When the Titanic crashed into an iceberg, the ship’s resources--light, electricity, heat, and so on--instantly were in danger of failing. However, the engineers who were in the engine room worked to supply electricity by keeping the engines and generators operational to ensure the survival of as many passengers as possible. Had the lights and wireless telegraph failed, panic would have been rife and it would have been impossible to summon assistance, or lower her lifeboats safely. But through their efforts power was maintained for the wireless set until ten minutes before she sank, with the lights failing just two minutes before she sank.

Although 1,517 people died on the Titanic, the death toll would’ve been much higher if it hadn’t been for the efforts of these engineers. All 25 engineers and 10 electricians and boilermakers were lost as they stayed below in the boiler rooms, in order to maintain power and lights. None of the them survived the sinking. A monument was built to them called the Memorial to the Engine Room Heroes of the Titanic. It was the first monument in British history to depict the working man.

Possible Preaching Angle:

These brave engineers laid down their lives so that others might live. The Apostle John writes: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16).