The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-05-05
Jov for Saving the Lost.

Joy for Saving the Lost.
In Mr.. George Kennan's fascina-
TING @Tent Life in Siberia" is a very
thrilling account of a search made
bv the author for party of his lost
countrymen, on the Anadyr River.
After a journey by dogsledge for
two hundred miles over drifted snow,
they reach the spot where they con-
lecture the missing Americans to be
buried away under the snow. Mr..
Kennan and his companion are we'll
nigh perishing themselves from a
cold which has sunk the mercury to
fifty degrees below zero! The feet Of
their poor dogs spot the white snow
with blood at every step. One of
the two brave explorers has already
sunk exhausted on his sledge, and is
fast falling into the sleep Of death.
Suddenly, at midnight, Mr.. Kennan
hears faint, long draw halloo across
the wintery waste. It came from
one of his "Chookchee," who had
gone In advance. He hurries to the
spot, all the blood in his veins throb-
bing at his heart. As he comes up,
he discovers the Chookchee standing
by a small black pipe projecting from
the snowbank. The lost wanderers
must be under it.
'Thank God! thank God! I re-
peated to myself softly" says the
heroic writer, sand, as 1 climed upon
snow-drift and shouted down the
pipe, 'Halloo the housep i heard a
startled voice under my feet reply,
who's thereP As 1 entered the
snoW-cellar, and seized hold of my
loDg-lost friends, my over-strained
nerves gave way, and in ten minutes
1 could hardly raise my hand to my
lips"
Reading the above thrilling scene
in my friend Kennan's book, l found
the tears stealing down my own
cheeks in sympathy with the brave
fellows who had periled their lives
in order to rescue their lost friends
from death by cold and starvation.
After concluding the narrative, which
had almost the sweet "lineament of
a Gospelbook," I opened my Bible,
and read this parable which Jesus
spoke:
9What man of you, having a hund-
red sheep, if he lose one of them,
doth not leave the ninety and nine
in the wilderness and go after that
which is lost until he find it? And
when he hath found it, he layeth it
on his shoulders rejoicing" With
this vivid scene Of the Siberian
search fresh in my mind, read this
exquisite parable with new delight.
Iseemed to see our DiYine Shepherd
starting of after the lost sheep.
He knows the thickets or the quag-
mires into which the silly truant
must have strayed. He may hear
its bleatings afar of. He goes un-
til he find it. He does not beat it
for struggling; but, pulling it out OF
the mire or drawing it from the tang
led ticket, he layeth it on his should
ders-the clean carrying the unclean
the holy carrying the unhOly. Beau
tiful picture of Jesus the sin bearer.
Every saved soul has been upon
Christ's shoulders. When he ''bare
our sins" and carried our sorrroWs, u
then was the befouled yet precious
load upon Jesus's shoulder. Yes,
and he bids us "cast our cares upon
him tool The whole load he takes
up joyfully.
The transcendent joy in heaven
over a saved soul is not confined to
the angel bands. 1t is only witnessed
by them, and partially shared by
them. 1t is ain their presence that
the celestial rapture breaks forth.
But the supreme joy is in the bosom
of the enthroned Redeemeri His
was the sorrow, Wnen he was "ex-
ceedingly sorreWful unto death"
His is the joy, when he presents even
one repentant sinner ''before the
presence Of his glory. He sees of
the travail of his soul and is salts
fed.
o, beloved Saviorl When we be-
hold thee on thy throne, the Sheph-
cred amid his ransomed focks; thy
victories complete; the last wander
ing sheep brought home? the last
recovered jewel glittering in thy
crown; then we will confess that the
triumph was worthy of toll, and the
ransom of thy glorifed Church was
worthy of all bitter agonies of him
Who'came to seek and to save the
lost! "Worthy the Lamb that was
slain, to receive power, and riches,
and strength, and honor, and glory,
and blessing, forever and eYer." 1T.
L. Cuyler.