Adrift in The Coronavirus Storm.
A Seafarers’ Hymn Spans the Gulf of Centuries As We Face Tumultuous Times.
In March 1782, the Grosvenor left Madras, India, under the command of Captain John Coxon.
The ship was bound for England, sailing with Admiral Hughes’ fleet, and onboard were 150 men, women and children as well as valuable cargo. The ship did not stay with the fleet and was sailing alone as it reached the South African coastline. The story continues as recorded:
“At 1 am on the 4th August the lookout crew called a warning. Breakers could be heard and lights were seen, but the Captain, relying on his charts, believed they were approximately 450 kilometers away from land. However, due to a miscalculation in the charts, the lights seen were grass fires burning on the coastal hills of Pondoland, South Africa”. (1)
The crew, alarmed, reported seeing land ahead. However, what was thought to be an island was, in fact, a headland looming in front of the ship as the strong current drove the Grosvenor onto the rocks beneath it. Eventually, 17 passengers and 91 crew members survived their ordeal and reached the shore.
The Seafaring Nations: Our Fascination With The Sea.
The history of the seafaring nations is a fascinating one; the great days of the sailing ships, the whaleboats, explorers such as Captain James Cook, and naval heroes epitomized by Lord Nelson, are of such fascination that we do not need fiction, there is enough to relish in the true stories of heroism and adventure. However, the very thought of the sea has inspired literary minds to write classic novels and poems through the ages.
The Reality of Life at Sea.
The reality is that men left home for months, even years at a time, sometimes never to return. They were exposed to massive squalls, storms and changing weather as they sailed bravely over the vast oceans, and many are the stories of shipwrecks, lives lost and lives saved, and courageous decisions on the tumultuous waves.
Wives, sweethearts, and children, who had a strong tradition of the Christian faith depended on God as the Creator and Father of mankind, trusting Him with the lives of their loved ones at sea; in tragedy, they accepted the outcome, sorrowing yet secure in the hope of eternal blessing.
The History of the Sea in Hymns and Songs:
“Eternal Father, Strong to Save” is a British hymn traditionally associated with seafarers, particularly in the maritime armed services. Written in 1860, its author William Whiting was inspired by the dangers of the sea described in Psalm 107. (2)
Every time I sang this hymn in school assemblies many years ago, I was deeply moved by the solemnity and majesty of the tune and the words, conveying as they do the dangers faced by seafarers on the oceans.
2020: The Coronavirus Storm.
Today we find ourselves sailing in uncharted waters, driven onwards by a storm of horrifying proportions; the alarming gale howling across our nations continues to propel us to unseen and unheard-of catastrophe.
The similarity between battling the ocean storms in the days of the sailing ships and the predicament in which we find ourselves today is striking.
We are upon gigantic waves, racing towards rapidly escalating death tolls. Do we face near-extinction on the Coronavirus headland?
The Force of the Storm.
It has taken us completely by surprise. Two weeks ago I picked up my granddaughter from school on a Thursday afternoon, witnessing her exuberance as she delighted in school life; carefree, happy and singing “Do -Re -Me” to her grandmother as we drove home. She epitomizes everything that is good about life.
Suddenly, our carefree lives have been brutally halted; the imposition of Lockdown has altered our lives, as we desperately seek to contain the spread of the virus. Society faces unprecedented challenges, affecting all members of our communities.
Our carefree existence seems like a dream. Travel brochures, online holiday packages, flights, anticipated events and holidays are suddenly irrelevant; sporting fixtures are abandoned. We wonder how the world we know has changed in a matter of weeks.
The Storm Rages Unabated.
Health systems fail, nurses and doctors falter, the death toll rockets. Huge hospitals are being hastily erected to deal with the emergency.
Everywhere across the world the deadly virus stalks humanity, threatening our existence and our minds with unimaginable scenes and unknown consequences.
We search the racing clouds looking for a break in the blackness, a shred of hope to chart our way on the surging water; masts and rigging collapse under the strain; waves, unceasing, roll onwards. We cling to every ray of hope, seeking the beam of a lighthouse across the darkened seas.
Eternal Father, Strong to Save.
Eternal Father, strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave, Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee, For those in peril on the sea!
O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard And hushed their raging at Thy word, Who walkedst on the foaming deep, And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee, For those in peril on the sea!
Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood Upon the chaos dark and rude, And bid its angry tumult cease, And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee, For those in peril on the sea!
O Trinity of love and power! Our brethren’s shield in danger’s hour; From rock and tempest, fire and foe, Protect them wheresoe’er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
We Look to Thee, Our Father God.
Our hope is with you, Father, Creator, Saviour.
Grant to our scientists and leaders, wisdom and strength of purpose,
To our doctors and nurses, perseverance in body and mind.
To fathers and mothers, love.
To our children, understanding beyond their years,
To all, calm and quiet hearts,
To our elderly, assurance.
To each and everyone, courage, and the acceptance of whatever the outcome:
For we face the loss of friends and loved ones; an unseen scenario looms ahead; we have never been called upon to face such a foe.
May we rely, not on our own chart to direct our lives but on the chart given us by the Living God in His Living Word.
God Hears Our Cry.
Let us turn in a renewal of our belief in God who promises to answer every cry; consider eternity and look to Him, knowing His Word is truth unchanging. He never turns away those who seek Him.
Let us return to the words of the grand old hymn, and as they echo down the ages, may the storm grow still and the winds and waves come to a peaceful calm on the world’s tempestuous sea, and in our hearts.
Copyright: Lynette Clements. March 2020. As I woke a few mornings ago, this hymn came to mind; it inspired me to share my thoughts as I look out at the unfolding drama in which we find ourselves. We are bound together in this storm. If you should seek consolation, you will find a good place to start is in the Gospel of John in the New Testament.
References:
1)Liz Mckensie. www.countrylife.co.za › Travel › Heritage Story of the Wreck of the Grosvenor | SA Country Life
2.) Whiting. Eternal Father Strong to Save https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Eternal_Father,_Strong_to_Save Accessed 23/3/2020
Lyrics: William Whiting, 1860 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Whiting_(poet) Accessed 23/3/2020
Music: John Bacchus Dykes, 1861
3) Nautical Hymns The Cyber Hymnal http://www.hymntime.com/tch/top/nautical.htm. Accessed 23/3/2020