Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-19

away from happiness, sinking away from
God, sinking away from everything that is
good and blessed.
Then what do we want? A swimmer! A
strong swimmeri A swift swimmer! And,
blessed be God, in my text we have him an
nounced. @'He shall spread forth His hands
in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth
spreadeth forth his hands to SWIM" You
nave noticed that when a swimmer goes out
to rescue anyone he puts of his heavy ap-
parel. He must not have any such impedi-
ment about him if he is going to do this
great deed And when Christ stepped forth
to save us He shook off the sandals of heaven,
and His feet were free; and then He stepped
down into the wave of our transgressions,
and 1t came up over His wounded feet,
and it came above the spear stab in His side
aye, it dashed to the lacerated temple, the
high water mark of His anguish. Then. ris-
ing above the food, "He stretched forth
His hands in the midst of them, as he that
swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to
SWIM"
CHRIST TO THE RESCUE.
If you have ever watched a swimmer, you
notice that his whole body is brought into
play. The arms are fexed, the hands drive
the water back, the knees are active, the
head is thrown back to escape strangula-
ton, the whole body is in propulsion. And
when Christ sprang into the deep to save
us, He threw His entire nature into it-all
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: "Lol come to
do thy will" and all the surges of human
and satanic hate beat against Him, and those
who watched BIN from the gates of heaven
feared He would 60 down under the
wave, and instead OF saving others
would Himself perish; but, putting
His breast to the foam, and shaking
the surf from His locks, He came on and on
until He is now within the reach of every
one here; Eye omniscient, heart infinite,
arm omnipotent. Mighty to save, even
unto the uttermost. o, it was not half q
God that trampled down believing Gennes-
aret. 1t was not q quarter of God that
mastered the demons of Gadara. 1t was not
two-thirds of a God that lifted up Lazarus
into the arms of his overjoyed sisters. 1t
was not q fragment of q God who offered
pardon and peace to all the race. No. This
mighty swimmer threw His grandeur, His
glory, His might, His wisdom, His omnipo-
tence 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,
we're not both hands nailed? On the cross.
were not both feet nailed? His entire ma
ture involved in our redemption
SAVED BY HIM ALONE.
If you have lived much by the water, you
notice also that if anyone is going out to
the rescue of the drowning he must be inde-
pendent, self-reliant, able to 60 alone.
There may be 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. y, if He saves us He
shall have all the credit, for there was
none to help" No oar. No wing. No
ladder When Nathaniel Lyon fell in the
battle charge in front of his troops he had a
whole army to cheer him. When Marshal
Ney sprang into the contest and plunged in
the spurs till the horses fanks spurted
blood, all France applauded him. But
Jesus alonel ''Of the people there was none
10 lelD. All IOTSOOk I1lIu anu lieu. ",
it was not flotilla that sailed down and |
saved us. 1t was not cluster of goDdolas
that came over the wave. 1t was one per- |
son independent and alone, spreading out |
His hands among us asa swimmer spreadeth |
forth his hands to SWIM"
Behold, then, to-day the spectacle of a |
drowning soul and Christ the swimmer. I |
believe it was in 1848 when there were six
English soldiers of the Fifth Fusiliers who
we're hanging to the bottom of a capsized |
boat-a boat that had been upset by a squall |
.hree miles from shore. 1t was in the night,
but one man swan nightly for the beach, |
guided by the dark mountains that lifted |
heir tops through the night. He came to |
he beach. He found a shore man that con- |
,ented to 60 with him and save the other |
men. and they put out 1t was some time |
before they could find the place where the |
men were, but after a while they heard their |
,ry: "Helpl Helpp and they bore down to /
hem, and they saved them and brought |
hem to shore Oh, that this moment our |
nv might be lifted long, loud and shrill, |
i'll Christ the swimmer shall come and take |
is lest we drop
A THOUSAND FATHoMS DOWN.
II you have been much by water. you /
know very well that when one is in peril |
lelp must come very quickly, or it will be
# no use. One minute may decide every
hing. Immediate help the man wants, or
10 help at all. Now, that is just the kind
# relief we want. The case is urgent, i'm
ninent, instantaneous. See that soul sink
ng. Son of God, lay hold of him. Be |
luickl be quickl Oh, wish you all under
TODD how urgent this gospel is.
There was a man in the navy at sea who
lad been severely whipped for bad behavior,
md he was maddened by it, and he leaped
into the sea, and no sooner had ne leaped
into the sea than, quick as lightning, an
albatross swooped upon him. The drowning
nan, brought to his senses, seized hold of
he albatross and held on. The futtering |
# the bird kept him on the wave until re-
ief could come. Would now the dove of |
Gods convicting, converting and saving |
pirit might fash from the throne upon |
7our soul, and that you, taking hold of its
potent wing, might live and live forever.
1 want to persuade you to lay hold of |
his strong swimmer. mo-" you say, sit |
s always disastrous for drowning man to
ay mold of a swimmer" There is not a
liver or lake but has a calamity resultant |
rom the fact that when a strong swimmer
vent out to save a sinking man, the drown
ng man clutched him, threw his arms
round him, pinioned his arms, and they
10Th went down together. When you are
aying a man in the water you do not want
o come up by his face; you want to come
Ip by his back. You do not want him to
axe hold of you while you take hold of
i'm. But, blessed be to God, Jesus Christ
50 strong a swimmer he comes not to our
sck, but to our face, and he asks us to
araund him the arms ofo orr 1--we opd |