The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-08-28

cnoked and our heart would break. III
your sins are unforgiven they are bearing
down on you and you are sinking-sink-
ing away from happiness. sinking away
from God, sinking away from everything
that is good and blessed.
Then what do we want? a swimmer
strong swimmer 4 swift swimmer
And, blessed be God, in my text we have
Him announced. 'fIe shall spread forth
His hands in the midst of them as he that
swimmith spreadeth forth his hands 10
SWIM" You have noticed that when a
swimmer goes out to rescue any one he
puts Oft his heavy apparel. He must not
have any such impeachment about him II
he is going to do this great deed. And
when Christ stepped forth to save Us He
shook of 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 Ills side
aye, 1t dashed to the lacerated temple, the
high-water mark OF His anguish. Then,
rising above the flood, 'He stretched forth
His hand in the midst Of them, as he that
swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to
swim"
If you have ever watched a swimmer
you notice that his whole body is brought
into play. The arms are flexed, the hands
drive the water back, the knees are active,
the head is thrown back to escape stran-
gulation, 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
Tho far from tho ebnrp
that nothing short of an entire God could
save us. Christ leapt out for our rescue,
saying: 90 | come to do thy will, and
all the surges of human and satanic hate
beat against Him, and those who watched
Him from the gates OF heaven feared
He would 90 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. Eve omniscient, heart infinite.
arm omnipotent Mighty to save, even
unto the utmost. Oh, it was not half a
God that trampled down believing Gen
nesaret. It was not a quarter OF God
that mastered the demons of Gadara, 1t
was not twO-thirds of God that lifted up
Lazarus into the arms OF his overjoyed
sisters. 1t was not fragment OF God
who offered pardon and peace to all 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 redemption
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 90
alone. There NAV be a time when he
must spring out to save one and he cannot
get a 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-buov. His father did
not help Him. Alone in the wine-press.
Alone in the pang. Alone in the dark
ness. Alone in the mountain. Alone in
the sea. Oh, 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 Nev
sprang into the contest and plunged in
the spurs till the horses TANKS 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 fiotilla that sailed
down and saved US. II was not cluster
OF gondOlas that came over the wave. II
was one person independent and alone,
spreading out His hands among us as T.
swimmer spreadeth forth his hands to
swim"
Behold then to-day the spectacle Of a
drowning soul and Christ the swimmer l
believe it was in 1S4S, when there were
six English soldiers Of the Fifth fusileers
who were hanging to the bottom of a
capsiZed boat-a boat that had been upset
by squall three miles from shore 1t was
in the night, but one man swan NIGHTLY
for the beach, guided by the dark
mountains that lifted their tops through
the night. He came 10 the beach. He
found a shore man that consented to 90
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 while they heard their
cry: "Help! Helpp' and they bore down
to them, and they saved them and brought
them to shore. o, that this moment our
cry might be lifted long, loud and shrill,
till Christ the swimmer shall come and
take us lest we drop Thousand fathoms
down.
That is a thrilling time when some one
svamped in the surf is brought ashore
| and being resuscitated. How the people
watch for the moment when he begins to
breathe again, and when at last he takes
| one full inhalation and opens his eyes
| upon the bystanders a shout of iov rings
I up and down the beach. There is ioy be-
| cause a life has been saved. O We who
J have been swamped in the seas of trouble
/ and sin. we gather around you. Would
| that this might be the hour when you be-
/ gin TO live. The Lord Jesus Christ steps
/ down, He gets on His knees, He puts his
! lip TO your lip, and would breathe pardon
/ and life and heaven into your immortal
/ soul. God grant that this hour there NAV
/ be thousands of souls resuscitated.
| stand on the deck OF the old gospel ship
/ amid a crowd OF passengers, all of them
/ hoping that the last man overheard NAV
| be saved. May the living Christ this hour
/ put out for your safety, spreading forth
| His hands in the midst of YOU, as a swim
mer spreadeth forth his hands to swim y
Vest:buIe Train For Heaven.
The Living Church,
There are some people who seem Il
| think they have a through ticket on &
| vestibDle train for heaven Having maid