Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-18
THE R1cHMoND pIsrATcH-TUEsDAY. JUNE IS. 1895.

showed his appreciation OF men In tnas
re was the friend OF the poor and the
outcast. He received the publican ana tbs
rfnner. Who docs society accept? Tho
prosperous. the well-to-do. the men WAC
have something. or can DO something
, Men are not loved by their fellow-men
FOR what they intrlnscslly are. but for
their money or socia. value. Even the
Christian poor are often neglected because
of the narrow circumstances of their
living. This worship OF power Is AKIN
10 the spirit OF idolatry. which bows be-
fore God not FOR what He Inherently u.s.
loving. gracious. and holy. but only Dc
cause re Is almighty TO work for men
and TO gain them for God IL the very
highest achievement. The world has its
merchant princes. its military heroes. ana
its railroad kings. Who IL Gods kingE
Samuel found Him I'm the house or jesse.
II was not the stately warrior Abinadai.
but the humble shepherd lad, who had
been the Instrument in Gods hand OF
saving one OF his fathers sheep-in the
eyes Of men not n very heroic WORK,
but IN the ewes Of God H. was royal, FOR
DESPITE the littleness. and meanness, AMI
sord,dncss I'm sin--"a mans man Tor
that and a that"
This gives the young man the true aim,
the highest aim IN lifo. II shows him for
what he should pray, and for what ne
should labor: He than can win a man
from the world-no matter what else he
does not win. To gain the wealth Of a
Vanderbilt is nothing compared with the
success Of winning souls. man need
not be a preacher 20 do this. Values in
this life are fictitious. The judgment Is
coming with the coming OF the Lord
Jesus Christ, when lie will reward men
according 10 their works. And His Word
teaches what He esteems and loves. not
wealth. not station. but TO live for men
as He lived for them.
CHRIST KNOWS THEIR PRICE.
The third point in the text was that
however we may undervalue men, Christ
knows their price. lie is animatlng ali
agencies to make His love known. lie
laid down his life for them. But. still
that is not the point. He values His gift
OF men, and so viii keep it--keep them.
He will keep them not alone for what
they are-preclous as that is-but because
they are Gcds gift to Him. Here's stu
pendous transaction between the Father
and the Son A certain nobleman went
into a far country to receive for himself
a kingdom, and to return, and he called
his ten servants. and delivered them ten
pounds and said. Occupy till come.
Now this parable was spoken 10 regulate
our conduct. But you may be absolutely
sure that Christ's faithfulness will harmo-
niZe with His own words. God delivered
Him souls: do you suppose He will do
otherwise than keep them? All this 18th
OF John exhibits His faithfulness in
keeping what is given Him. Just notice
two sentences in It: / pray not that
Thou shouldst take them out of the world,
but that Thou shoudst keep them from
the evil. Christ prays that we shall be
kept from the evil OF this world. DO
you suppose that prayer is not heard?
Again he says: Father. | VIII that they
also whom Thou hast given Me be with
Me where | am, that they may behold
My glory. There He prays that His gift
OF men may reach His throne. If you are
one Of His. can you doubt that prayer is
heard in your behalf | heard that
when Bishop Simpsons daughter was
married some twenty-five years ago.
among her many presents, she received
some gifts from princes Of Europe. If
this is true. will she not with genuine
pride point these out as the richest in
the whole display and keep them TO her
dying day. But Jesus can point to this
man and TO that and say He is My gift
from Almighty God My Father. What
God so directly gives Jesus will surely
keep and love II. because He loves God
and God will love us because Jesus does,
and so doubly loved and diyinely given,
and in the custody Of divine power. may
we not even now chant the pean Of vie
tory over the world?