The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-10-22

be merci rul to me a sinnerw Peter lifted
the distress-signal when he said, "Lord
save me, I perishv' The blind man
lifted the distress-signal when he said,
'Lord, that my eyes may be openedW
The jailer lifted the distress signal when
he said, "What must do to be saved?"
And help will never come to your
soul until you lift such a signal as that.
You must make some demonstr alton, give
some sign, take some piercing out
cry for help, lifting the distress signal for
the Church's prayer, lifting the distress
signal for Heavens pardon. Pray pray!
The voice of the Lord tonight sounds in
your ears. sin me is thy help" Too
proud to raise such signal, too proud to
be saved
There was an old sailor humping about
in small boat in tempest. The large
vessel had gone down. He felt he must
die The surf was breaking over the
boat, and he said: II took of my life-
belt that it might soon be over, and /
| thought somewhat indistinctlY about my
friends on shore, and then / bid them goods
bye like, and I was about sinking back
| and giving it up, when I saw bright
star. The clouds were breaking away,
and there that blessed star shone right
down on me, and it seemed to take right
hold of me; and, somehow can not tell
| how it was-but somehow, while I was
| trying to watch that star, it seemed to
help me, and seemed to lift me-" Oh
| drowning soul, see you not the glimmer
between the riffs of the storm cloud?
Would to God that that light might lay
| hold of you Tonight
Death struck, ceased the tide to stem,
When suddenly a star arose,
1t was the star of Bethlehem.
o, We cast Always, God is doing every
thing to save you.
ibid you ever hear of Lionel Lukn? He
was the inventor of the insu hmergible
| lifeboat. Ali honor Is due his memory by
seafaring men, as we'll as by landsmsn.
| How many lives he saved by this inven-
ton. In after days that invention was
| improved, and one day there was per-
| feet life boa, the Northumbsrla nd, ready
at Ramsgate. The life-boa being ready,
| to test it the crew came out and leaped on
the gunwale on one side to see il the boat
would upset; it was impossible to upset it.
Then, amidst the huzzas OF excited thou
sands, that boat was launched, and it has
gone and come, picking up great many
| of the shipwrecked. But have to tell you
tonight of grand ,r launching, aud from
the dry docks of heaven. Word came up
that world was beating on the rocks. In
the presence " the potentates of heaven
the nfe-boat Of the worlds redemption
was launched. 1t showed off the golden
sands amidst angelic hosannas. a Tbs
surges of darkness beat against its bow.
but it sailed on, aud IL comes 10 sight to-
night. 1t comes for you and comes for
me. Soul! soul! get into it; make one
leap for heaven. In 1888 the Isabella
went ashore off Hastings. En gland. The
air was filed with sounds-the roaring
sea trumpet, the crash of the axes, and
the believing of the tornado. A boat
from the shore came under the stern
the disabled vessel There were
women and children aboard
that vessel. Some of the sailors
jumped into the small boat and sa d.:
''Now, give US the children" A father
who stood on the deck took his first born
and threw him to the boat The sailors
caught him safely, aud the next aud the
| 81
the wind bowling. 'tNow," said the
sailors, 'now the mother" AMI she
leaped, and was saved. The boat went
ashore; but before it got to the shore the
landsmen were so impatient to help the
suffering people that they waded clear
down into the surf with blankets and
garments, and promises of help and
succor.
have hope to might that great ma ny
} of the families here are going to be saved
and saved altogether. Give US tn at child
for Christ-that other chld--that other.
Give US the mother, give US the father,
the whole family. They must all come
in. All Heaven wades in to help you.
clAi ii this whole audieuc, for God. There
are some of you who, thirty years ago,
were consecrated to Christ by YOU
: parents in Baptism. Certainly l arr
r not stepping over the right bound when
: claim you for Jesus. Then there are many
here who have been seeking God for g
good while, aud am l not right in claim.
ing you for Jesus? Taen there are some
here who have been further away. 1 saw
you come in to might in clusters-two
three, four men together-and you drink
P and swear, and you are bringing up you
families without any God to take care o
them when youare dead. And claim you
my brother; 1 cl aim all of you. You will
have to come tonight TO the throne
: of mercy. Coils Holy Spirit is strivin!
= now with you irresistibly. You will hav,
to pray SOME time; why not begin now
9 while all the ripe and purple clusters o
u Divine promise bend over into your GU
o rather than postpone your prayer unit
6 your chance is past and the night drops
d and the sea washes you out, and foreYa
d aud forever and forever you become
castaway?