The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-29
THE SEMEWEEKLY MESSENGER, TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1895.

portunity may never return, Tor life is
full of uncertainty and you may never
have again the same good inclination
to seek God while He may Re found.
and abandon a life OF sin for one of
Righteousness. Now is the accepted
time" The thief on the cross was prcb-
ably never before under the Divine
power 50 as to have a desire "to flee
the wrath to come" AT any rate,
50 far as is revealed, when hanging
near to the CrucIied One he had for
the first time an opportunity to be
saved. He earnestly embraced it and
found salvation in greatest extremity.
He sought the favor of Jesus, and in
believing found 1ife.- In the hour of
death he was indeed made alive. In
the case of the person who sought the
aviou as recorded in Mark x:17-22,
we have a different result, although
there wals much zeal and Importantly
and promptness manifested on the part
Of the suppIicant. He was in a great
hurry, stirred by intense anxiety and yet
he failed of his end. SO far as the Scrip
lures state he found the Christ
as his Saviour. He came running, and
his first inquiry was one of importu-
nate suppIication-'tGood Master, what
shall I do that I may inherit eternal
life?" 1t is clear that he had a genu-
inc desire to be saved. He was pro-
foundly moved. He had heard Of the
Lord Jesus, and when the Master came
his way, he sought Him with speed
and promptness, and yet he went ava
unsaved, a very disappointed man in
deed. We will take up this interesting
record of solicftude and failure next
Sunday, God willing, for something
of a brief study. Tt is too suggestive,
too full as to points to be discovered
at one time with the limited space at
our command today. We cite the case
of this mar because he showed a genu-
inc and prompt desire to be saved, but
he had no aiken the cost of salvation.
He would take life and Heaven as
his share, provided it did not exact
too great a sacrifice, too much con-
secration of time, service, money.
He was rich and the sacrifice de-
manded by h all-knowing Son Of God
was too great for him, and refusing
to do as bidden-'fSell whatsoever thou
hast, and give to the poor'-to serve
God at such a price, turned away
from the promise of eternal life-"thou
shalt a treasure in Heaven"-and
went away ~grieved," and so far as the
Blk reveals, went away to eternal
death. IT made him "sad," miserable
and disappointed, for he "went ava
grieved," when the Lord of Life de-
mamde h sacrifice Of his great es-
tate for the benefit of the poor as the
condition of salvation and Heaven at
last. Tt was a hard test for him, for
he loved his riches, he was avaricious
and %grasping. Tt is often a very hard
struggle for carnality to yield it's pos
sessions and lay it all upon the altar
Of sacrifice. The lesson we draw now
is-that to win Heaven you must be
willing to make any sacrifice, and es-
pecially the sin you love most dearly.
It is a right eye measure. If it offends
it must be pIucked out. TT is a high
standard that God lays down in His
blessed and Holy Word, and man must
reach it through willing sacrifice and
through conservation. We will study
this case again i'm connection with the
way of life.