Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1889-08-24
swimmer sprcadcth forth his hand. q.

- utfut UttW NsUNtnt tthC NV
mer. ! believe il was in 1913, when
there were six English soldiers Of the
Fifth Fusilicrs who were hanging 10
the bottom Of capsizcd boat--a boat
that had been upset by a squall three
miles from shore. II was in tho night,
but ono nmm SWAN nightly for the
beach. guided by the dark mountains
that lifted their top through tho night
lie came 10 tho beach. He found a
shore man that consented 10 go with
him aud save tho other men, and they
put out. II was some time before
they could find tho place where the
men werc. but after awhile they heard
their cry: Help! Hclpl" and they
bore down To them. and they saved
them. and brought them to shore.
oh. that this moment our cry might
he lifted long. loud aud shrill, till
Christ the swimmer shall come and
take us lest we drop a thousand faith
oms down.
II you have been much by water,
you know very well that when one is
in peril help must come very quickly.
or il will he Of no Use. One minute
may decide everything. Immediate
help the man wants or no help ut all.
Now, that is just tho kind Of relief
VIC want The case is urgent. immi-
ncnt, instantaneous See that soul
sinking. Son of God. lay hold of him.
Be quick. be quick! Oh, wish you
all understood how urgent this Gospel
is. There was u man in the navy ut
sea who had been severely whipped
for bad Behavior. and hc WAS madden
cd By il. aud hc lc,pcd into the sea,
and no sooner had he lcapc,l into the
sea than. quick ms lightning. an alba
truss swoopsl upon him. Tho drown.
ing man. brought Ia his SENSES, seized
iluttcring Of the bird kept him on the
wave until relief could come. Would
now the dove of Gods convicting.
converting and saving spirit might
flash from the throne upon your soul.
and that you, taking hold OF its potent
wing. might live and live forever.
LAY HOLD OF THIS STRONG SWIMMER.
want Ia persuade you Ia lay hold
Of this strong swimmer. No" you
say. III is always disastrous for a
drowning man to lay hold of swim
lncr." There is not river or lake
but has calamity resultant from the
fact that wllcna strong swimmer went
ont 10 save a sinking man. the drown
ing man clutclicd him. threw his arms
around him. pinioncd his arms, and
they both went down together
When you arc saving "a man in the
water You do not want Ia come up by
his face; you want la come up by his
back. You do not want hin, 10 take
hold Of you while you tcyJe hold Of
him. But. blessed bc( .od, Jesus
Christ is so strong " WINNER. he
comes not la our back ut to our face.
and he asks us To " 5w around him
the arms Of our log fand then prom
will do il. DO not trust that plank Of
good works. Do not trust thnt shiv
cred spar Of your own righteousness.
Christ only can give you Transports,
ton. Turn your face upon him as the
dying martyr did in ol,lcn days when
he cried OUT None but Christ! None
but Christ" Jesus has taken millions
to the land. and he is willing To take
you there. Oh. what hardness to
shove him back when he has been
swimming all the way from the
throne Of God to where You are now,
and is ready Ia swim all the way back
again. taking your redeemed spirit.
have sometimes thought what u
spectacle the ocean bed will present
when in the last day the water is
all drawn oil. It will liz line Of
wrecks from beach Ia beach. There is
where the harpooncrs went down.
There is where the line Of battle ships
went down. There is where the incr
chanimcn went down. There is where
the steamers went down. a long line
of wrecks from beach to lcach. What
"a slnS = -;.---Ec las, day when the
wairI Off But oh. how
much = hn il We lad IN eve
Ia SEQ - spnn,ial wrecks and the
places where they foundcmd. You
would find thousands along our roads
and streets. Christ came down in their
awful catastrophe. putting out for
their souls, spreading forth his hands
~ swimmer Sprcadcth forth his
hands to SWIM" but they thrust him
in the sore heart, and they sInote his
fair cheek, and the storm and dark.
ness swallowed them up. ask you
10 lay hold Of this Christ and lay hold
Of him now. You will sink without
him. From horizon to horizon not
one sail in sight Only one strong
swimmer, with head flung back and
arms outsprcad. hear IA great many
in the audience saying: We'll, I
would like to be n Christian. am
going 10 work to become Christian"
My brother, you begin wrong When
man is drowning. and strong
swimmer comes out 10 belp him, lie
says To him: Now he quiet. Put
your arm on my arm or on my
shoulder. but don't struggle don't try
To help yourself. and I'll take YOU
ashore. The more you struggle aud
che more you try 10 help yourself,
tho more you impede me. Now bc
quiet aud Ill take you ashore" When
Christ. the strong swimmer. comes
out Ia save II soul. the sinner says:
That's right. lam glad To see Christ.
and ] am going Ia help him in the
work Of my redemption. am going
Ia pray more and that will help him;
and am going Ia weep cxirivagantly
over my sins and that will holp him"
No, my brother. il will not. Stop your
doing. Christ will do all or none.
You cannot lift an ounce. you cannot
move an inch. in this matter of your
redemption.
This is the difficulty which keeps
thousands of souls ont Of the kingdom
Of heaven. II is because they cannot
consent To let Jesus Christ begin and
complete the work Of their re,lcmp-
ton. Why" you say, then is there
nothing for me 10 dor" Only one
thing have you TO do. aud that is To
lay hold Of Christ and let him achieve
your salvation and achieve il all.
do not know whether | make the
matter plain or not. simp V want To
show you that r''r cannot
save himself. but that / Almighty
SON Of God can do il, an, will do il
il, il you ask him. y. Iii: your two