by Rev. Alfred E. W. MacDonald, M.A., Gairloch
“Cruising with a difference,” is the title of a brochure issued by the B.I. Steam Navigation Company. What is the difference? It is the inclusion of separate accommodation for children under eighteen together with ‘lectures in Assembly Hall, classroom periods, organised deck games, visits to the Bridge and Engine Room, History, Geography, modern languages . . .’ ‘Sporting activities include deck tennis, quoits, hockey, tug of war, table tennis, swimming, boat regattas and athletic and football matches ashore. Evening entertainment, dances, film shows, concerts, sing songs, debates and quizzes are organised for students in the evenings. Foreign students are often invited on board for social activities. Demonstrations of dancing and singing are given at many ports.’
But what about the young person who has been taught that it is wrong to spend his leisure in many of these ways? I suppose that no-one would compel him to take part in the activities yet he would be sure to feel the odd person among such a crowd! And, is it right to mix thus? Thomas Watson in his book on ‘The Lord’s Prayer,’ page 87, says, “there is a necessary commerce with men in buying and selling, or, otherwise as the apostle says, “For these must ye needs go out of the world, but do not voluntarily choose the company of the wicked . . . Such as have had religious education and have some inclination to good, by mixing with the wicked are apt to receive hurt. The bad will sooner corrupt the good than the good will convert the bad . . . Such as were once soberly inclined, by coming among the profane, grow familiar, till at last they keep one another company in hell.”
And what about the Lord’s Day? Do these activities cease on the Lord’s Day? There are no regular school classes but the children may be gathered together to hear a lecture on the geography of the next port of call. And what about the Tuck Shop, the swimming pool, the deck games, and such things? The answer is that on a Cruising Liner there is no law against these being carried on, on the Day of God. There is a short voluntary religious service, and there may be Bible classes for part of the day, but there is no guarantee that these will be conducted on Calvinistic lines.
On many of these cruises the ship is scheduled to arrive at a foreign port on the Lord’s Day. Think of the excitement this must naturally give rise to! I quote again, “At each port (except where shown on the programme) there is a comprehensive free shore excursion with English-speaking guides. These tours are carefully planned to take students to places of outstanding interest, leaving ample time for them to explore in groups of their own.”
Should the ship be at sea on the Lord’s Day it is very difficult to see how the movement of the ship at all on the Lord’s Day can be justified. The Word of God does not justify any unnecessary travelling on His Day.
A Plea to Parents
Some of you will have to meet the problem in your families. You may find it difficult to explain to them the dangers involved in the Cruise. The young too may find it difficult to realise that you sincerely desire their happiness. What are you to do? You may be disposed to think that the young must mix sometime and why not now? The Lord Jesus has taught us to pray, ‘Lead us not into temptation,’ and should the providence of the Lord take us into temptation we may rely upon Him to protect us; but if we venture ourselves upon a situation of temptation, can we rely on His protection?
I hope that when you are discussing the matter with your families, you will be able to show them that, when you are denying them a pleasurable trip, you do so, because you seek to honour the Lord and not to fall under the same judgment as Eli fell under when he honoured his sons above the Lord. “Them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” See 1 Samuel 2, verses 29 and 30).
The Synod of the Church at its meeting in May 1967, resolved — “The Synod of the Church would draw the attention of all parents to the fact that Cruises operate from various ports of the country carrying school children on educational tours of other lands. There is a grave danger therefore that the Day of God be misspent and the children thus bring guilt upon their souls while they harden themselves in the sin of sabbath breaking.”