The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-09-04

where the narp00nerS went uOWu. lner0 10
where the line of battle ships went down.
There is where the merchantmen went
down. There is where the steamers went
down, long line Of wrecks from beach to
beach. What spectacle in the last day
when the water is drawn of But oh, how
much more solemn if we had an eye to see
the spiritual wreck and the places where
they foundered. You would ind thousands
along our roads and streets. Christ
came down in their awful catastrophe,
putting out for their souls, spreading
forth his hands-as swimmer spreadeth
forth his hands to SWIM" but they
thrust him in the sore heart, and they smote
his fair cheek, and the storm and darkness
swallowed them up. ask you to 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 outspread. l hear great many in
the audience saying: Well, would like
to be Christian. l am going to work
to become Christian" My brother,
you begin wrong. When a man is
drowning, and strong swimmer comes
out to meet him, he says to him: snow
be quiet Put your arm on my arm
or on my shoulder, but don't str" ggle, don't
try to help yourself, and I'll take you
ashore. The more you struggle and the
more you try to help yourself, the more
you impede me. Now be quiet and I'll take
you ashoren When Christ, the strong
swimmer comes out to save soul,
! the sinner says: ssThat's right I am glad
to see Christ and am going to help Him in
the work of my redemption. am going to
pray more and that will help Him. and
am going to weep extravagantly over my
sins and that will help Him." No, my
brother, it will not. Stop your doing
Christ will do all or none. You can not lift
an ounce, you can not move an inch, in this
matter of your redemption.
This is the difficulty which keeps thou
sands of souls out of the kingdom of heaven
It is because they can not ccasent to lei
Jesus Christ begin and complete the worl
Of their redemption. "Why," you say, ''ther
| is there nothing for me to dot" Only one
thing have you to do, and that is to lay hole
of Christ and let Him achieve your salvation
and achieve it all. I do not know whether
make the matter plain or not. I simply
want to show you that man can not saw
himself, but that the Almighty Son Of Goo
can do 1t, and will do it If you ask Him. o
fling your two arms, the arms Of your trus
! and love, around this omnipotent swimme
Of the cross
That is thrilling time when some on
Egwamped in surf is brought ashore ant
! being resuscitated. How the people watcl
for the moment when he begins to breath
again, and when at last he takes one full in
halstion, and opens his eyes upon the by
ISLANDERS, shout OF Joy rings up and dow
the beach. There is 10Y because life ha
been saved. Dye who have been swampe
in the seas Of trouble and sin! we gathe
around you. Would that this might b
the hour when you begin to live
/ The Lord Jesus Christ steps down, He get
on His knees, He puts his lip to your LIZ
and would breathe pardon and life an
heaven into your immortal soul. God gran
that this hour there may be thousands Q
souls resuscitated. stand on the deck Q
the old gospel ship amid crowd Of passer
gers, all Of them hoping that the last ma
overheard may be saved. May the Twin
Christ this hour put out for your safety
spreading forth his hands in the midst Q
you as swimmer spreadeth forth his hand
to swim"