Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-03


sharp blsae cat away pour past half
aaa half Christian life, and with new
determination, and new plans. AID new
expectations launch CUT into the deep.
PoisrERs TO FISHERMEN.
The text Is appropriate 70 all who are
engaged Ia Christian work. The church
OF God has been fishing along the
shore. We set our net III good. calm
place, and in sight Of fine chapel, and
We go down every Sunday 10 see If the
fish have been wise enough 10 coEle into
our net. We might learn something
from that boy with his hook aud hne.
He throws his hne from the bridge-no
fish. He sits down on log-no fish.
He stands in the sunlight and casts the
line. but no hsh. he goes up by the
mill dam, and stands behind the bank.
where the fish cannot see him. and he
has hardly dropped the hook before the
cork goes under. The fish come 10 him
as fast as he can throw them ashore.
In other words, IN our Christian work
why do We not go where the fish areS IL
is not 50 easy TO catch souls IN church,
for they know that we are trying 10
take them. Ii you can throw your line
out into the world. where they are not
expecting you. they Will be captured. Is
il fair 10 take men by such stratageni
Yes. would hike 10 cheat i've thousand
souls into the kingdom.
The whole policy Of the church Of God
Is TO DO changed. Instead of chiefly
looking after the few who have become
Christians our chief efforts will be for
those outside. II after d man is con-
verted he cannot take care of himself
am not going TO take care Of him. II he
thinks that am going to stand and pat
him on the back, and feed him out Of an
elegant spoon, and watch him so that
he does not get into a draft of world
illness, he is much mistaken. We have
in our churches great mass of helpless,
inane professors, who are doing nothing
for themselves or for others, who want
us to stop and nurse them. They are SO
troubled with doubt as to whether they
are Christians or not. The doubt is set
tied. They are not Christians. The best
we can do with these fish is To throw
them back into the stream and go after
them again with the Gospel net.
100 into the world and preach the
Gospel" says Christ--into the factory,
the engine house, the clubroom; into the
houses Of the sick: into the dark lane;
into tine damp cellar; into the cold gar
ret; into the dismal prison. Let every
man, woman and child know that Jesus
died, and that the gate Of heaven is wide
open. With the Bible in one pocket,
and the hymn book in another pocket,
and loaf of bread under your arm,
launch out into the great deep of this
worlds wretchedness.
The text is appropriate to all the un-
forgiven. Every sinner would come to
God if he thought that he might come just
as he is. People talk as though the par
don of God were q narrow river, like the
Kennebec or the Thames, and that their
sins draw too much water to enter it,
No; it is not a river nor bay, but sea.
I should like to persuade you to launch
ont into the great deep of Gods mercy. l
am merchant. l have bought a cargo
of spices in India. have, through bill of
exchange, paid for the whole cargo. You
are ship captain. give you the orders
and say, Bring me those spices" You
land in India. You go to the trader
and say, Here are the orders" and you
find everything all right. You do not
stop to pay the money yourself. 1t is
not your business to pay it. The ar
engagements were made before you
started. So Christ purchases your par
don. He puts the papers, or the prom
ises, into your hand. Is it wise TO stop
and say, II cannot pay for my re-
demption?' God does not ask You to
pay. Relying on what has been done,
launch out into the deep.
The Bibles promises Join hands, and
the circle they make will compass all
your sins, and all your temptations. and
all your SORROWS. The round table of
King Arthur and his knights had room
for only thirteen banqneters. but the
round table of Gods supply is large
enough for all the present inhabitants
of earth and heaven to sit at, and for
the still mightier populations that are yet
To be.
KEEP AWAY FROM THE REEFS.
habits and old sins. Keep clear Of the
shore. Go oct where the water is deep
est. Oh for the mid sea Of Gods mercy,
BE it known unto you. Elen and breth-
rem. that through this man is preached
unto You forgiveness Of SINS" l preach
| il with as much confidence to the eighty
| year-old transgressor as TO the maiden.
/ Though your sins were blood red they
/ shall be Stow white The more ragged
/ the prodigal. the more compassionate
I the father. Do you say that you are too
bad7 The high water mark of Cod
pardon is higher than all your trans
( gressions. The blood Of Jesus Christ
/ cleanseth from all sin
Do yen say that your heart IL hardf
/ Suppose IL were Ten times harder. Do
you say that your iniquity il long con
tinuedr Suppose ii were ten times
longer Do yen say that your crimes
are blscl1 Suppose that they were ton
times blacker Is there any lion that
this Samson cannot slay9 Il there any
fortress that this Conqueror cannot take
Is there any sin this Redeemer cannot
pardon.
Il il said that when Charlemagne's
host was overpowered by the three ar
mics Of the Safseens in tLe pass If Ron
cesvalles his warrior. Roland. in terrible
earnestness seizel trumpet and blew
II with sneh terrific strength that the
opposing army reelsi back with terror.