Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-08-30


Zaccheus When our Saviour stood he.
meath the tree He looked III full in The
face of Za,cheus and sand. Come down.
and he came down from the sycamore tree
and from his curiosity. down :-om his
pride and his doubt. down 20 the feet Of
Jesus. and he found salvation The best
thing that Zaccheus ever did was to come
down. and so will 1t he for every one of
YOU. What can | do To be saved: Some
one is even now asking. and there is no
more important question. According to
the Scripture YOU can merely live because
of your good works. and while i'll the one
place it is said. Work out Your own sal
Walton with fear and trembling" two
things must be remembered First. this IS
Gods message to Christians. and second
we can only work ont what has already
been worked IN.
Working will not save me-
Pnrest deeds that can do.
Honest thoughts and feelings, too,
Cannot form my soul anew,
Working will not save me
We must first Of all come down If we
would be saved 1t is only by chi!d.iKc
trust in Him and absolute confidence lii
His word that we pass from death . lie
With some there must be coming down
from pride. We mus; reach the place
where we will NOT fear what the world Will
say.
\ young man in former congregation
promised me that he would give up gamb-
ing and accept Christ. He assured
me- that his difficulty was his
evil companions, and he would never
be able to live Christian lie until
he could leave them. He WAS AFRAID of
what they would say but at las; gave NE
his promise that he would confess Christ
the next morning With one of his friends
whose influence over him was always bad
he walked to his place OF business the neSs
morning. trying all the way to make his
confession. until al last the store was
entered and the words were not spoken.
Finally by great effort he made his Way
into the store. called his friend back aad
said. II have made w my mind 10 be
Christian, and unless YOU Will go VITA me
| shall have to part company with You.
Tears came into his friends eyes and he
said, 1t is the best thing YOU ever did; Is
there any hope for me There Is no one
really worth having as your friend but
what would say the same thing. Il any
one whose eye lights upon this page should
accept Christ and confess Him the same Is
4 coming down from morality. for what the
world calls morality does not say we are
not saved because we are good. but be-
cause Christ Is and always has been and
our faith is in Him. and every so-called
moral man out OF the church Is against the
preaching OF the minister and may be a
dangerous friend for the man who Is
weallec than himself, Tor We are our broth
er's keeper whether we will or not. With
the most OF us 1t Is a coming down from
sin. and we must give that up. for II we
regard iniquity in our hearts God will not
hear us. neither can He save lis. but the
'ery moment we are ready and willing TO
orsake all known sin He gives us the
strength to do II. just a the man with
he withered hand had no power 20 stretch
:orth his hand, that is in himself. but the
moment he had the will to do 1t Christ
gave him the power and immediately he
vas healed.
The result When Jesus went 10 the
lome of Zaceheus as He entered He said.
This day is salvation come to this house"
The greatest heritage a Christian child
ever had lett to him is q Christian home.
There must have been great change IN
Zaccheus before he met the Saviour. l
1oubt not he was selfish. | know he was
sinful. After his meeting with Christ his
whole family came TO know God. There
could be no better position Tor any father
20 take than that taken by Zaccheus. Il
will wait until my boys grow up sand
gentleman to me recently. and then we
viii all become Christians together" 1
old HIM what doubtless he already knew
That Noah took his boys into the arl; by
going in first himself. The saddest thing
n the world is to see family divided aud
divided by the most sacred things in the
world. In George MacDonald's great book
Oh Robert FaulIener there is story said
TO be founded upon fact OF the father OF
Robert FaulSener. whose life was irre,ig-
ious. His wife had done everything she
could to lead him to the knowledge OF the
Saviour. Finally Just before she died she
had dream. She left the dream for her
husband. which resulted in his conversion
She said. Il dreamed that had died and
entered into the other world. and |
searched everywhere for YOU. Andrew. but
J could not find you. At last | came 10 an
abyss that WAS. oh. very deep, but not
30 very wide. and II was tinted with blue
ike the blue of the sky. when suddenly
IN the other side | saw you. | gave 4 cry
hat all the universe must have heard,
when suddenly turning about | saw one
'oming toward me. He had a wonderful
ace. He had on garment which came
Town to His feet. and as He came nearer
| saw in His hands and feet the print of
he nails. Then | knew who He was. and
| Tell at His feet and cried out. Oh. Lord,
NY husband. my husband, ana He tool.
me by the hand and led me oat over the
abyss and put our hands together. and
then He led Us back again and we were to-
yether.' In the story which she left for
her husband she cautioned him To meet
her, and Ia give her no such disappoint-
ment. and il Is said that he came. but il
we are not united III this world we shall
not be in the next. Between the saved
and the lost there Is great gulf fixed. and
no man can pass over it. To-day. however,
is the day OF salvation. and we may know
Christ ii we will.