The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-11-30

grandeur, His glory, His might, His wis
dom, His omnipotence and His eternity
into this one act. It took both hands Of
God to save us-both feet. How do I
prove it? On the cross were not both
hands nailed? On the cross were not
both feet spiked? His entire nature
involved in our redemption!
If you have lived much by the water.
you notice also that if anyone is going
out to the rescue Of the drowning hs
must be independent, self-reliant, able
to go alone. There may be time when
he must spring out to save one, and he
cannot get lifeboat, and If 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 pillows you will
have two to drag out. When Christ
sprang out into the sea to deliver us,
he had no life buoy. Els Father did
not Help Him. Alone in az wine press,
alone in the pang, alone n IL dark
ness, alone on the mountain, alone in
the sea! Oh, if He saves us, He shall
have all the credit, for "there wigs mono
to help" No oar, no wing, no ladderl
When Nathaniel Lyon fell in tho battle
charge in front of his troops. he had
a whole army to cheer him. When Mar
shall Ney sprang into the contest and
plunged in the spurs till the horses
flanks spurted blood, all France ap-
plauded him. But Jesus alone! "Of
the people there was none to help.
"All forsook Him and fed" Oh, It was
not flotilla that sailed down and saved
us. 1t was not cluster Of gondolas
that came over the wave. It was one
person, independent and alone, spread
ing out His hands among us a. swim-
mer spreadeth forth his hands =
swim!"
! want to persuade you to lay hold of
this strong swimmer. NO. you say;
'it is always disastrous for . drowning
man to lay hold Of swimmer" There
is not river or lake but has calamity
resultant from the fact that when 4
strong swimmer went out to save sink
ing man the drowning man clutched
him, threw his arms around him, pin-l
ioned his arms, and they both went
down together. When you are saving =
man in the water you do not want t.
come up by his face. You want to come
up by his back. You do not want him
to hold you while you take hold of him.
But, blessed be God, Jesus Christ II 10
| strong a swimmer He comes not to our
back, but to our face. and He asks us to
i throw around Him the arms Of our love
and then promises to take us to the
beach, and He will do it. Do not trust
that plank of good works. Do mot trust
that shivered spar Of your own right
eousness. Christ only can give you safe
transportation. Turn your face upon
Him, as the dying martyr did in olden
times when he cried out: None but
Christ! None but Christi" Jesus has
taken millions to the land, and He II
willing to take you there. Oh, what
hardness to thrust Him back when he
has been swimming all the way from
the throne of God, where you are now,
and is ready to swim all the way back
again, taking your redeemed spirit!
Il I have sometimes thought what 4
spectacle the ocean bed will preseni
when in the last day the water is all
drawn of. It will be line Of wrecks
from beach to beach. There II where
the harpooners went down. There &
where the line of battleships went
down. There is where the merchant.
men went down. There is where thu
. steamers went down, long line oa
i wrecks from beach to beach. What /
/ spectacle in the last day, when the va
;. ter is drawn of! But, oh, how mncl
. more solemn if we had an eye to zee tn
spiritual wrecks and the places whers
Z they foundered! You would find thou
+ sands along our roads and streets
) Christ came down in their awful cataa
E trophe, putting out for their souls
! spreading out His hands AZ 3 swimne
r spreadeth forth his hands to swim,r bu
: they thrust Him in the sore heart, an.
$ they smote His fair cheek, and til
t storm and darkness swallowed ther
s up. ask you to lay hold Of this Chria
and lay hold Of Him now. You will sim
!. without Him. From horizon to hprixQl
S not one sail in sight, only one strOh
|, swimmer, with head flung back an
e arms outspread. Il
a / hear many saying: Well, I wopl
e like to be Christian. am going I
t work to become Christian" Ny brotl
e er, you begin wrong. When . man
S drowning, and a strong swimmer come
/ out to help him, he says to him: No
|, be quiet. Put your arm on my arm i
r on my shoulder, but don't struggl
e don't try to help yourself, and I'll tai
It you ashore. The more you struggle IN
d the more you try to help yourself; q
s. more you impede me. Now, be qnie
y and I'll take you ashore When Chris
d the strong swimmer, comes ont to 81
d soul, the sinner says: That's right.
IS am glad to see Christ, and ! am going
rJ.-. <ho 81 v,a6 nvra