THE RESCUE FROM THE VILLE DU HAVRE, AND THE LOCH EARN.

A remarkable illustration of God’s mysterious way is found in connection with the rescue of some of the passengers of the ill-fated French steamship, Ville du Havre, which was sunk by a collision with the Loch Earn, November 22, 1873, on her voyage from New York to France.  After the sinking of the Ville du Havre, with some two hundred of her passengers, the rest were taken up by the Loch Earn, from which most of them were afterwards transferred to the Trimountain.  Others remained on board the Loch Earn, where in consequence of its disabled condition they seemed again in imminent danger of being lost.

On the 11th of December, while Mr. D.L.  Moody was conducting a noonday prayer-meeting in the city of Edinburgh, Rev. Dr. Andrew Thompson read a letter from a Christian lady, the mother of one of these imperiled passengers, which contained the following account: 

“After the Trimountain left them, and they had examined their ship, many a heart failed, and they feared they would never see land again.  They could not navigate the vessel, and were left to the mercy of the winds and waves, or rather to the care of Him who ruleth wind and waves.  Vain was the help of man.  The wind drove them out of the course of ships, northward.  You are aware that two ministers were left on board the Loch Earn.  One, Mr. Cook, a truly godly man, did all he could to encourage their hearts.  Every day, at noon, he gathered them together, and earnestly, by prayer, strove to lead them to the Savior; and this he continued to do till they reached England.  The day before they were rescued they knew that very shortly the ship must go down.  The wind had changed, bringing them nearer the track of ships, but they had little hope of being saved.  Mr. Cook told them of his own hope, that death to him would be eternal life, and he urgently entreated them to put their trust in ‘Him who was mighty to save.’  At the same time he told them he had no doubt they would be rescued, that even then a vessel was speeding to save them, that God had answered their prayers, that next day as morning dawned they would see her.  That night was one of great anxiety.

“As morning dawned every eye was strained to see the promised ship.  There truly she was, and the British Queen bore down upon them.  You may think that with thankful hearts they left the Loch Earn.  One thing is remarkable—­the officer in charge on board the British Queen had a most unaccountable feeling that there was something for him to do, and three times during the night he changed the course of the vessel, bearing northward.  He told the watch to keep a sharp lookout for a ship, and immediately on sighting the Loch Earn bore down upon her.  At first he thought she had been abandoned, as she lay helpless in the trough of the sea, but soon they saw her signal of distress.  It seems