National Baptist world., 1894-10-05
THE TAX COLLECTOR.
DR.. Talmage Discourses on the Con-
version Of zaccheus.
The Sycamore Of Philosophical Speculation
Restoration Of Dishonesty Acquired
Property-Christ in the Home
Importance Of Prayer.

The subject selected for his sermon,
through the press, last week by Rev.
i. Dewitt Talmage was 1.-The Tax
Collectors Conversion the text being
taken from Luke xix, 9: This day is
salvation come to this house."
Zaccheus was politician and tax
gatherer. He had an honest calling,
but the opportunity for '.stealings''
was SO large the temptation was too
much for him. The Bible says he twas
sinner"-that is, in the public sense.
How many fine men have been ruined
by official POSITION! 1t is an awful
thing for any man to seek office under
government unless his principles of
integrity are deeply fixed. Many
man, upright in an insignificant posi-
ton, has made shipwreck in a great
one. As far as I can tell, in Jericho
this Zaccheus belonged to what might
be called the ring" They had things
their own way, successfully avoiding
exposure-if by no other way, perhaps
by hiring somebody to break in and
steal the vouchers. Notwithstanding
his bad reputation, there were streaks
of good about him, as there is about
almost every man. Gold is found in
quartz and sometimes in very small
percentage.
Jesus was coming to town. The peo-
pie turned out en- masse to see Him.
Here He comes-the Lord of Glory-on
foot, dust-covered and rOadweary,
limping along the way carrying the
griefs and woes of the world. He looks
fn haH 0f ho &c ,1rr
80. Zaccheus was a short man, and
could not see over the peoples head
while standing on the ground; SO he
got up into a sycamore tree that swung
it's arm clear over the road. Jesus ad
vanced amid the wild excitement of
the surging crowd. The most honor
able and popular men Of the city are
looking on. and trying to gain his at
tention. Jesus, instead of regarding
them, looks up at the little man in the
tree, and says: 'Zaccheus, come down.
am going home with you" Every
body was disgusted to think that Christ
would 60 home with SO dishonorable a
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, He pronounces the benediction
of the text: This day is salvation
come to this house."
Zaccheus had mounted the sycamore
tree out of mere inquisitiveness. 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" T"
said Christ.
- And 50 many people, in this day, get
up into the tree Of curiosity or specu-
lation to see Christ They ask thou
sand questions about His divinity,
about Gods sovereignty, and the eter-
nal DEGREES. They speculate, and criti-
else, and hang on to the outside limb
of a great sycamore. But they
must come down from that if they
want to be saved. We cannot
be saved as philosophers, but
as little children. You cannot
60 to Heaven by way Of Athens, but
by way Of Bethlehem. Why be per
picked about the way sin came into
the world, when the great question is
how shall we get sin driven out of our
hearts? How many spend their time
in criticism and religious speculation!
They take the Rose Of Sharon, or the
Lily Of the Valley, pull out the anther,
scatter the corolla. and say: rs that
the beautiful flower of religion that you
are talking about? No flower is beau
tiful after you have torn it all to pieces.
The path to Heaven is 50 plain that a
fool need not make any mistake about
II. and vet men stop and cavil. Sup
pose that, going toward the Pacific
slope, | had resolved that | would stop
until I could kill all the grizzly bears
and the panthcrs on either side OF the
wav. / would never have got to the
Pacific coast. When | went out tC
hunt the grizzly bear, the grizzly bear
would have come out to hunt me. Here
is a plain road to Heaven. Men say
they will not take a step on it until
they can make game Of all the theories
that bark and grOwl at them from the
thickets. They forget the fact that as
thew 60 out to hunt the theory, the
theory comes out to hunt them. and SC
thew perish We must receive the
Kingdom heaven Ill lpllClty'
We tear our hands on the spines O.
the cactus instead of fastening our eye
on its tropical bloom. A great com
pany Of people now sit swinging the m
selves on the sycamore tree Of theil
pride, and / cry to you: 'Zaccheus
come down! Come down out of youl
pride, out Of your inquisitiveness, ou
of your speculation. You cannot rid'
into the gate Of Heaven with a coacf
and four, position ahead and lacke,
behind Except We become as httl
children, ye cannot enter the kingdom
of God God has chosen the veal
things Of the world to confound tn
mighty. Zaccheus, come down com
down.
notice that this tax-gatherer accom-
panied his surrender to Christ with tn
restoration of property that did not be
long to him. He says: If have take1
anything by false accusation, restor
fourfold." That is If / have taxed an
man for $4,000, when he had only s.
900 worth Of property, and put in m.
own pocket the tax for the last $4,000
will restore to him fourfold. If
took from him $40, | will give him $40
If / took from him $40, will give hin