On a Christmas morning during World War II, a convoy of eight ships was traveling through mountainous seas. Our ship, on her maiden voyage, was a large ten-thousand-ton freighter with a crew of seventy-seven Americans.
We had traveled across the submarine-infested Atlantic Ocean without incident and were within twenty-five miles of a safe haven. However, to reach safety we had to go through the dangerous waters of the Ellen Troddy Passage of the Hebrides, islands off the western coast of Scotland.
A magnetic mine had been set in the channel and was triggered to blow up the fourth ship in the convoy to pass over it. This fourth ship was my command. The explosion lifted the bow of the ship out of the water, tearing away the whole lower forward section. It was a terrifying moment. I humbly turned to God in prayer. As a Christian Scientist I knew God, all-knowing intelligent divine Mind, was totally responsible for our lives. With regard to the vessel and crew, according to the law of the sea the people aboard must come first. I acknowledged as my guide the Christ, Truth, that speaks to human consciousness in the still small voice. With this confidence I felt directed to drive the ship into the rocks in order to keep it safely above water and rescue the crew.
