Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-07-27
Fishing for Men.
BY REV. T. l.. CUYLER

The best Being who yer trod our earth
commanded his followers to be fishers of
men," TO be successful in this requires
no little patience, skill, and unsefish love
Especially are these needful when we are
trying TO catch and draw out inebrtates
from those depths of degradation and
disease into which they have plunged.
Out of those ravenous depths thousand
are crying, "Who can deliver meP"
1t is blessed thing when those of US
who are throwing out the lines to catch
these suffering sinners feel the line tight
druukard has Qot hold. To get him up, to
land him safely on the rock of total alb
stinence. and to keep him from falling
back again-these are operations which
quicken the very soul. and command the
attention of Heaven itself Many do fail
back. That is sad truth, which proves
that to stay on the deck Of total abstinence
is vastly easier than to get back there after
one has flung himself off into the devour-
ing deep of drunkenness. A large per-
centage of those who are temporarily re-
formed in inebriate asylums wander back
into their old vice.
But some are saved. To save one human
being. one heir of Immortality, is enough
to repay no small outlay of time, money,
and labor.
But why are our churches not engaged
more generally in this most important
fishery of soulsp Is it not the work of
Christ's church to save sinnersp Are any
sinners more to be pitied, and in more
need of sympathy and help, than those
who are doing deadly mischief to body and
soul through the Intoxicating cup? Our
churches have the machinery, the men,
the meetings the methods for doing good.
Now, these machineries and methods are
seldom tired on the very class who need
them most. In the first place, it is II rare
thing that inebriates are even prayed for
Mt religious meetings! The Jews and the
Chinese, and the outside world of Pagans,
are prayed for; but those who ale sinking
into damnation through strong drink at
our very doors are strangely and sinfully
forgotten! 1t is certainly sin of neglect
to do this. There ought to be fervent
prayer for inebriates in every religious
meeting. Rumsellers, too, ought to be
prayed for. that God would open their
eyes to their enormous outlines of crime.
This work of fishing for inebriates
should begin with prayer, but not end
there. They should be sought after and
invited to Gods house When they come
to a prayer meeting, they should be taken
by the hand and encouraged; then visited
and labored with in love. If they need
pecunitry help. or need employment. or
need sympathy (Which is more than
money with many drunkards). the very
people from whom they ought 10 expect
them are proiessed followers of Jesus
Christ. Gods grace can save I'm inebriate;
but men are the instruments. What if
the Instruments won't do the work?
young man, just out of jail, where he
had been locked up tor drunkenness, came
10 my door few weeks ago. and asked
for help" 1t was not money he asked
for so much rs personGt sympathy. He
found it, He was invited TO our next
prayer meeting, and came there through
a pelting storm. He arose, and thrilled
the company with the story of bis struggle
with the drink. demon. He was fervently
prayed for, taken by the hand, and went
away, braced up by our helpful encourage
ments. Pecuniary aid was given him TO
support himself and it was successful.
He is now earning his livelihood, and
came into meeting last night 10 tell what
God had done for his soul. He seems to
be lifted from the depths and safely land
ed on the deck
That kind of fishing pavS. To this sort
of fishing God is calling His people. Our
churches ought to have the life boat con-
stantly manned to pick up and rescue the
victims of the bottle
God help us all to lower the nets"
and to bring up many who are nigh unto
perishing!