Nearer my God to thee

From the Journal of William Johnson

The Atlantic Ocean

April 14, 1912

8:30 pm Ship’s Time

My journey on the Titanic so far was a pleasant one, and the past four days have been some of the best I ever had. I should have kept a journal of those four days, but maybe when we touch land, I will try to recall the highlights of those four days. Although two of them were spent with the most beautiful woman I have ever met; I know her only as Lorraine.

While the temperature is briskly cold, it’s not unpleasantly cold. The Dinner was surprisingly good, and while I didn’t get to sit at the Captain’s Table directly, I was able to sit a few tables away and hear some of the stories he had to tell. He bragged about one thing in particular, the fact that God himself couldn’t sink the ship. Why do I have the feeling that a dose of Karma is coming our way?

9:00 pm Ship’s Time

It is getting colder, and on looking out on the water, I could see a few patches of ice on the water, but I figure that it must be below the freezing mark, so it would be natural to see ice on the water. I pointed it out to the captain, and he didn’t seem to be overtly concerned about it, and said it was normal for these waters.

9:15 pm Ship’s Time

Some way, some how a group of kids from the lower-class decks found their way up to the main deck and broke off some of the ice from the patches of ice floating in the water and started kicking it around like some bloody football. I guess even those idiots need to have their fun, but why break their way all the way up to here. Then again, they’re not exactly prisoners on this ship, are they?

9:40 pm Ship’s Time

In my meandering about the ship, I passed by the radio room where they got what seemed to be an ominous warning about an iceberg. And get this, they’re not going to pass it along because it didn’t carry the prefix “MSG” (Masters’ Service Gram). He also decided it was a non-urgent issue.

10:00 pm Ship’s Time

OK, I just learned that some of the key personnel who are supposed to be on the ship have been bumped from the crew. One of which was one David Blair, who held the key to the lock-up on which…get this, the binoculars are locked up in. So, if there were an iceberg out there close enough for us to crash into and the spotters were to see it, it would literally be too little, too late.

I also noticed that the ship is going incredibly fast, probably too fast for these waters, especially since there are already patches of ice in these waters. But wait--. There’s more, I just got an approximate count of the lifeboats, let’s just say that there should be almost twice as many as there actually are.

It’s almost as if the bridge people actually want something to happen. Please God, let me be wrong!

11:45pm Ship’s Time

What I was afraid of has happened. A few minutes ago, we struck an iceberg, and the ship is taking on water very, very quickly. Andrews, the designer of the ship, said that the ship is going to sink, and that they should start lowering the lifeboats.

April 15, 1912

12:30am Ships Time

Captain Smith has finally ordered the lifeboats to be lowered.

12:05 Ship’s Time

A few minutes ago, the captain finally let the women and children on, but not even to full capacity. That concept would work if they were going to another ship or an island, but there are neither. At this rate, more than half the passengers and crew will go down with the ship, sadly I think that I may be one of them. But that beautiful woman that I had spent two of the best days of my life with will be on the ship.

12:45 am Ship’s Time

As they lower the lifeboats into the water, I notice that Lorraine is not one of the ones on the boats, which makes me wonder if they’re going to let even women go down with the ship. But what the heck? The boats are only half full at best.

1:45 am Ships time

I can feel the ship being pulled into the arms of Neptune, but not yet. Oh no, not just yet. I have to put a few things right between me and God, as meeting him tonight will be a surefire thing. I expect to meet him within the next half an hour or so.

2:00

I make my way towards the grand dining hall, where I suspect I will spend the last minutes of my life, and who do I run into? Lorraine, my heart literally sank, as it was my prayer that she would at least have survived. But her warm embrace and gentle kiss do bring me some comfort.

The orchestra is still playing and have taken to playing hymns. They just finished playing Amazing Grace, as the passengers who are gathered around them begin to sing along, some of them trying to recall words they haven’t sung in years.

2:15

I fear this may be my final entry. Lorraine is with me, and the drinks are being passed around like it’s the last call. Maybe it is. I will keep on writing until I can write no more, which I fear may not be much longer.

The orchestra is playing “Nearer my God to Thee”, even as the lights go out. I now write by candlelight, and as they are singing, I will try to write the words out.

“Nearer my God to Thee. Nearer to Thee--.”

I just heard the most horrible cracking sound. I think the ship just broke in half and the band… it just plays on.

“Nearer my God to thee--.”