The Progress., 1894-10-20
TABERNACLE PULPIT.
BRINGING SOULS TO THESHORE
OF SAFETY.
A eermon from Jonah 1: Kill, xiv: "The
Men ROwed Hard to Bring 1t to the
Land, but Could Not, Wherefore They
Cried Unto the Lord"

Men ROwed Hard to Bring 1t to the
Land. but Could Not, Wherefore They
Cried Unto the Lord"
BROOKLYN, Oct. 14.-Rev. DR.. Tai
mage, who is still absent on his round
tour, has selected as the sub
ject of to-days sermon, through the
press. "The Oarsmen Defeated"
Navigation in the Mediterranean sea
always was perilous, especially SO in
early times. Vessels were propelled
partly by sail and partly by oar;
When, by reason Of great stress of
weather, it was necessary to reef the
canvas or haul it in, then the vessel
was entirely dependent upon the oars,
twenty or thirty OF them
on either side the vessel. You would
not venture outside yonr harbor with
such craft as my text finds Jonah
sailing in; but he had not much choice
of vessels. He was running away from
the Lord; and when man is running
away from the Lord, he has to run
very fast.
God had told Jonah to go to Nine
vch to preach about the destruction OF
that city. Jonah disobeyed. That al
ways makes rough water, whether IN
the Mediterranean or, the Atlantic,
or the Pacific, or the Caspian sea. 1t is
q very hard thing to scare sailors. L
have seen them, when the brow OF the
vessel was almost under water, and
they were walking the deck lSnee-decp
In the surf, and the small boats by the
side of the vessel had been crushed as
small as kindling wood, whistling as
though nothing had happened; but the
Bible says that these mariners OF
whom speak were frightened. That
which sailors call "a lump OF sea
had become binding, deafening,
swapping fury. How mad the wind
can get at the water, and the water
can get at the wind you do not know
unless you have been spectators l
have in my house piece of sail OF a
ship, no larger than the palm OF my
hand. That piece of canvas was all
that was left of the largest sail OF the
ship Greece that went into the storm
200 miles off Newfoundland. Oh, what
a night that was! suppose it was in
some such storm as this that Jonah was
caught.
He knew that the tempest was on his
account, and he asked the sailors to
throw him overheard. Sailors are a
generous hearted race, and they re,
solved to make their escape, If possible,
without resorting to such extreme
measures. The sails are OF no use, and
so they lay hold on their oars. sec
the long bank Of shining blades on
either side of the vessel. Oh! how they
did pull, the bronzed seamen, as they
laid back into the oars. But rowing on
the sea is very different from rowing
upon river; and as the vessel HOSTS
the oars skip the wave and miss tho
stroke, and the tempest laughsto scorr
the flying paddles. 1t is OF no use' ne
use. There comes wave that crashes
the last mast, and sweeps the oarsmer
from their places, and tumbles every
thing in the confusion OF impending
shipwreck, or, as my text has 1t, "Tht
men rowed hard to bringit 70 the land
but they could not; wherefore the.
cried unto the Lord"
This scene is very suggestive to me
and pray God I may have grace ant
strength enough to represent 1t intell1
gently to you. Years ago l preached
sermon on another phase Of this yer.
subject, and I got q letter from Hous
ton, Texas, the writer saying that tn
reading of that sermon in London ha
led him to God. And l received anothe
letter from South Australia, saying tina
the reading Of that sermon in Australi
had brought several souls to Christ
And then, l thought, why not tax
another phase Of the same subject, TO
perhaps that God who can raise i
power that which Is sown in weakness
may now, through another phase OF tn
same subject, bring salvation to tn
people who shall hear and salvation
the people who shall read. Men an
women, who know how to pray, la
hold of the Lord God Almighty an
wrestle for the blessing.
Bishop Latimer would stop som'
times in the midst Of his argument,an
say, Now, will tell you q fable;
and to-day l would like to bring tn
scene of the text as an illustration OF
most important religious truth. 4
those Mediterranean oarsmen trying
| inc Jonah ashore, were discomfte'
have to tell you that they were ne
.e only men who have broken dow
GA their paddles, and have bee
Obliged to call on the Lord for help.
want to say that the unavailing eiior
OF those Mediterranean oarsmen ha'
o counterpart in the efforts we a
making to bring souls to the shore
safety and set their feet on the Rot
of Ages. You have q father,
mother, or husband, or wife, or chill
or near friend, who is not . Christia
There have been times when you ha'
bt4n in agony about their salvation.