The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-23
STORY OF THE YOUNG RULER
Subject of Rev. DIR. SchneHer's Ser
mon at Church of Ascension.

Subject of Rev. DIR. SchaeHer's Ser
mon at Church of Ascension.
At the Lutheran Church of the AS
cension last night, Rev. DIR. w. c.
| Schaeffer preached his closing sermon
of a series to young men. His subject
was "The Young Ruler" DR.. Schaef-
fer read six verses from the tenth
! chapter of the Gospel by st. Mark, re-
lating, in part, the story of the young
man of good moral character and rich
es who knelt before Christ in the high
| way and asked him what he should
! do that he might inherit eternal life,
Christ's advice that he sell his possess
! slons and give the proceeds to the
poor, and the young mans refusal
In commenting upon the story. DIR.
! Schaeffer said that he did not know
of more touching picture in the whole
! Bible history, one in which may be
seen with as much vividness as If the
| people were present. The young man
running up to Christ and beseeching
| him with such reverence that Christ
| on beholding him loved him. The young
man was serious when he approached
| Christ He had something important
! upon his mind. what he was seeking
ner was earnest. The young man was
ruler, st. Luke says. an official doubt
| less in some synagogue, and command
| ed the respect of his community. He
ran. it will be noticed" said DR..
| Schaeffer, toward Christ. Other
! young men run, too. but not upon SINH
lar missions. They run for Office,
prompted by political ambition, seeking
high positions and power. The young
ruler was not satisfied. He was rich,
| influential, respected and powerful, but
| he wanted something else. Many peo-
| pie think that riches bring happiness,
but it cannot open the gateway to
! eternal life. The young ruler had
| beautiful moral character, too, some
thing that every young man should
| be proud to possess; he hard a good ap-
| proach and a good countenance, for
| Jesus loved him when he saw him. He
| could boast of having observed the
! commandments. But. after all, moral
! character is negative force. A man
| of simply a moral character does not
| help his neighbor. He simply passes
him by unmolested. On the other hand
| Christian character is an active one
| 1t prompts man to lift UP and assist
his neighbor and brighten lives all
| around him. That was what the young
man wanted and sought. He asked
| Christ, What shall l do?' That is a
I
ed in the Gospel. but in all religions
| of the world. 1t is asked in poetry and
| prose and in all researches. 1t is as
| old as human nature. as manifold as
| human experience and as multiplex as
human need. What shall do to receive
eternal life? If we see a young man
| as moral as that young man was we
think that he is all he can be. And
| Christ loved him. There is no man
| present he does not love.
You profess entire obedience to
| Gods laws. You keep the command
| ments. BUT you must love God VITA
all your heart, mind, strength and soul.
That is strong, but it is the only salts
factory answer to that universal ques-
| ton. When Christ commanded the young
man to sell all he had and give the
| proceeds to the poor it was the crucial
! test of his love of God. The young
man asked the question, and when the
| answer was offered he refused it, He
would not give up the temporal to OBJ
tain the eternal. He could not stand
the crucial test. Man desires great
things, but is not willing to sacrifice
small things. Man has his part to do
in saving his soul. But God fixes that
part, not man. That which keeps US
from doing that part allotted is what
ruins us; it is determination. That
which we do in fulfilling our allotted
duty is that which saves US; 1t is self
salvation. And He said to them ALL II
any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross
daily and follow Me. For whatsoever
will save his life shall lose il; but who
soever viii lose his life for Ny sake.
the same shall save il. For what is a
man advantaged, II he gain the whole
world and lose himself. or be East
away
"Ostensibly the young ruler had cv-
erything. A good moral character 1nd
many riches, but that could not save
him. His possessions kept him out. He
went away Borrowing, for he had great