Saving Others by Sacrifice of Self
J. S. Balmer. Luke 23:35-37 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself… The plague was making a desert of the city of Marseilles; death was everywhere. The physicians could do nothing. In one of their counsels it was decided that a corpse must be dissected; but it would be death to the operator. A celebrated physician of the number arose, and said, "I devote myself for the safety of my country. Before this numerous assembly, I swear in the name of humanity and religion, that to-morrow, at the break of day, I will dissect a corpse, and write down as I proceed what I observe." He immediately left the room, made his will, and spent the night in religious exercises. During the day a man had died in his house of the plague; and at daybreak on the following morning, the physician, whose name was Guyon, entered the room and critically made the necessary examinations, writing down all his surgical observations. He then left the room, threw the papers into a vase of vinegar, that they might not convey the disease to another, and retired to a convenient place, where he died in twelve hours. Before the battle of Hatchet's Run, a Christian soldier said to his comrade, "You are detailed to go to the front, while I am to remain with the baggage. Let us change places. I'll go front, you remain in camp." "What for?" said the comrade. "Because I am prepared to die, I think; but you are not." The exchange was made. The thought of the self-sacrifice of his friend, and his readiness for the exposure of life or the realities of death, led the unsaved soldier to repentance and a like preparation for life. A vessel had driven on the rocks in a storm, and was hopelessly lost. Another vessel had gone out in the blind desire to do something, but a long way off she stopped and watched. That was all, but it was not very much. The men, however, dared venture no further; it would be life for life, and they were not great enough for that. Nelson, the ship's lad, said, "Cap'n, I'm going to try and save those men." And the captain said, "Nelson, if you do, you'll be drowned." And Nelson replied — no nobler reply was ever given — "Cap'n, I'm not thinking of being drowned, I'm thinkin' of savin' those men." So he and a shipmate took the boat, and went to the wreck, and saved every man who was there. Saving others: — A few years ago a vessel was wrecked on the southwest coast of this country; and with these words I close. It became known to the hamlets and villages, the towns and districts, that this vessel was wrecked, that men were seen clinging to the rigging. The life-boat was launched, and away the men went, and were a long while at sea. Darkness set in, but the people on the coast lighted fires; they kindled great flames so that the sailors might be aided, that the life-boat might be guided on its return to shore. After awhile they saw it returning, and a great strong man, of the name of John Holden, who was on the coast, cried aloud, as with a trumpet, to the Captain of the life-boat, "Hi! hi! have you saved the men?" The Captain answered, "Ay, ay, I have saved the men," and all hearts were filled with gladness. But when the boat reached the coast it was found that one man was left clinging to the mast. "Why did not you save him?" said Holden; "why did not you save him?" "Because we were exhausted," said the Captain, "and we thought it better to attempt to get safely to shore for those we had rescued and for ourselves. We should all have perished if we had remained another five minutes attempting to save one man." "But you will go back — you will go back to the rescue? " They said no, they had not the strength, the storm was so fierce. Holden threw himself on the shingle, and lifted up a prayer to God louder than the storm that God would put it into the hearts of some of those people to go to the rescue of this one man, just as Jesus Christ came to rescue one lost world. When he had ceased praying six men volunteered to accompany him, and John Holden, with six men, were prepared to go and rescue that one man. If seven men will go to the rescue of one man, how many men shall we send to save Africa? These men were preparing to start when the good old mother of John Holden came rushing down, and threw her arms around his neck, and said, "John, you must not go. What can I do if You perish? You know your father was drowned at sea, and it is just two years since your brother William left; we have never heard a word of him since. No doubt he, too, has perished. John, what shall I do if you perish?" John said, "Mother, God has put it in my heart to go, and if I perish He will take care of you." And away he went; and after awhile the life-boat returned, and when he neared the coast a loud voice was raised, "Hi! hi! John, have you saved the man?" John answered in a trumpet voice, "Yes, we have saved the man; and tell my mother it is my brother William we have saved." Now, there is your brother man the wide world over; haste to the rescue even if you perish in the attempt. (J. S. Balmer.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. WEB: The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!"