The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-08-21
loT. D. 1 L Hlylind Of Philadsl-
phIl GlTe N Eloquent Address
BEFORE A UNION CoEGRGEA TON
Compossd oS the Bsnsncsnt Congrega-
tisnaI and Central Baptist Societies
Rev. =. g. wesley Preached at she
Park street Free Baptist Church.

At the united services of the Beneflcent
Congregational and Central Baptist
churches last evening Rev. DIR. A. l.,
Wayland Of Philadelphia preached on
Zone thing thou lackest," from Mark <.
81. The preacher s,id:
The scene IN the life or our Lord which
these words bring TO mind Is very famil-
1ar, and without any introduction will
ask you 10 conside- with me some Of the
leasons OF the memorable interview.
Who makes this inquiry 1t is one in
the flush Of youth. There rs certainly
something in youth that attracts our svm-
pathy. Youth enkindles hope: 1t has a
future before ". 1t is this fact which
rakes the wreck Of the young sight so
unspeakably painful Youth has not
been hardonef by experiences and time in
TO distrusi. II Is confding. The very
dreams OF youth are usually dreams OF
romantic generosity, OF hign resolve, OF
courage in rescuing the innocent, while
the dreams OF the Older more often are
concerned with conquest. acquisition al u
success nj selfshness.
And what was Of far greater moment
tie young man was pure In neart aud III
Jfe. Nc ought not to lose siuht OF the
fact that he had maintained this purity
weaitn IL Is not so very hard TO DE
20 when poverty excludes
temp alton. The young man WIS
thcuyhtful. He da not take pride ia
setting at nauaht the story OF creation.
He did not deuy the existence OF his soul.
aud CLAIM. that he VAS only tangible
body made up OF so much carbon,
nitrogen ana water. On many men
Christ looks With pity, but ms he saw
this young man he loved him. And what
was tie irq uryi 1t did not concern
anything trivial The young man. like
another inquirer, desired the Lord TO
secure hin, his rigntful share of
the pafernal Inheritance. Who has not
felt ia himself the same longingf It's
the one longing of humanity, aud until
the inquiry IS answered there is no resi-,
no happiness. And vet ] can but remind
you that 10 the inquiry OF the young man
there was betrayed AN ignorance of the
very ess nee OF the gospel.
What was the answesf IL Is startling
TO us; 1t was startling to him. 20
thing thou lackesr." The young mau
lacked one thing, hut that ore thing WAS
that without which all else was void. He
lacked love Of God. The Lord loved him,
nnd told him OF his one fatal defect. Our
INRl put him to test. Go
give to the poor" This precept has often
been misunderstood. Our Lord did not
intend to destroy the rights Of property,
without which civilization would come
to an end. but He did design To give, In
this particular case, a preeept that should
Be test Of character. 1t may be social
pleasure, or science, or D ,litical prefer
mept IL matters not. All must be second
20 God and subject TO His command
And now the event. The young man
went away. He did not accept Pure
minded, candid, earnest, res ectful and
winning. he loved the pr ssessions which
he inherited. This siR-is all the more
dangerous and devastating because more
than any other 1t is hidden from the per-
son most concerned. IL man is an
adulterer, II he defaults. he knows it
himself. and presently his neighbors
know 1t. But he may he covetous, and
yet be revealed neither to himself nor To
them. -
What was the future OF this young
man know not. Whether ut a later day
with hopes shattered and life wasted he
offered to God the brief remnant OF his
days do not know. but do know that
never by any possibility was he nearer TO
the embodiment OF all goodness. Where
he Ii today know not. But this know,
wherever be Is, he Is haunted blythe most
terrible OF ghosts. by the man might
have been.
10 this church / would say tonight.
obey the divine cali that sounds within
your deepest soul, the voice OF Christ
that Says Follow me and thou shall
have treasure ia heaven"