Saved alone - *

In the 1870’s, a succesful attorney named Horatio Spafford experienced a series of personal tragedies. Shortly after his only son died in 1871, he suffered financial ruin as a consequence of the great Chicago fire. He sent his wife and their four daughters to Europe, where he was to join them after attending to some business matters. The ship his family was on collided with a sailing ship and rapidly sank. All four of his daughters perished. Spafford set sail to join his grieving wife, and as he passed near the site where his daughters died, he was inspired to write the now-famous hymn, "It Is Well with My Soul":

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul

This hymn is beloved and the story behind its composition is familiar to many. Less familiar, however, are the words of the brief telegram his wife sent to notify Spafford of the deaths of his daughters: “Saved alone”.

I recently read that the primary role of spouses is “to help one another to heaven”. This thought was a new one to me. And when I reflected on the words of Spafford’s wife – “Saved alone” – it reminded me that we have a responsibility to pray for our families and to help them to prepare for eternity.