Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-02-01
&eadiugtur the Sabbath,
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
[Original.]
THE YOIJNG RULER.

The Bible is the most interesting as we'll
as the most instructive book in the world.
There is no more interesting passage re-
corded in that wonderful book than the
brief history of a certain rich young ruler.
What the young rulers name was we Go
not know neither do we know to which
one of the twelve tribes of Israel he be-
longed. With these exceptions we have a
full and minute history of the man, and
yet it is so short that it may be read from
beginning to end in less than ten minutes.
1t will be found in the gospel by Matthew,
chapter 10: 1872; in the gospel by Mark,
chapter 10: 17-22, and in the gospel by
Luke, chapter 1S:15-23.
The time that the interview between our
Saviour and this rich young man occurred,
was but a few weeks before our Saviour
was crucified. The place where it occur
red is not definitely stated, but it was at
some point east of the river Jordan, in the
region of country called Perea. The prob
ability is that it was opposite the city, or
disciples, was on his way to Jerusalem to
the east side of the Jordan were, at the
same time, going up to Jerusalem for the
purpose of keeping the Passover. 1t is
highly probable that this rich young man
was also on his way to Jerusalem to keep
the Passover, or he may have lived in the
region of country through which our Sa-
viOur was passing. Be this as it may,
while our Saviour and his disciples were
' actually walking along the road, the young
man came running to Jesus, and kneeling
down to him asked what good thing he
should do in order to inherit eternal life.
So far as we are informed, this was the
first time the rich young man and Jesus
had met, but it is manifest that the young
man had heard of Jesus before. There
was something very remarkable about this
interview. This is evident from the man
ner in which it is related by each of the
three evangelists. Each mi of them in
troduced it with behold, a word never used
except to call our attention to something
wonderful.
One marvellous thing in this interview
is that it occurred at all. Evidently the
young man belonged to a class in society
which furnished few anxious inquirers
after the way of life. He, we are told, was
rich and a ruler. We are not informed
whether the office he held was civil or &C.
clesiastical. It is evident, however, that
he occupied a prominent position in So
ciety. The wonder is that such a man
condescended to ask advice of Jesus at all.
The class of men to which he belonged has
been notorious for six thousand years for
Indifference concerning their eternal well
fare. Not one of the twelve apostles was
a ruler, neither was any one of the seventy
sent out by our Saviour to proclaim that
the kingdom of heaven was at hand.
Very few, if any, of the early Christians,
were rulers. No doubt there were some
anxious inquirers among the rulers, but
this one and Nicodemus are all, so far as
is now remembered, who came to Jesus
anxiously inquiring the way of life. 1t is
a remarkable thing that Nicodemus is
never mentioned without it being stated
that he came to Jesus by night. This rich
young man, whatever was his name, came
to Jesus in open day, andin a public place.
This was a wonderful thing.
Another thing which made this rulers
coming to Jesus for advice with regard to
eternal life wonderful, was that he was
young and rich. Rich young men have,
since the fall of Adam, been noted, if not
for their profigacy, for their marked neg
lect of religion. In the pleasures of this
present life, their minds are wholly en-
crossed and they have neither time nor
inclination to think about eternal life,
much less inquire about it.
Viewed from a human standpoint, it twas
a marvellous thing that this rich young
ruler, however anxious he was on the sub
iect, came to Jesus to inquire what he
must do to inherit eternal life. With the
class of persons to which he belonged, Je-
sus was contemptuously called the Naza-
rene. They did not hesitate to tell him to
his face that he had a devil, and cast out
devils by Beelzebub, the prince, or the
most infamous of devils. If any Of the
class to which this young man belonged,
entertained a favorable opinion of Jesus,
such was the universal odium with which
Jesus was regarded by the rulers of the
Jews, that these individuals dared not
give public utterance to that opinion. Be-
cause of this sentiment Of disapprobation
of Jesus which prevailed among the rulers
of the Jews, Nicodemus came to Jesus by
night. He was afraid of the certain odium
which he would bring upon himself If the
other rulers would learn that he had been
comforting with Jesus. 1t is a wonder that
this young man did not 60 to some Of the
learned Jewish doctors, or to the chief
priests, or to the great Jewish Council, and
State his case. But he did not; he came to
Jesus and in all the sincerity of his heart,
inquired what he must do to inherit eter-
nal life. This must have been regarded
w lIG OlllSI lulClS IL q lllOoO
thing. A rich young ruler-a man of good
position in society-a young man with
bright prospects, goes, in open daylight,
and on the public Highway, crowded with
persons of all classes and conditions in So
ciety, to ask Jesus what he must do to in
herit eternal life. If he had gone to Ga
maliel the act would have elevated him in
the estimation of the rulers of the Jews,
but to go to Jesus for advice was to put
both his character and life in jeopardy.
This was a very wonderful thing.
All these attending circumstances pre-
clude the idea of hypocrisy on the part of
this rich young ruler. He was in verify
an anxious inquirer. In addition, he evil
IDENTIFY had a favorable opinion of the Sa-
viour. Both Mark and Luke relate that
he addressed Jesus as "Good Master" that
is, good teacher; and Mark further states
that he kneeled to Jesus. This shoWst that
although he was young, and rich, and a
ruler, he still regarded Jesus as his supe-
rior. The sincerity of the young man does
not admit of a doubt. He was courteous
in his manners, gentlemanly in his address,
anxious in regard to his spiritual state, be-
ingfully aware that he was not perfect and
was, in one word, a sincere and anxious
inquirer. In answer to the inquiry of the
young man, "What shall I do to inherit
eternal life ." Jesus said unto him, accord
ing to Matthew's account, "Ifthou wouldst
enter into life, keep the Commandments"
The young man promptly inquired,
"What commandments? 2" Our Saviour
replied, "Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt
not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal,
thou shalt not bear false witness, honor
thy father and thy mother, and thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself." And Mark
explains what.ismeant by "thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself," by "thoushalt not
defraud." These commandments embrace
all the second table of the moral law. The