St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-02-27
noble young man, who had succeeded In

eternal life that he lacked but one thing.
And that is the nearest that the moralist
cRE ever get to God ana Hsayen and
eternal life The moralist needs the
grace and mercy of God to give him
eternal life as much as the deepest-dyed
sinner "One thing thou Iackest,' is
what God says to every soul who has not
surrendered to Him his dearest treasure
and come and followed Jesus. The lack
of that one thing in that young mans life
was enough to blast his hopes Of eternal
life. Clinging to his riches and turning
his back on Christ, he was absolutely
without hope for the life to come. All
that that young man had, 81 that he was
in character, could not secure for him
place in Heaven. One thing he lacked,
and that was absolute subsection and sur
render to God. And as the refusal OF
that obedience vitiated all his other acts
Of obedience, so it convicted him of I'M
righteousness and rebellion before God.
He preferred his riches and his position
in life to Christ and His service. And
how is it with you, dear friend, to whom
know you never yet have found its an
swer in your own splendid life, in your
own deeds. Gods answer to your heart
is ever the same as it was to that splendid
moralist of old. Zone thing thou lack
est" 1t is the Christ.
~ ND he was sad at that saying, and
went away grieved; for he had
great possessions No sadGer tragedy
is witnessed in Heaven CIR earth than
when the soul comes face to face with
the supreme question of eternal life and
then refuses to abide by the answer
which God gives. That young man was
not enough so as to obey the conditions
which God laid down. He was sad with
that sadness which comes from rejection
of Gods claims. 1t was the first faint
pang of that eternal sadness and anguish
which his soul was to feel as it passed
from life here to eternal death beyond
the grave. Unless that young man re-
pented of his choice made that DAY and
later surrendered all to God and followed
Jesus, we know that he did not inherit
eternal life, know that through all the
centuries which have passed since his
soul passed into the great beyond, it
has been shut out from the presence Of
God and the joy and peace of Heaven.
What folly he displayed that day! Cling
ing to his riches for few short years
and then Deaths cold hand robbing him
of all that he possessed and sending him
naked and without hope into the next
world. Went away sad and grieved and
without hope, when he might have gone
away with new joy in his heart, and
eternal life as his rich possession
SNNE thing thou lackest.''' Those
are blessed words, for they tell to
the soul that that which is lacking God
wants to supply. One thing that dear
young man lacked, and Jesus longed to
supply that lack. His hands were full
with the burden of riches. Jesus says
empty them of those perishable baubles
that l may fill them with the treasures
which are eternal. 1t is as though .
beggar were to come into the presence
of the rich man with his hands filled with
pretty pebbles picked from the beach.
The rich man holds out sparkling gems
in exchange for the cheap, common peb-
bles. The beggar wants the gems but he
will give up his pebbles. What folly!
Throw away the pebbles and make
room for the glittering diamonds" we
cry. But would lose that which I
spent much time in gathering. That
which is pretty. That which l want"
But" we exclaim, with impatience at
such blind and inexplicable folly, Sup
pose you Go lose them, see what you are
to get in return" And is it any less folly
for the soul to come into the presence OF
Jesus and refuse to yield the perishable
things OF this life in order that 1t may
receive that which 1t lacks OF the riches
and fullness of God? Zone thing thou
lackest," oh, soul, II you have not the
Christ, and that lack robs you In this life
and in the life to come. Are you going
away surrowful from the presence OF the
Christ? You need not. AS you are con-
scious, even as was that young man, that
high moral integrity, and life dlled
with good works cannot save you, come
to Jesus and let Him supply the lack
which is in your life and heart. Oh, how
Jesus yearns over you and longs to make
your life complete and give you hope for
the life to come! It may not be riches
which are standing in your way OF saliva
ton. 1t may be a proud heart which you
are not willing to yield to Him. 1t may
be friendship or leve which you are not
willing to give up if He should ask you so
to do. It is something. And while you
cling to 1t you are preventing yourself
from receiving the greater blessing.
You are losing the supreme blessing upon
you life. Zone thing thou lackest.' It,
is the presence of the blessed Christ in
your life and heart. Will you not yield
all to Him and take up your cross daily,
and follow after Him? With all your
graces and virtues, with all your noble
character and generous deeds. you fall
short of the requirements Of God. Zone
thing thou lackest" 1t is the Christ.