Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-05-23
&eadina fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
From the Christian Observer.
ssNOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD"
BY REV. THEODORE HUNT

BY REV. THEODORE HUNTER.
Such were the words of the Lord Jesus
Christ, to certain Scribe who had PROFOUND.
ed to him all important question, and who
was evidently famii.r with moral subj bjects.
He endorses what the Saviour says in regard
to mans duty to his Creator, and also adds,
chat to love him with all the heart, and with
all the understanding, and with all the soul,
and with all the strength, and to love his
neighbor as himself, is more than all whole
burnt offerings and sacrifices Pleased with
his answer, and with his correct views, the
Saviour informed him that he was not far
from the Kingdom of God.' Men in relig.
ion, as in many other things, may come very
near the point of success and yet not attain
it. We often find the astronomer pushing his
discoveries through space, scanning with his
telescope magnificent heavenly bodies, yet,
frequently stopping short in his researches, to
learn something Of their great and glorious
Author. The case Of the Scribe here men,
toned, is that of hundreds of others. Some.
times we see the hopes of pious parents blast
ed by the sinful conduct Of children, upon
whom every care had been bestowed, and
who enjoyed the most favorable opportunities
of being brought within the Kingdom Of
grace. Yet, these children who were 80 near
Heaven, will sometimes turn in an opposite
direction, when the most propitious means
will fail to win them back.
We speak of distance and space now as
only relative terms, because by the aid Of
steam, distance has almost been annihilated,
and places which once required weeks or
months to reach hy the former mode of trav-
el, now require only few hours or few
days. We speak of those places as once far
off, now as near, because the time in reaching
them is so short. In the same manner we
may speak Of being near the Kingdom of
God, because we possess every facility Of
transferring our hearts, and our affections,
speedily into that realm Of light and bliss.
The Bible is one of the chief instruments by
which this is accomplished. 1t is Gods holy
book, full of precious truth, of wise and
wholesome precepts, of promises and invita-
tions. Cannot one be said to be near the
Kingdom of God with this volume in his
possession, to speak to his sou and to elevate
his thoughts to the contemplation Of the true
riches beyond this mortal vale! Most per-
SONS in this Christian land may be said to be
near the heavenly kingdom, because they
have that knowledge which should lead them
to love and adore God, and recognize Him as
the Supreme Object of their worship They
may also be said to be near Heaven, mas.
much as they are acquainted with the whole
scheme of redemption, and know what they
must do to he saved. But alas!
How many, like the Scribe, know all these
things, and who are familiar with the Scrip
lures, stop short at that point at which they
should aim? Oftentmes men have toiled
and fatigued their brains for the purpose of
giving to the world some useful invention, or
discovery, and when just upon the point of
success their energy seemed to expire, and
they abandoned the enterprise. Had they
kept on only for short time, rich harvest
would have been theirs, and their names
would have been handed down to fame. Thus
it is with many in search of the pearl of great
price; as difficulties and obstacles increased,
and they seemed to make but little progress,
their zeal lapguished, and they paused just in
sight of the treasure unwilling to take anoth'
er atep. Strange, it may seem, that they
should come so near and then give up the
contest without another struggle.