The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-08-05
Gold or God?

our homes the head of Christ taken from
1t, and we know the power of those pic,
tured eyes, the wonderful drawing quality
that the artist has put into that face. We
know what an influence that picture has
been in our own lives.
And II mere mans ideal of that divine
personality can be 80 great. what must
drew and tried to bind the heart of the
young ruler to the man Christ Jesus! The
yearning of Christ's love to him met an
answering longing in his own SOUL Rich
as he was. he was not wholly happy, not
satisfied with mere luxurious existence. !.
Jesus had called the young man-in
spirit if not by words-but he hesitated
perhaps to Join himself with this crowd OF
fisher folk and humble followers of Christ.
Jesus saw through the hesitancy at once,
as He sees through yours and mine some,
times, when He has called us to a work
for Him and we draw back. He answered
by a sad searching question, "Why do you
call Me good? There is none good but God
Did Jesus wish to make this wealthy young
man commit himself by saying that he be-
lieved that Jesus was the Son of God2i
Did he mean, too, to make ;, him under 2
stand that in leaving all to follow the Som
was, would lose nothing? 4.
Then He reminded him gently Of the
rules of right and wrong in which he had
teen reared, and the young mans answer
showed that he knew he needed something
beyond commandments. and gave permis-,
sion for Jeaus to put His finger upon the
sore point. Then sadly and tenderly Jesus,
spoke, the words, the thought ofwhich was
in both their minds, and the young man
saw that there was power as strong OF,
stronger, maybe, drawing him away from
Christ as that which drew him TO Him.
His possessions! Alas! He is sorroSfullI
He turns away grieved. He had hoped
perhaps that Christ would find some way
for him to follow and yet keep his gold.
God is often obliged for their own sakes
to feed His children prosperity IN very
small .spoonfuls. y4l S3.s
We are not told whether the young man
or it would certainly have been noised
abroad, and the writer of this story would
have heard and recorded. But perhaps
God, in mercy, took his possessions away
from him in years after, and tenderIT
brought him to surrender his proud, ambi-
tious heart, and it may be we, shall one day
meet him in some humble corner of heav-
en-, glad that he has won it at last, even
though stripped of all that he once held
dear. =
For there seems to be hope forihim in
Cuc very ldCI IudI uC was sOlioWiut ooohV
it. 1t shows that, after all, the drawing
toward Jesus was powerful, and there
seems, too, encouragement for this thought
in Jesus words, chow hardly showing
that it would be through tribulation that
the young man would enter in. &
They stood, very likely, beside the great
city gates as this talk was going Oh. 1t
may have been toward evening, and the
gates themselves were closed for the night,
and only the little gates or doors, 80 high
up in the large gate that it was difficult
for any but foot passengers to get through,
were still open. 1t was the custom to close
the large gates at sunset, leaving possible
entrance only through these little doors, or
needles eyes," as they were called. To-
get camel through these openings it was
needful to take off all his trappings,. his
many burdens and treasures of merchan-
disc that he was carrying. and literally
drag him through; one foot lifted over at q
time. Jesns used always the Illustration
to point His sermon that was nearest at
hand and hest understood. And the hsten-
ers marveled as they reflected how Few
rich ones would be willing to diyest them
selves of their treasures.
Then Peter expressed the thought of all
of them. I'VE, at least. Master" he said,
"however many other faults we may have,
have left all to follow Thee" And at once
the Master flashes them His confidence and
ioy and blessing in a promise that they
shall not have done this for nothing; no,
not even as earthly rewards are. counted,
and for the heavenly the reward shall be
ncver-endinc.
Applied Truths-A ship laden with rich
ore and gold dust went down not long ago
off the Pacific Coast. There were men on
board who had given the best of their lives
toward winning that gold, had suffered
hardships untold, and, were going home to
their families or to their long anticipated
dreams of.pleasure. with eager Joy in their
hearts. But when the accident occurred
and they knew that it was question Of
life or gold. most Of them unhesitatingly
abandoned their treasures and flung them
selves into the sea empty handed. glad to
escape with their lives, A few, however;
grasped frantcally all the gold they could
possibly carry and attempted to swim
with it to the shore, and one after another
of the Door fellows clutching the gold were
dragged down with it into the deep-Grace
Livingston Hill, in the New York Mail and
Express.