The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-09-27
need OF FAMILY RELIGION.
JESUS In THE HOME.
Or. Talmage Says Family Religion In Of
Great Value to Children.

Zacchnus was poiitician and tnxgath-
orer. He had an honest calling, but the
onnortunity for "steallngs" was 30 large
the temptation was too much for him. The
pibIe saws he twas a sinner"-that is, in tho
nublic sense. How many fine men have been
mined by official positionl II is an awful
thing for any man TO seek office under gov
ernment unless his principles OF integrity
are deeply fixed. Manya man upright in an
insignificant position has made shpwpeck In
a crent one. Az far rs can tell. In tAs city
NJ Jericho this Zaccheus belonged TO what
might be called the "ring." They had things
their own way. successfully avoiding expo
sure, II by no other way perhaps by hiring
somebody to break in md steal the vouch-
ers. Notwithstanding his bad reputation
there were streaks OF good about him, as
there are about almost every man. Gold is
found In quartz, and sometimes In a small
percsntnge.
Jesus was coming to town. The people
turned out on masse 10 see Him. Here Hs
comes. the Lord OF glory. on foot, dust COW
cred and travel weary, limplng along the
way. carrying the griefs and woes OF the
world He looks TO be sixty years OF age,
when He IL only about thirty. Zacoheus was
n short mnn and could not SEQ over the peo.
ple's heads while standing on the ground,
40 he got up into sycamore tree that swung
its arm clear over the road. Jesus advanced
amid the Wild excitement OF the surging
crowd. The most honorable and popular
gain His attention. Jesus, instead OF re-
garding them, looks up at the little man In
the tree and says "Zaccheus. come down.
I am going home with you." Everybody
was disgusted to think that Christ would go
home with so dishonorable man.
see Christ entering the front door OF the
house OF Zaccheus. The King OF heaven
and earth sits down. and as He looks around
on the place and the family lie pronounces
the benedicton OF the text. "This day is SAL
vaflon come to this house."
Zaccheus had mounted the sycamore tree
ont OF mere inqulsitiveness. He wanted to
see how this stranger looked-the color OF
His eyes, the length OF His hair, the contour
OF His features. the height OF His stature.
"Come down" said Christ.
And so many people in this day get up In
10 the tree OF curiosity or speculation TO see
Christ. They ask n thousand queer ques-
tions about His divinity, about Gods SOW
erelgnty and the eternal DEGREES. They
speculate and criticise and hang onto the
OIL; side limb OF n great sycamore, but they
must come down from that II they want to
be saved. We cannot bo saved as philoso-
pliers. but as little children. You cannot 70
10 heaven by way OF Athens, but by way OF
bethlehem.
Why be perplexed about the way sin came
into the world when the great question is
how we shall get sin driven out OF our hearts
How many spend their time In criticism and
reuSlOuS I0ey tdKe tne rose
OF Sharon or the lilly OF the valley, pull out
the anther, scatter the corola and say. ''1s
that the beautiful flower OF religion that you
are talking about2' No flower Is beautiful
after you have torn It ell to pieces. The path
10 heaven Is 80 plain TINT fool need not
make any mistake about it, and yet men
stop and cavil. Suppose that, going toward
the Pacific slope, had resolved that would
stop until could kill all the grizzly bears
and the panthers on either side OF the way.
would never have got 10 the Pacific coast.
When went out to hunt the grizzly bear,
the grizzly bear would have come out to
irdsIt me. Here Is a plain road to heaven.
Men say IN, will not take step on II until
they can niatffyame OF All the theories that
bark and groHi at them from the thickets.
They forget the fact that. as they go sout to
hunt the theory, the theory comes out TO
hunt them. and so they perish.
DIR. Ludlow, my professor in the theo-
logical seminary. taught me q lesson shall
never forget. While putting variety OF
questions to him that were perplexlng no
turned upon me, somewhat in sternness,
but more in love, and said. "Mr. Talmage,
YOU will have 10 let God know some things
that you don't" We tear our hands on tho
spines OF the cactus instead OF feasting our
eye on its tropical bloom. A great COM
pany OF people now sit swinging them
selves on the sycamore tree OF their pride,
and | cry to you "Zaccheus, come down!
Come down out OF your pride, out OF your
inquisitiveness, out OF your speculation.
You cannot ride into the gate Of heaven
with coach and four, position ahead and
lackey behind. Except ye become as little
children, ye cannot enter the kingdom OF
God God has chosen the weak things OF
the world to confoundthe mighty. Zaccheus,
come down, come down"
notice that this taxgathe herer accompanied
his surrender 10 Christ with the restoration
OF property that did not belong TO him. He
says, III have taken anything by false ac-
cusatlon, / restore fourfoll"-that Is, IL
have taxed any man for $40, 900 when he had
only $4,000 worth OF property and put in my
own pocket the tax for the last $4,000, l will
restore TO him fourfod. II took from him
$40, l will give him $40. II took from him
$40. will give him S160.
Hundreds CT thousands OF dollars have
been sent to Washington during the past few
years rs conscience MONEY!" / suppose
that money was sent by men who wanted 10
be Christians, but found they could not until
they made restitution. There Is no need OF
our trying to come TO Christ as long as we
keep iraudulently dollar or farthing in
our possession that belongs TO another. Sup
pose you have not money enough TO pay
your debts and for the sake of defrauding
your creditors you put your property In
your wlfe's name. You might cry until the
day OF judgment for pardon, but you would
not get IL without first making restitution.
In times OF prosperity 1t Is right, against a
rainy day, 10 assign property 10 your wife,
but II, in time OF perpleXity and tor the sake
OF defrauding your creditors, you make such
assignment you become a culprit before
God, and you may rs well stop praying un-
I'll you have made restitution. Or suppose
one man loans another money on bond or
mortgage, with the understanding that the
mortgage can lie quiet for several years, but
as soon as ths mortgage is given commences
lOrtclOSurp-thp sheriff m
block, and tn property Is struck down at
nail price, and the mUrtgagee buys II In.
The mortgagee started 10 get the property
M half price and Is c thief and robber.
Until he makes restitution there Is no mercy
for him.
You say: al cannot make restitution. The
parties whom swindled are gone" Then
say, Take the money up to the American
Bible Society and consecrate II 10 God"
Zaccheus was wise when he disgorged his
nnrighteous gains, and II was his first step in
The right direction.