The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1899-10-25
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does anything wrong, however great or
small, but his conscience brings that
matter before him, and at every step Of
his mlsbenavior it says, Wrong, wrong:
Sin is Il ieprosy; sin is paralysis; sin is
consumption; sin is pollution; sin is
death. Give it a fair chance, and it will
swamp you and me, body, mind and soul,
forever. In this world it only gives
FAINT intimation of it's virulence. You
see a patient in the first stages OF typhoid
fever. The check is somewhat flushed,
the hands somewhat hot, preceded by a
slight chill. Why" you say, typhoid
fever does not seem to be much of dis
ease" But wait until the patient has
been six weeks under it, and all his en-
ergies have been wrung out, and he is too
weak TO lift his little finger, and his in
tellect gone, then you see the full havoc
Of the disease. Now, sin in this world is
an ailnent which is only in it's first
stages, but let it get under full way and
it is an all consuming typhoid. Oh, if
we could see our unpardoned sins as God
sees them, our teeth would chatter and
our knees would knock together, and our
respiration would be choked, and our
heart would break.
Then what do we want? A swimmer
strong swimmer, swift swimmer!
And, blessed be God, in my text we have
him announced. HE shall spread forth
his hands in the midst of them, as he
that swimmeth stretched forth his hands
to SWIM
All Faculties in Play.
If You have ever watched a swimmer,
you notice that his whole body is brought
into play. The arms are heXed, the hands
drive the water back, the knees arc ac-
tive, the head is thrown back to escape
strangulation, the whole body is in pro-
pulsion. And when Christ sprang into
the deep to save us be threw his entire
nature into it--all his godhead. his omni-
science, his goodness, his love, his omnip-
oterce, head, heart, eyes, hands, feet. We
We're far out on the sea and so deep down
in the waves and so far out from the
shore that nothing short of an entire God
could save us. Christ leaped out for our
rescue, saying, "Lo, come to do thy
will.' and all the surges of human and
satanic hate beat against him, and those
who watched him from the gates Of heav-
en- feared he would so down under the
wave and instead of saving others would
himself perish, but, putting his breast to
the foam and shaking the. surf from his
locks. he came on and on until he is now
within the reach Of every one here, eye
omniscient, heart infinite, arm omnipo-
tent, mighty to save. even unto the utter
most. -" #~.f'e%tt
Oh, it was not half a God that tram
pied down believing Gennesaret; it was
not . quarter of a>God that mastered the
demons Of Gadara; it was not two-thirds
of Il God that lifted up Lazarus into the
arms of his overjoyed sisters it was not
a fragment of God who offered pardon
and peace to all the race. No. This
mighty swimmer threw his grandeur, lis
glory, his might, his wisdom, his omnipo-
tence and his eternity into this one act.
1t took both hands of God to save US
both feet. How do prove it? On the
cross were not both hands nailed? On
the cross were not both feet siked? His
entire nature involved in our redemption!
If you have lived much by the water,
you notice also that if any one is going
out to the rescue of the drowning he
must be Independent, self-reliant, able to
go alone. There may be time when he
must spring out to save one, and he can
not 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. His
Father did not help him. Alone in the
wine press, alone in the pang, alone in
the darkness, alone on the mountain,
alone in the sea! Oh, if he saves us, he
shall have all the credit. for there was
none to help" No oar, no wing, no lad
der! When Nathaniel Lyon fell in the
battle charge in front Of his troops, he
had a whole army to cheer him. When
Marshal Ney sprang into the contest and
plunged in the spurs till the horses TANKS
spurted blood, all France applauded him.
But Jesus alone! "Of the people there
was none to help" ''All forsook him and
fed" Oh; it was not fotilla that sailed
down and saved us. 1t was not cluster
of gondOlas that came over the wave. It
was one person, independent and alone.
spreading out his hands among us as a
swimmer spreadeth forth his hands to
swim!''
Christ the Rescuer.
Behold, then, the spectacle Of drown
ing soul and Christ the swimmer! | be-
lieye it was in 184S when there were six
English soldiers of the Fifth fusileers
who were hanging to capsized boat-a
boat that had been upset by a squall
three miles from shore. 1t was in the
night, but one man swan nightly for
the beach, guided by the dark mountains
that lifted their top through the night.
He came to the beach. He found shore
man that consented to go with him and
save the other men, and they put out.
1t was some time before they could find
the place where the men were, but after
awhile they heard their cry, Help helpu"
and they bore down to them, and they
saved them and brought them to shore.
Oh, that this moment our cry might be
lifted long, loud and shrill till Christ, the
swimmer, shall come and take us lest we
drop thousand fathoms under
If you have been much by the water,
you know very well that when one is in
peril help must come very quickly, or it
n 70 do