The Life-Line Hymn.

(recording by the Clara Ward Singers of "Throw Out The Lifeline")

      A speaker at one of Evan Robert's remarkable revival services in Wales, was telling of a "vision" he had had, and of a voice which exhorted him to "Throw out the life-line," when instantly the listeners sang the whole hymn together.

      Mr. Ufford, the author of the lines, once sang them at a watch-service in California, and there he told how the Elsie Smith was lost on Cape Cod in 1902, showing the very life-line that saved sixteen lives from the sea, and by chance one of the number was present at the service.

      From a room, in a building hired for religious services in a Pennsylvania city, and where a series of revival meetings was being held, rang out, one night, the hymn, "Throw out the life-line," in the hearing, next door, a convivial card-party. It was a sweet female voice, followed in the chorus by other and louder voices chiming in. The result was the merriment ceased as one of the members of the card-party remarked: "If what they're saying is right, then we're wrong," and the revelers broke up. An ex-member of that party is now an editor of a great city daily, and his fellows are all filling positions of responsibility. The life-line pulled them ashore.

      In a Massachusetts city, twenty years ago, this hymn won to Christ a man who is now a prosperous manufacturer.

      At a special service held at Gibraltar for the survivors of an emigrant ship that went ashore there during a storm, this hymn was sung with telling effect.

      The story of that life-line is long enough and strong enough to tie up a large bundle of results wrought by it. (Cyclopedia of Illustrations, 1912)

Spiritual Arousal.

(Audio Bible by Zondervan.com)

Sensationalism in the sense of stirring men to greater interest in verities, seems wholly praiseworthy:

      Old Peter Cartwright was a famous preacher and circuit-rider many years ago.
      The exhorter was holding a camp-meeting in Ohio. There was a great number of campers on the field, and the eccentric speaker addrest vast concourses at every service, but he thought too few were being converted. He felt that something should be done to stir the sinners to repentance, so he prepared a strong sermon on the second coming of Christ. He told how the world would go on in its sin and wickedness, and at last Gabriel would sound his trumpet and time would come to an end. He described the horrors of the lost and the joys of those who were saved. The sermon grew in intensity, and he brought his people up to a grand climax, when suddenly the sound of a trumpet smote the ears of the anxious throng.
      There was a great sensation, and many fell upon their knees in terror and began to repent and pray. Women screamed and strong men groaned. Pandemonium was let loose for a few minutes. After the terror had somewhat ceased the preacher called to a man up a tree, and he descended with a long tin horn in his hand. The speaker then turned in fierce wrath and upbraided the people. He cried out in stentorian tones that, if a man with a tin horn up a tree could frighten them so, how would it be in the last great end when Gabriel's trumpet sounded the knell of the world! The sermon had a great effect upon the vast audience, and many hundreds flocked to the front and were converted.

Matthew 18:5

"Whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My nave receives and accepts and welcomes Me." quote by Jesus