Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-12-01


many hanging gar
d,ns OF beauty; the waters rumbling
down between ROCKS OF gray and red
lin estone, flashing from the hills. and
b)unding into the sea. On the shore
we're castles, armed towers, Roman
laths, everything attractive and beau
nful; all styles of vegetation in short
r space than in almost any other space
n all the world. from the palm tree
IF the forest to the trees of rigorous
climate.
1t seemed as If the Lord had launch
ed one wave of beauty on all the scene,
and Il hung and swung from rock and
all and oleander. Roman gentlemen
n pleasure boats sailing the lake, and
countrymen in fish-smacAs coming
down to drop their nets. pass each
other with nod ard shout and laughter.
or swinging idly at their moorings. Oh,
what wonderful, what a beautiful
lake!
1t seems as IL we shall have quiet
night. Not a leaf winked in the air:
not ripple disturbed the face OF Gen
nesaret; but there seems IT, e little
eAciten ent up the beach. and We hast
er TO see what it is, and VIC and II an
embarkatior
From the western shore a fotilla
pushing out; not a squadron or dead
ly armament. nor clipper with valuable
merchandise. nor pirate vessels ready
to destroy everyth ng they could seize
but flotilla. bearing messengers of
life and light. and peace. Christ is in
the front of the boat. His disciples
are in a smaller boat Jesus, weary
with much speaking to large multi
tudes. is put into somnolence by the
r, ling OF the waves. If there was
any motion at all, the ship was easily
righted; II the wind passed from one
side. from the starboard TO the lar
board, or from the larboard to the star
board. the boat would rock, ard by the
gentleness OF the motion putting the
Master asleep. And they eXtempor-
tied pillow made out OF a fisherman's
coat. think no sooner is Christ pros
trate, and his head touching the pill
low. than he is sound asleep. The
breezes of the lake run their fingers
Through the locks of the worn sleeper.
and the boat rises and falls like
lsleeping child on the bosom OF a sleep
Ing mother.
H. The subject in the first place i'm
dresses me with the fact that il is very
Important to have Christ in the ship;
for all those boats would have gone
TO the bottom of Gennesaret IL Christ
had not been present. Oh. what les
son for you and for me to Learnt What
ever voyage We undertake. into what
ever enterprise we start, let Us always
have Christ In the ship. Many OF you
In these days OF revived commerce are
starting out in new financial enter
prises: / bid you good cheer. Do all
you can do. Do it on as high a plane
as possible. You have no right to be
stoker N the ship if you can be
an admiral OF the navy. You have no
right TO be a colonel OF regiment II
you can command brigade; you have
no right to be engineer Of boat on
river-banks, o. near the coast, II you
can take the ocean steamer from New
York to Liverpool. All you can do with
utmost tension Of body, mind and soul.
you are bound to do; but OH have
Christ in every enterprise. Christ in
every voyage. Christ in every ship.
There are men who ask God to help
them at the start OF great enterprises.
He has been with them in the past
no trouble can overthrow them: the
storms might come down from the top
OF Mt. Hermon, and lash Gennesaret
into foam and into agony. but it could
not hurt them. But here is another
man who starts out in worldly enter
prise. and he derends upon the uncer-
tainties OF this life. He has no God to
help aim. After awhile the storm
comes, and losses off the masts
of the ship; he puts out his life
boat: the sheriff and the auctioneer
try to help him off, they can't help
him off; he must go down: no Christ
in the ship. Here are young men Just
starting out In life. Your life will be
made up of sunshine and shadow. There
may be in 1t arctic blasts or trop. cal
tornadoes; / know not what is before
you. but know II you have Christ with
you all shall be we'll
You may seem to get along without
the religion OF Christ while everything
goes smoothly, but after awhile. when
sorrow hovers over the soul, when the
waves OF trial dash clear over the hur-
r'cane deck. ard the bowsprit is shiv-
cred, and the halliards are swept into
the sea. and the gangway is crowded
with piratical dlsasters-oh. what
would you then do without Christ in
the ship? Young man, take God for
your portion. God for your guide. God
for your help; then all is well: all Is
well for time. all shall be we'll forever.
Blessed Is that man who puts in the
Lord his trust. He shall never be con-
founded.
But my subject also impresses me
with the fact that when people start
TO follow Christ they must not expect
smooth sailing. These disciples got
into the small boats. and | have no
doubt they said, What beautiful day
this IS! What a smooth seal What
foi Ha1i tftn