No one will ever know how many lives have
been saved by the many lighthouses that dot the dangerous coastal waters of this world. Yet today, most of these towers stand dark and
uninhabited, victims of progress. Sensitive
sounding devices have taken over the function of these sentinels in warning ships off the
shoals.
It cannot be denied that such modern
instruments are an improvement. They “see”
danger ahead, even in fog so thick that the most powerful lighthouse beam would not be
visible for more than a few hundred feet. Yet
even people who have never viewed an actual lighthouse seem to be saddened by the closing
of this romantic chapter in the history of the men who go down to the sea in ships.
The main reason for this regret is
easy to understand. It is the passing of the
human element in this story of man’s struggle against the forces of nature. The lighthouse keeper was a legend – and with
good reason. Now buried in the yellowing
files of old newspapers are many accounts of heroism on the part of these men who put duty
before personal safety, often at the cost of their own lives.
A machine can do its “duty”, of
course, but it is only man who possesses the divine spark which carries him to heights
“above and beyond” the call of duty. And
those who occupied these lonely outposts had to have this quality in full measure. Theirs was not only a dangerous life, but a lonely
one, unrewarding in material comforts.
Today it may seem trivial to give even
passing thought to something which has outlived its usefulness. But the lighthouse was much more than just a pile
of mortar and brick. It was a beacon which
radiated the love of man for God – through his love and concern for his fellow man.
Author Unknown