Thanks to Anna (Ben) Crumback at Sointula Community Church for producing the Church of the Week!
This Sunday will mark the 100th anniversary of the cessation of hostilities in World War One – the war that was said to, “end all wars.”
On November 11, 1918, newspapers around the world announced the news.
While our nation was celebrating peace, in Vancouver Harbour, the Canadian Pacific Steamship, the SS Princess Alice (named the “The Ship of Sorrow”) quietly docked, bearing the bodies of 70 of the 353+ victims from the sinking of her sister ship, The Princess Sophia. This disaster came to be known as the “Titanic of the West Coast.”
The Princess Sophia was the pride of the Canadian Pacific Fleet, and under the command of veteran captain Leonard Locke, was the vessel of choice to travel between Skagway, Alaska and Vancouver and Victoria.
The ship left Skagway, Alaska at 10:10PM on October 23, 1918, three hours behind schedule. It was the last trip south for the season, and the full load of passengers ranged from millionaires who made their fortunes in the Klondike gold rush to volunteers from lumber camps hoping to enlist in the war effort.
Being behind schedule, Captain Locke sought to make up time, and though there was a blinding blizzard and total darkness, he called for a speed of 11 knots, rather than a more prudent 7 knots, being confident that he could navigate through the narrow channel of the Lynn Canal.
Unable to see the nearby islands along the route, Captain Locke called for the ship’s horn to be blown at regular intervals. The practice was to sound the horn and then listen for an echo. No echo was taken to indicate that there was no land nearby. While this operation was useful in navigating through islands, it was useless in determining the proximity of submerged reefs.
As the ship cautiously sped south, with the crew straining to see land masses, they missed that they had strayed off course to put them on a direct course to the dangerous and submerged Vanderbilt Reef in the Lynn Canal.
This reef was a nuisance and danger to navigation. Mariners had appealed for a light to be positioned on the reef as an aid to navigation, but with the priority of the war effort, budgets allowed only for a floating marker cone.
At about 2 AM, people were thrown from their warm bunks as the ship grounded on the reef. Fortunately, the double hull was not punctured, and the Princess Sophia sat resting on the rocks below. It was hoped that the ship could be re-floated at the next high tide.
A distress call was sent, and ships rushed to the scene from nearby Juno Alaska. As the weather was stormy and there appeared to be no imminent danger to the ship and passengers, it was decided to leave everyone on board, rather than risk a dangerous evacuation. As the storm grew, rescue ships retreated to the safety of Juno Harbour.
At sunrise, the rescue ships returned, finding the Sophia still firmly aground. They later retreated due to the rising storm and left the Sophia alone. At 5:20 PM, on October 25, some 40 hours after the ship had run aground, an urgent radio message was sent. It read simply, “Taking water and foundering. For God’s sake, come and save us!”
What happened after that can only be surmised. It appears that a wave lifted the ship, splitting the hull open. The cold water rushed in and caused the boilers to explode. With this, the ship sank almost instantly, with the loss of all aboard – 353+ passengers and crew. Two male passengers strained to swim to an island about one mile away, only to perish from exposure. Only a dog survived. When rescuers returned in the morning, only the mast of the Princess Sophia could be seen.
As Karen and I sailed to Alaska on a cruise ship, me with ship wreck charts in hand, we passed by the site of the wreck about 2:30 AM. I stayed up late to see the reef, now marked with a flashing light, and in the twilight of the midnight sun, imagined what it would have been like on that fateful voyage.
Apart from the human tragedy, lessons can be learned from the loss of the Princess Sophia. Though there was an experienced crew sailing an excellent ship on a familiar route, their focus on avoiding the visible hazards of the islands distracted them from the unseen dangers of the submerged Vanderbilt Reef. The results were disastrous.
This can happen at sea. It can also happen in life – and in ministry. By focusing only on what appears to be visibly urgent, we can miss the hazards below. As Jesus teaches us, we are foolish to focus on building a house while ignoring the foundation on which it is built. (cf. Matt: 7:24-29).
Paul warns Timothy, his “son” in the faith, “Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.” (1 Tim 1:18,19).
Here is some good advice on paying to the aids to navigation in life and ministry.
convictions-from-1-timothy-31-7-for-pastors/?ecid=PDM148553&bid=1992283784
***
Speaking of shipwrecks, I am pleased that our biannual LPD Pastor and Staff Cruise safely traversed The Salish Sea yesterday. Thanks to all who made the effort to fellowship with fellow pastors and staff. We are thankful for all the good things God is doing in various churches and church plants.
Please pray for:
***
Upcoming Events:
LPD Annual Conference: March 1,2 at Vancouver Chinese EFC
