Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-10-19
&eadiug fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATH IN.
WEIGHED AND FOUND WANTING.

v
WEIGHED AND FOUND WANTING.
By THE REV. CHARLES A. DICKEY, ID. d.
The rich young ruler seemed to be full weight
but in Christ's true balances he was found
wanting. His age, his character, and his posi-
tion, all add interest to his case. According
to the worlds measurement Of fulneSs and
satisfaction, he lacked nothing he had no
occasion for anxiety there was no need OF his
running after this humble Teacher to obtain
something he did not possess
If he had spent his years, and was not salts
fed, a strong desire to prOlong life would be
what we might expect. But he was y0ung
man, in the strength and hope Of his youth :;
vet there was a thirst in his soul that the foun-
tain of his youth could not quench. Or, if he
had been a prodigal, old in sin. though young
in years if he had blighted his good name and
lost his reputation, and squandered Misfortune
in riotous living, we would not be surprised to
sse him start up from his distress and disap-
pointment and pursue this good Teacher in the
hope of finding guide, in whose following he
might retrace the sad steps that had brought
him into the shadows of death. But he was
not prodigal. ''Jesus beholding him loved
him." His noble spirit and unblemished life
gave him mien so beautiful that even ChrlSt'S
pure eyes looked love when they fell upon him.
The confidence of others had clothed him with
honor; he was trusted with the responsiblll-
ties of ruler lie rounded his fulness with
great wealth, and did not hesitate to assert a
most careful obedience of the law.
Yet he seemed to himself to lack something
| His appeal to Christ was an honest confession
of dissatisfaction with himself. There is no
farrtess in the suspicion that he lacked SINGER
;f1, uyhol oh Of
and the spirit of this conversation with Christ
! forbid such suspicion. Christ could not look
lovingly upon an inSncere inquirer. He found
| and exposed fatal flaw, but we may be sure
that it had hitherto escaped the young man s
| own conscience.
| The earnest and sincere appeal of this young
man illustrates great truth that every expe-
rience confirms. There is longing in the i'm
mortal soul that nothing less than an eternal
hope can satisfy. We may have youth and
honor and wealth and be very anxious to keep
them. Making this young mans fatal mis-
take, when comparing values, we may let the
eternal good 60 to keep the temporal and per-
ishable. But our souls, distressed by our de-
cision, will pine for eternal life, and refuse to
be comforted. Thisyo mans sdelusion was
that the possession of eternal life depended
upon his doing something more and something
better than he had yet been able to do. lie
came to Christ, not to discover what good
thing Christ could give, but to have Christ
suggest the good thing he could do himself.
Chrst's reply was shaped by the form of the
question. He answered other inquirers very
differently. He met this man where he had
taken his own stand. He was looking for
eternal life along the line of moral deport-
ment. Christ must first convince him that he
was not looking in the direction in which he
would obtain the good thing which he was
seeking. He puts him to the test, as though
his plan was proper, to show him that he would
not be willing to do the good thing he ought
| to be ready to do if he was in earnest and had
confidence in Christ.
The young rulers mistake was not that he
was in the aUrong aray, but that he was igno-
rant of the difficulties of the way he proposed,
and thought that he could walk alone if he
was only directed by Christ. Christ was sure
ly serious in the reply he gave to this earnest,
solemn question, eff thou wilt enter into life,
keep the commandments" eff you will keep
the commandments, you shall have eternal
life.'' There is no deficiency in the holy law.
God has written the charter of human life and
human happiness as plainly upon the two stone
tables that he committed to Moses as he has
rewritten it upon the cradle and cross OF
| Christ. The new charter has not abrOgated
the old. Eternal life, as it is ''the gift of God
through Jesus Christ" is the same that the
obedience of Gods law promises. If any are
able to return their lives to God without the
stain of single sin upon them, they have no
need of aSaviOur. Gods promise stands good
to give eternal life as a reward for perfect obe-
dience. If any can do for themselves what
Christ came to do for them, they shall inherit
without his help. Christ found it very difficult
to do all that God required to magnify his law
and make amends for it's violation. The cup
of agony was SO bitter that he pleaded that it
might pass. But it, in the face of his eXpe-
riences, any are willing to attempt for them
selves, they may do so, with assurance that if
they are successful they shall enter into life.
But they alone will attempt this task who fail
to conceive it's magnitude. 1t is because we
do not comprehend sin and God and law that
Satan can entce us to make an effort that is
so certain to fail. Sincere effort will very soon
reveal helplesSneSs When we know what sin
is and what is sin; when God is recognized as
holy, just and true, as well as boundless in his
love when the law of God, instead of seem
ing string of familiar phrases, forbdding a
few heinous sins, is recognized as complete
perfect code, embracing the whole OF life in its
requirements, defining thought and spirit as
we'll as deeds; when this holy law, in its per-
fection and minuteness, in it's entire and ex-
| CepllOuleSS IeQullSluellI, 10 Jul Ouly HoPC vi
eternal life, we are ready to doubt our ability
to meet and satisfy it with a full obedience,
and ready for offers of grace and for the only
availing help of Christ.
Those who will come to Christ will find him
able and ready first toreveal their helplessness
and then able and willing to do for them what
what they Ga,,aot do for themselves. The
young ruler ~ nd no refusal in Christ to make
him sorrowII!. The nnwillingneSs was in
himself, not H. Christ.
Christ always finds test by which to try
those who come t. him. He showed 4he ruler
his idol and commanded him to break it..
When Christ threS light upou the law and re-
vealed the spirit o. it's requirements, obedience
seemed more GE3icult task. When Christ re-
peated the law, he did not hesitate to say,
''All these things have l kept - but when
Christ interpreted the law, he found that he
had actually kept none. Heidi not ''love the
Lord his God with all his heart" for his heart
was in his possessions. He did not ''lOve his
neighbor as himself for it made him sorrow
full to be told by Christ to share his abundance
with the poor. Both tables of the law lay
broken at his feet but if he had taken up bis
cross and followed Christ, he would have found
the eternal life that imperfect obedience could
! never give Westminster Teacher.
THE LION SERMoN.-Every year, in a GER
tain London church, is preached sermon
known by this name, in cOmmemoratiOn of
the remarkable deiverance of Sir John Gayer,
afterwards Lord Mayor,) in the deserts of
Arabia two hundred and fifty years ago.
Alone and unarmed he was approached by a