Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1889-09-05

that swimneth spreadeth forth his
} hands to swim"
If you have ever watched q swimmer,
, you notice that his whole body is
brought into play. The arms are fiexed,
the hands drive the water back, the
knees are active, the head is thrown
back to escape strangulation, the whole
body is in propulsion. And when
Christ sprang into the deep to save us,
His Godhead, His omniscience, His
goodness, His love. His omnipotence-
head, heart, eyes, HANDS, feet. We were
far out on the sea and SO deep down in
the waves and SO far out from the shore
that nothing short of an entire God
could save us. Christ leaped out for
our rescue, saying: -Lo! 1 como to do
thy WILL" end all the surges of human
and satanic hate beat against Him, and
those who watched Him from the gates
of Heaven feared he would go down
under the wave. and instead of saving
others would Himself perish; but put
ting His breast to the foam, and shaking
the surf from His locks, He came on and
every one here. Eye omniscient, heart
infinite, arm Omnipotent. Mighty to
save, even unto the uttermost. Oh, it
was not half God that trampled down
believing Gennesaret. 1t was not
quarter of God that mastered the
demons of Gadara. 1t was not two
thirds of God that lifted Lazarus into
the arms of his over-joyed sisters. II
was not a fragment of God who offered
pardon and peace to all the the race.
No. This mighty swimmer threw His
grandeur, His glory, His might, His
wisdom, His omnipotence and His
eternity into this one act. 1t took both
hands of God to save us-both feet.
How do prove it, On the cross, were
not both hands nailed? On the cross
were not both feet nailed! His entire
nature involved in our rademption.
If you have lived much by the water,
You notice also that if any one is going
out to the rescue of the drowning he
must be Independent, self-reliant, able
to 60 alone. There may be a time when
he must spring out to save one and he
cannot get lifeboat, and he goes out
and has not strength enough to bear
himself up, and bear another up, he will
sink, and instead of dragging one
corpse out of the torrent you will have
two to drag out. When Christ sprang
out into the sea to deliver us He had no
life buoy. His father did not help Him.
Alone in the wine press. Alone in the
pang. Alone in the darkness. Alone
in the mountain. Alone in the sea. o,
credit, for there was none to help" No
oar. No wing. No ladder. When Ma
thaniel Lyon fell in the battle charge in
front Of his troops, he had whole
army to cheer him. When Marshal Ney
sprang into the contest and plunged in
the spurs till the horses flank spurted
blood, all France applauded him. But
Jesus alone! "Of the people there was
none to help" All forsOok Him and
fed" o, it was not a fotilla that sailed
down and saved us. It was not clus-
ter of gondolas that came over tbs wave.
1t was one person Independent and
alone, spreading out His hands among
us as swimmer spreadeth forth his
hands to swim"
Iwant to persuade you to lay held of
this strong swimmer. NO, you say, it
is always disastrous for a drowning man
to lay hold of a swimmer" There is not
q river or lake but has calamity result
ant from the fact that when a strong
Swimmer went out to save sinking
man, the drowning man clutched him,
threw his arms around him, pinioned
his arm, and thew both went down to-
gether. When you are saving a man in
by his face; you want to come up by his
back. You do not want him to take hold
of you while you take hold of him. But,
blessed be God, Jesus Christ is so strong
a swimmer, he comes not to our back, |
but to our face, and he asks us to
throw around him the arms of our
love. and then promises to take us to
the beach, and he will do it. Do not |
trust that plank of good works. Do |
not trust that shivered spar of your
own righteousness. Christ only can |
give you transportation. Turn your |
face upon him as the dying mar
tyr did in olden days when he
cried ont: None but Christ! None
but Christi" 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 to swim
all the way back again, taking your re-
deemed spirit. I have sometimes
thought what a spectacle the ocean bed
will present when in the last day the
water is all drawn of. 1t will be line
of wrecks from beach to beach. There
is where the harpooners went down.
There is where the line of battle ships
went down. There is where the steam
ers went down, a long line of wrecks
from beach to beach. What spectacle
in the last day when the water is drawn
off! But oh, how much more solemn if
We had an eye to see the spiritual wrecks
and the places where they Aoundered.
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
90 of fnrkh hic do |
to swim; but they thrust Him in the sore
heart, and they smote His fair
cheek, and the storm and dark
ness swallowed them up. I ask you
to lay hold of this Christ and Law 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 say
ing: We'll, would like to be a Chris
tian. 1 am going to work to become q
Christian" My brother. You be-
gin wrong. When a man is drowning,
and strong swimmer comes out to help
him, he SAYS to him: Nov be quiet.
Put your arm on my arm or on my shoul-
der. but don't struggle, don't try to help
more you struggle and the more you try
y
me. Now be quiet and I'll take you
ashore" When Christ, the strong
swimmer, comes out to save a soul, the
sinner says: That's right. am glad
to see Christ, and I 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 ex-
over nv sins and that will
help Him." No, my brother, it 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
FOUR redemption.
This is the difficulty which keeps
thousands of souls out of the kingdom
Of Heaven. 1t is because they cannot
consent to let Jesus Christ begin and
complete the work of their redemption.
Why, you say, then is there nothing
Tor me to do de?" Only one thing have
A. I-k l., - 1