Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-10-28


would find thousands along our roads
and streets. Christ came. down In their
awful catastrophe. putting out for their
souls. spreading forth his hands as a
swimmer spreadeth forth his hands
to swim" but they thrust him In the
sore heart, and they smote his fair
cheek, and the storm and darkness
swallowed them up. ask you to lay
hold of this Christ and lay hold Of him
now. You will sink without him.
From horizon to horizon not one sail
in sight. only one strong swimmer,
with head flung back and arms out
spread
hear many saying: We'll. would
like to be Christian. | am going to
work to become Christian" My
brother, you begin wrong. When
man is drowning and strong swim
mer comes out to help him. lie says to
him: Now. be quiet. Put your arm on
my arm or on my shoulder. but don't
struggle. don't try to help yourself. and
III take you ashore. The more you
struggle and the more you try to help
yourself the more. you Impede me.
Now, be quiet, and I'll take you
ashore" When Christ. the strong
swimmer. comes out to save soul,
the sinner says: That's right. am
glad to see Christ, and am going to
help him in the work of my redemp-
ton. am going to pray more, and
that will help him, and am going to
weep extravagantly over my sins. and
that will help him." No; it will not.
Stop your doing. Christ will do all or
none. You cannot lift an ounce, you
cannot move an inch. In this matter of
your redemption.
Lay Hold of Christ.
This Is the difficulty which keeps
thousands of souls out Of the kingdom
of heaven. 1t is because they cannot
consent to let Jesus Christ begin and
complete the work Of their redemp-
ton why" you say, then is there
nothing for me to do?" Only one
thing have you to do, and that is to
lay hold of Christ and let him achieve
your salvation and achieve 1t all. 1
do not know whether make the mat
ter. plain or not. simply want to
show you that man cannot save him
self, but that the Almighty Son Of
God can do 1t and will do 1t If you ask
him. Oh, fling your two arms, the
arm of your trust and the arm OF
your love, around this omnipotent
swimmer Of the cross!
"Have you ever stood by and seen
some one under process Of resuscitation
after long submergence? The strong
swimmer has put him on the beach aft
er struggle in the waters. To excite
breathing in the almost lifeless body
what manipulation, what friction OF
the cold limbs, what artificial move
ment Of the lungs. what breath of the
rescuer blown into the mouth Of the
rescued! And when breathing begins.
and after awhile the slight respiration
becomes the deep sigh. and the eyes
open, and the blue lips take on smile,
what rejoicing. what clapping of
hands all up and down the beach, what
congratulation for the strong swimmer
and for all who helped In the restora-
ton, what shouting. Of He lives. be
liyes! Like this is the gladness when
a soul that has been submerged In sin
and sorrow is coming to-" What de-
sire on the part Of all to help. and,
when under the breath Of God and unT
der the manipulation by the wounded
hands of Christ. the life eternal of the
soul begins to show itself, all through
the ranks of spectators. terrestrial and
celestial. goes the cry: He lives! Re
joice. for the dead Is alive again" May
the living Christ this moment put out
for your rescue. spreading his hands
In the midst Of you. az swimmer
sprpadpth his hands to Swim!