The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-02-08


mistaken his character? Is he a mis-
judged and unappreciated man?
Not so do I read the story. Inc
words which we are thinking of are
not meant to describe his past. but his
future. They do not set forth What
has been his habit. his manner OF hV-
ing; they are the announcement OF
suddenly formed purpose. And that
purpose, as we shall see presently, IS
the natural reaction from what have
been up to this time the motive and
method Of mis- life.
Though he has done all these bad
things, justly won the. odium that ne
enjoys. none the less Jesus sees.ln MIN
possl5i'iues of amendment and nobll-
ity and calls him down from the tree
on which he has perched himself to
become his guest. This condescention
involves an interview and an influx or
the personality of Jesus upon his soul.
This brings about q t-em endous reVul-
sion. The revulsion MY perhaps be
the end Of long, slow process. Has
he not found that his riches after all
did not pa him for the loss of his own
peace Of MINI and fc' the hate OF the
community 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 t.,
sin or its acquisition was like canker
at its heart?
More than this, when the light comes
it brings out the dark lines. Like
flash of lightning, the presence OF
Chrict illuminates 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. It stands up In strong
relief against what has been his mas
ter passion, his greed. In an instant
he sees the turpitude, the ugliness or
what he has been doing. What ne mas
seen before dimly is now emphasized,
stands before his mind in clear, strong
lines. He Is in the light and all at
once mighty resolve seizes him. be
will break with his 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 as a
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 iacludes two things.
First-Generosity. Behold, LORD,
the half of my goods, Of my income,
I give to tne poor"
Notice the proportion. Moses asked
at least one-tenth. Add to that de-
mands for public requirements and
fifth was reached. This man says
half" Compare that with the gifts
of some of our notoriously 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 $500, 5000, 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 S7,50O,OOO is very small pro-
portion. Let us hope that during his
life time the man did better than
that, There was something extraor-
dinary in the bigness of this purpose
Of Zacchaeus. Our multi-mlihonaires,
most Of them, even those who at times
startle US by their gifts, have still
something to learn from Jericho's pub
lican. -.
Secondl-Resutution. ''If I have
taken am thing from. any man by
false accusation, I restore him four
fold"
: What 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 heroic treatment. II will
restore fourfold" As hs 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 stirring up there
would be. What 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 to government
/ control. What dis 'rging there
would be of exhorbitant freights. How
many policy holders would be made
glad. How many crushed out firms
would be resuscitated. Imagine, II
you can, the restitution Of all wrongly
gotten w,alth. Why it would be like
streams of water flowing through dry
places. It would be like transforma-
ton scene in a pantomime.
1t is almost uncomfortable, and YET
that is what Christianity meant to
Zacchaeus. It was salvation not
from death eternal, it was primarily
salvation from his greed, from his sell
fishness, from his isolation, from his
fellows. And notice that Jesus accepts
his purpose as a perfectly proper
thing. He has the true spirit of con-
verted thfe-large-hearted iberality.
restitution of all wrongly taken prop
erty. Given these two thiegs every
where and religion becomes real and
vital. Deny them and there is only
name to live. 1t is iG!e to talk about
being Christians, unless our religion
means open-heartedn"ss and righteous
ness. =:
Christ Anchors the Soul.
Do- Hsboodora T. E,1v1or Snaa king