide under the waves with her captain standing solemn on the bridge.

This traditional scene of tight-lipped courage on the high seas...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!