The Tupelo journal., 1903-08-14

snou Dt!'-Matt. 14:S-S1-
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~1EvER was more ag.
H-N onized cry than
NJ NSo--l that which split
NMWM oC>~ the stiffness of the
t1M&S%' ,TLn II night air on Cali
MW@@ MHtN>| lees lake. A man
EM was sinking, sink
VG9fs!..2g ing, sinking! The
@ EaHa# boisterous waves
II' - leaped up as il
@E eager to claim an
r N other victim. They
- wrapped their cold
waters about the sinking feet of Peter
and reached higher and higher In
seeming endeavor to still his voice
forever. Oh, the agony of soul as N
realizes that but an instant OF time
separates it from eternity! The aw-
full blackness of death is just ahead,
and as one feels the feet sinking into
the abyss, the cry is wrung from the
lips: Help! Help" Hardly q day
passes but the news columns OF the
papers. tell of some such sad scene as
this. Hardly a summer resort ON sea
Or inland lake or river. during the
summer, but hears the dread cry and
is stricken with the palsy of fear anu
horror before the impending tragedy
Only a few days ago at a Wisconsin
lake resort a young woman perlshed
In the sight of her friends. powerfess
to help. Way out in the grasp OF the
waves, for she was a good swimmer,
her strength gave out and with no hand
near to save. she sank out OF slghe,
while the cry for help went up IN
despairing wall. Oh, what intense ag-
ony in that cry! All the strength or
that perishing soul was thrown lnto
the last appeal for aid. The friends
who stood upon the bank and wit
messed the awful sight will never for
get it. that awful cry will haunt them
during their waking and sleeping
hours. No one can stand unmoyed be-
fore such a scene, whether the sink
ing one is friend or loved one or only
q stranger. 1t stirs the soul in a way
never to be forgotten. 1t unnerves
and shocks. Why? Because the soul
cannot stand in the presence OF
death unmoved. Eternity seems so
far away during the even, pleasant
course of life, but suddenly, when it
opens up and swallows another soul
while the despairing cry breaks forth,
man pauses in the mad rush OF life
and for a moment thinks.
ID UT if the drowning person a stir
II such deep emotions, what should
be the effect as we realize that there
are sinking sinners all about whose
peril is more desperate than that of
mere drowning? Sinking, sinking
sinking! from light to darkness;
from the day of grace to the day OF
judgment; from the realm where
mercy can be obtained. to the place
where sin must be punished; from the
blessed cross where Jesus is waiting
as Saviour. to the bar of God where
He stands as Judge; from the now
of the day of salvation. to the "too
late. too late!!" of eternity; from
the present appeal Of the Come unto
Me-" to the final Depart from Me-
from the time when the angels may
rejoice over one sinner that repenteth
to the period of outer darkness where
there shall be weeping and gnashingo1
teeth. Oh. if the unsaved soul coul6
only realize what it all means! The
spiritual vision is holden, the heart il
steeled against the convicting power
of Gods spirit. The soul is sinking
beneath the waves of sin, yet it is I'm
conscious or Indifferent to its perilou'
condition. How we wish we coult
paint as wildly as it is true the fac
that every n who has not cried unit
Christ for salvation is sinking. sink
ing, nearer and nearer to eterna
death beneath the surging tide of sin
Oh, that we might awaken the perish
ing soul to a realization Of its awfu
position, and dire need, and point
to the Hard which is extended in tn
darkness to lift and to save.
WHAT a picture we have here il
w this incident surrounding GU
text. The frail bark tossed and pound
ed by the boisterous waves, while tn
~despairing men in the boat tug al
most helplessly at the oars and seen
to make no Roadway. The night
dark, and the scurrying clouds over
head give the sky an angry look an
the stars blink with cold and distan
as they look through tn
riffs upon the scene below. 1t is
night to make mems hearts quai
With anxious forebodings and risin'
fears, they struggle on. Conscience
ever at work in the moments whe'
the soul is brought face to face wit,
itself and it's condition, begins t
throw upon memory's canvas tn
mistakes and failures and sins OF tn
past life. There is nervous tensio
which makes them start at ever
swish of the ray and every moa
of the wind as though they were &C
cusing voices. No wonder that, a
the dark object in the distance skim
ming over the surface of the rollin
waters draws nearer and nearer, it
taken for a spirit. They know nc
fhat)it issthe Lord. The terrors Of tn
wind and waves are increased by thi
supernatural manifestation. The fea
that had been silently Juggling at thei
hearts breaks the letters of the tighi
shut lips, and the cry Of terro
mingles with the rushing wind. 1t
the cry of despair, OF desperate neet
But while the bark trembles in tn