The Penn's Grove record., 1906-01-26

things, justly won the odium that he
enjoys, none the less Jesus sees ia him
POSSIBILITIES of amendment and Aobil-
ity and calls him down from the tree
on which he las perched himself to
become his guest. This condescentiOR
involves an interview and an influx of
the personality CT Jesus upon his soul.
This brings about a tremendous revul-
sion. The revulsion MY perhaps be
the end of a long, slow process. Has
he not found that his riches after all
did not pa him for the loss of his own
peace Of nina and f. the hate of the
commcnity in which lie lives, for the
scorn of a whole city? Has he not
found that after all his wealth did not
satisfy or make him happy? That Ia.
sin OF its acquisition was like a canker
at its heart?
More than this, when the light comes
it brings out the dark lines. Like a
fash Of lightning, the presence of
Christ Eliminates his past; and just as
Peter, when he realized the divinity
Of his Lord, cried: Depart from me
for l m sinful man, 0 Lord" so
Zacch6eus 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 ugliness 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 a mighty resolve seizes him. He
will break with his past, will give up
his besetting sin; yea, will nth 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 as u
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,
l give to Ine poor"
Notice the proportion. Moses asked
at least one-tenth. add to that de-
mands for public requirements and a
fifth was reached. This man says
half" Compare that with the gifts
of some of our VIGOROUSLY rich men
to-day. Very few attain to the mark
of this converted publican. A man
who died the other day left an estate
of some 81, 500,0 5000. of which 100000
was bequeathed to charity, and the
newspaper spoke of a large amount
being b%equeathed for charitable be-
quests. One hundred thousand GAllars
out of $E,500,000 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.
Observation-Disclosures. "If 1 have
taken an thing from any man by
false accusation, l restore him four
fold.'
What a vista thcse'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 a heroic treatment. Il will
restore fourfeld." As h. 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 a 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 1rging there
would be of exhorbitant freighCs. How
many policy holders would be made
glad. How many crushed out firms
would be resuscitated. Imagine, if
YOU a n the restitution Of all wrongly
gotten W, alth. Why it would be like
streams of water flowing through dry
places. 1t would be like a transforms
ton scene in a pantomime.
1t 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
ishness. rom his isolation, from his
fellows. And notice that Jesus accepts
his purpose as a perfectly proper
thing. He Gas the true spirit Of a cor
verified nfe-large-hearted liberality.
restitution of all wrongly taken prop
erty. Given these two thirgs every
where and religion becomes real and
vital. Deny them and there is only a
name to live. 1t is iGle TO talk about
being Christians, unless u religion
means open-heartednosS and righteous
mass.