Taking Heed of the Warning Signs

“Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith; be men of strong courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” *

     Our youngest grandson, Elliot, became interested in the RMS Titanic after checking out a library book full of information about the mighty passenger ship. The book captivated him and led to further reading. He seemed to soak in details like a sponge. For his eighth birthday in March, he received several gifts related to his new interest, one of which was a Lego model of the Titanic.

     We were delighted when a friend recently told us about an eighteen-foot-long replica of the Titanic displayed in a museum in Marine City. It sounded like a fun field trip and both boys were enthusiastic about going. The idea of having ice cream afterward at a confection shop recommended by the same friend added to the excitement!

      One day when school was dismissed at 11:15, we picked them up and drove directly to Marine City, about an hour away. After a little exploring, also known as getting lost, we pulled up in front of a quaint theater along a main street that bordered the St. Clair River.

The marquee on the front of the theater advertised the “Titanic Exhibit…and more.”

     It was disappointing to find a note on the door saying that the exhibit would be closed for an hour due to an emergency. That seemed like a long time to wait with two young, energetic boys, especially since we could only stay in the town about two hours before heading home.

     After we knocked loudly on the door, a young lady appeared and explained that the place was closed while her mom was away. However, when we told her our predicament, she was kind enough to let us in. While we were talking with her, Elliot disappeared, drawn like a magnet to the large glass case holding the amazing model.

   The building, once a theater, had been transformed into a unique museum with a walkway down the center leading to an open room that housed the exhibit. However, several side rooms also contained other models of vessels and vehicles and many unique antiques.

     Al, Nate, Elliot and I spent a great deal of time reading the informative boards that covered the walls of the main room. They dealt with every aspect of the vessel, the crew, passengers and the fateful voyage. There was also a short video clip that presented more details along with a timeline leading up to the disaster on the night of April 15, 1912. The video contained no drama but was still powerful to watch.

   Prior to our field trip, I didn’t realize that the large ship was carrying only half the number of lifeboats originally intended. There were supposed to be twelve in all; however, because some of them might have blocked the view of the first-class passengers, only six were put on the Titanic, woefully inadequate for the number of people on board.

     When the unexpected collision with the iceberg occurred during the voyage from Southampton, England to New York City, just one third of the people on board survived. Many men, women and children died needlessly due to the lack of lifeboats.

   Several years ago, Al and I visited the Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where over one hundred of the passengers were buried after their bodies were recovered from the ocean. Rows of simple markers placed side by side were arranged to form the curved hull of a ship. Many of them were engraved with the words “unidentified victim.”

     What a tragedy…one that perhaps could have been avoided if people had only been attentive to the many warnings given ahead of time: sightings of sea ice; traveling at excessive speed; a possible coal fire burning out of control in the furnace room; and too few life boats on hand.

     Our trip to the Mariner Theater ended on a happy note with ice cream, popcorn and memories of a nice day spent together. Hopefully we can all learn a lesson from the Titanic, perhaps to pay attention to warning signals, take appropriate action and make sure that we are living in a way that is pleasing to God. It does take courage!

*1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV