St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-03-05

the world lost in sin. The one saved, by
the very nature of the new power which
has become operative in his life, must
himself become soul-winner. The
man brought from the sinking ship to
the shore in the breeches-buoy becomes
one more man at the end OF the life line
to draw others from the brink of death
to safety on shore AS Christ reaches
out and saves it is that the one saved
may become another channel through
which redeeming grace may reach those
still in peril. Far out in the surging
waves Of sin the precious human souls
are going down to death. Christ throws
out link by link the human chain to
reach the sinking ones and draw them to
Him. He is mighty to save. His arm is
strong, and from it flows to His follow
ers a never-failing current Of power.
But suppose the human chain is too
short to reach that perishing soul far.
far out in the grasp of the dashing
waves.
THINK Of the life-savers on the shore
battling with the waves and, with
that heroism which braves death itself,
seeking to save the precious lives Of
those struggling in the dark waters.
With strong hand clasped in strong
hand the men stretch the human life
line far out into the raging sea. The
waves break in mad fury about them as
though filled with angry fear Of losing
their human prey. The wind bowls in
cruel glee and lashes the foaming
waters until they seem possessed with
a fury and power born of hell But the
brave men hear not the shrieking wind
nor do they hesitate before the awfal
breakers, for just before them going
down to death is a human life. The
white face has turned towards them in
mute appeal, the hands are thrust out
in desperation. The human life line
stretches every muscle and nerve. AL
most they have reached the drowning
man. Another wavemay bring him with
in reach of their strong hands. But no!
Oh, God! just when salvation seemed
near, another wave came and swept him
out of reach. The line is too short!
"Out little farther!" is the cry which
goes up. And the man on the shore
shouts back: another man is needed.
My God! for another man." One Of
the rescued ones springs up from the
sands where he has been resting after
his awful battle with the waves and be-
comes part of that life line It reaches
farther out into the surf, now. The
drowning man is reached just as he is
~fr 1xinU mt rf 81 oh foravor oh ~
Joy goes up which sounds above the rag
ing Of the storm, and the precious life
Is brought safe upon the shore AS the
men crowd round, chatting the hands and
applying restoratives to the nearly
dead man, glad cry of recognition
bursts from the lips OF the last man to
join that life line-the man who was
needed to effect the rescue-and he ex-
claims: my brother! my brother!"
All, what JOY surged through his heart
as he realized what it had meant for him
to become part of that life line
A ND Christ saves you, oh Christian,
~ that you may become part of the life
line reaching out into the world and
rescuing the precious souls going down
to eternal death in the black waters of
sin. Your failure to respond when the
cry goes up: Another man needed?
The line is too short!" may prevent the
rescue Of one far out in the waves. And
It may be your own brother or sister,
your father or mother. A great many
prayers are requested for loved ones,
and there is much anxious thought and
even prayer for them, but, do you know,
l do not believe it will avail much in |
rescuing the perishing ones unless the
one wishing to have the rescue effected |
joins the life line and helps in drawing |
to the glad shores Of salvation l may
ring my hands on the shore and cry in |
agony to God for my dear ones still out !
on the perilous waters Of sin, but, unless !
become one Of the life line, unless |
put one hand in the strong hand of my |
Saviour and reach the other one out in |
eager effort to draw the perishing one |
to Jesus, my loved one may be lost for
ever right before my very eyes. The |
strength of our prayers is found in the |
amount of personal sacrifice and effort |
we are willing to put forth in service to !
Christ. The depth of our anxiety for
the salvation Of others is measured by
the conservation with which we lay hold |
of Christ and the earnestness and faith
fulness with which we reach out after
the unsaved. Weknow the supreme and
glorious fact in the world to-day is that |
Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners" but perhaps we have
never realized our part in that great and |
sublime mission; perhaps we do not |
know that the supreme obligation rest
ing upon the Christian is to become part
of the life line. The great commission
of Matthew 2S:18-20 is to every dis
ciple of Jesus, without any exceptions,
or distinctions, or qualifications. To
those who come to Jesus in saving faith.
He says: Go tell" This is the only
way of blessing and growth and fruit
bearing in the Christian life. The SUI
preme obligation upon the Christian is
that Of soul winning.
WI tn this truth clearly seen and
w sincerely accepted comes the de-
sire to know how to become soul win