Good, obedient children though they were, she yet knew not that they had ever experienced that new birth without which none can enter heaven.
Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." "Mamma, what is it ?" Eddie asked, seeing her glance anxiously from side to side.
"Your brothers! I do not see them.

Where are they ?" "They went into their state-room a moment since;--right here, you know.
Shall I call them ?" "Yes, yes; I must speak to them." They came hand in hand, in answer to Eddie's summons.
Herbert's eyes were full of tears, not of terror or grief; there seemed a new happy light in each boyish face.
"Mamma," whispered Harold, putting his arm round her neck, his lips to her ear, "we went away to be alone, Herbie and I; we knew what made you look so sorry at us;--because you were afraid we didn't love Jesus; but we do, mamma, and we went away to give ourselves to him; and we mean to be his always, whether we live or die." Glad tears rolled down her cheeks as she silently embraced first one, then the other.
And so slowly the night wore away, a reign of terror for hours, while every moment they were watching with despairing hearts for the smell of fire or the bursting out of flames from the hold; their fears gave way to a faint hope as time passed on and the catastrophe was still delayed; a hope that grew gradually stronger and brighter, till at last it was lost in glad certainty.
The electricity, it appeared, had scattered over the iron of the machinery, instead of running on down into the hold.
Some said, "What a lucky escape!" others, "What a kind providence.".