The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-02-14

things, Justly won the olium that ne
enjoys, non the less Jesus sees ID MIN
poss,Diiues of amendment and n0bll-
ity and calls hin down from the rec
on which be las perched himself 10
become his guest. This condensation
involves an interview and an influx OF
the personality of Jesus upon his soul.
This brings about a tremendous reVuI'
sion. The revulsion MY perhaps be
the end Of q long, slow process. Has
he net found that his riches after all
did not pa him for the loss of his own
peace OF min. and f. the hate of the
community in which lie lives, for the
storn Of n whole city? Has lie not
found, that after all his wealth did not
satisfy or make him happy? That IL;
sin OF its acquisition was like a canker
at it's heart?
More than this, when the light comes
it brings out the dark lines. Like 4
flash Of lightning, the presence OF
Chrict Eliminates his past; and Just as
Peter, when he realized the divinity
of his Lord, cried: Depart from me,
for I am sinful man, o Lord" so
Zacchaeus feels all at once the enor-
nifty of his sin. 1t stands up in strong
relief against what has been his mas
ter passion, his greed. In an instant
he sees the 'turpitude,' the ngliness OF
| what he has been doing. What he has
seen before. .dimly is now emphasized,
stands before his mind in clear, strong
lines. He is in the light and all at
once O mighty resolve seizes him. He
will break with bis past, will give up
his besetting sin; yea, will With all his
might battle with it. Just as in Ephe-
sus, among the converts of Paul, those
who had been dabbling with magic
brought their books to burn; just rs i
drunkard knows that If he is to follow
Christ he must dash the cup forever
from his lips, so Zacchaeus forms and
announces his purpose to break with
his greed.
This resolve includes two things.
First-Generosity. Behold, Lord,
the half Of my goods, Of my income,
I give to Tue poor"
Notice the proportion. Moses k
at least one-tenth. add to that de-
mands for public requirements and q
fifth was reached. This man says
half" Compare that with the gifts
of some Of our n%otoriously rich MEL
to-day. Very few 'attain-to .thes mark
of this converted publican. A man
swho died: the. other day left ;al estate
Of some'$7, 100000, Of. which: 100000
was bequeathed to charity, and the
newspaper spoke of a large amount
being %bequeathed for charitable be-
quests. One hundred thousand dollars
out OF 5 7,5O0,O00 IS a very small pro-
portion. Let US hope that during his
life time the man did better than
that. There was something eXtraor-
binary in the bigness Of this purpose
Of Zacchaeus. Our multi-mlilionaires,
most of them, even those who at times
startle us by their gifts, have still
something to learn from Jericho's pub
lican.
secondly-Restitution IF I have
taken an thing from any nan by
false accusation, I restore him four
fold"
What a vista these words open back
into his life. They show how a part
at least of his wealth. had been won.
They show also how the methods OF the
past look now to his, awakening con-
science. He proposes to deal with his
habit by q heroic treatment. Il will
restore fourfold." AS b! carries out
that purpose, imagine, If you can, the
effect upon those, who in the past,
had had bitter and exasperating eXper-
fences with him. Should the like be
done to-day, what n stirring up there
would be. What~a change OF places
between the rich and the poor. What
vast swellings Of the conscience fund
Of the government! What thousands,
perhaps millions Of acres Of public
land would be returned t. government
control. What a dis }rging there
would be Of e%xhorbitant freighIs. How
many policy holders would be made
glad. How many crushed u firms
would be resuscitated. Imagine, II
you can, the restitution Of all wrongly
gotten W. lth. Why it would be like
streams of water flowing through dry
places. 1T would be like a TRANSFORMED
ton, scene. in a pantomime.' =.
It is almost inconceivable, and yet
that is what Christianity meant to
Zacchaeus. 1t was a salvation not
from death eternal, it was primarily a
salvation from his greed. from his sell
fishness, rom his isolation, from his
fellows. And notice that Jesus accepts
his purpose as a perfectly proper
thing. He has the true spirit of a con-
verified nfe-large-hearted liberality,
restitution of all wrongly taken prop
erty. Given these two thi"gs every
where and religion becomes real and
vital. Deny them and there is only a
name to live. 1t is ice to talk about
being Christiens, unless our religion
metns open-heartednnss and righteous