The climax. [volume] (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1887-1897, 1895-09-25


You stand on the banks of the sea
when the tide is rising. The almanac
SAYS the tide is rising, but the wave
comes up to a certain point and then
it recedes. why" they say, the
tide is going back" No. it is not: the
next wave comes up a little higher,
and it goes back. Again you say the
tide is going out. And the next time
the wave comes to higher point and
then to a higher point. Notwithstand-
ing all these recessions, at last all the
shipping of the world knows it is high
tide. SO it is with the cause of Christ
in the world. One year it comes up to
one point and we are greatly encour-
aged. Then it see ms to go back next
year. We say the tide is going out.
Next year it comes to higher point
and falls back and next year it comes
to a still higher point and falls back;
but all the time it is advancing. until
it shall be full tide, ''and the earth
shall be full of knowle lge of God as
the waters fill the sea-"
Again, learn from this subject that
Christ is God and man in the same per-
son. go into the back part of that
boat and l look on Christ's sleeping
face. and see in that face the story Of
sorrow and WEAKNESS, and a deeper
shadow comes over his face, and I
think he must be dreaming of the
cross that is to come. AS | stand on
the back part of the boat looking on
his face, | say: He is a man! lie is
man. But when l see Him come to
the prov of the boat and the sea
kneels in His presence, and the winds
fold their wings at his command,
l say: He is Cod He is Godr'
The hand that set up the starry pillars
of the universe wiping away the tears
of an orphan! When l want pity and
sympathy, / 60 into the baclA part Of
this boat, and look at him, and say:
20 Lord Jesus, Thou weary One. Thou
suffering One, have mercy on me. s"
''Ecce homor' Behold the man! But
when | want courage for the conflict
of life, when l want some one to beat
down my enemies, when l want faith
for the great future, then come to the
front of the boat, and ! see Christ
standing there in His omnipotence, and
l say: o Christ, Thou who couldst
hush the storm can hush all my sor-
rows, all nv temptations all nv fears.
"Ecce Deusr' Behold the God,
I learn also from this subject that
Christ can hush the tempest. Some of
you, my hearers. have heavy load OF
troub les. Some of you have wept until
you can weep no more Perhaps God
took the sweetest child out of
your house-the one that asked the
most curious questions. The one that
hung around you with the greatest
fondness. The grave-digger's spade
cut down through your bleed
ing heart Or perhaps it was the only
one you had, and your soul has ever
since been like a desolated castle.
where the birds of the night boot
amid the falling towers and along the
crumbling stairway. Or perhaps it
was an aged mother that was called
away. You used to send for her when
you had any kind of trouble. She was
in your home to welcome your children
into life, and when they died she was
there to pity you. You know that the
old hand will never do any more kind
nesses for you, and the lock of white
hair that you keep so well in the
casket of the lOcket does not look so
well as it did on the day when she
moved it back from the wrinkled
forehead under the Old-faShiOned
bonnet in the church in the country.
Or perhaps your property has gone.
You said: There, have so much in
bank stock, so much l have in houses,
so much / have in lands, so much |
have in securities" Suddenly it is all
| gone. Alas! for the man who once had
plenty of money, but who has hardly
enough now for the morning market
ing. No storm ever swept over Gen
nesaret like that which has gone
trampling its thunder over your quall-
/ ing soul. But you awoke Christ in
the back part of the ship, crying, MAS
ter, carest Thou not that l perish?''
and Christ rose up and quieted you,
Jesus hushing the tempest.