CHRISTIANS DIE BETTER
On May 28, 1914 a ship called the Express of Ireland hit another ship and began to sink quickly. As the ship began to sink in the cold Atlantic Ocean it was discovered that there were not enough life belts on board for all the passengers. On that ship were 130 Salvation Army officers-—109 were drowned and not one body that was picked up had on a life belt. The few survivors told how the Salvation Army Christians took off their own belts and strapped them even upon strong men, saying, "I can die better than you can." From the deck of that ship was demonstrated what it means to live with a new priority, passion and power.
(From a sermon by Stephen Sheane, "What is the Church?")