The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-04-30


til they could be bled no more. And
because he had been an extortioner. a
legalized robber, the people hated him
with an unutterable ioathing. They
regarded him and his family as social
outcasts.
Now, Christ by going to this despised
tax collectors house practically said:
even to the lowest of the low / shall
carry my gospel. No man or woman
has sunk so deep into the mire of sin
but my blood can cleanse him from all
sin Zaccheus, make haste and come
down, for today | must abide at thy
house" Oh, my friends, Is 1t not a
blessed thought to you that Christ came
to save the publicans and the sinners?
Is 1t not glorious thought that, no
matter how low man or woman
may be in sin, Jesus is ready and will
ing to rescue him or her from that SIM
Saved by Christ.
Some time ago it was my privilege
to attend a revival service held by n
we'll known Stun worker. After the
talk was over he asked all who would
to come forward and confess Christ.
They came by scores. There We're
about hundred of them. Some We're
filthy and ragged. Some were without
collars. Some of them had their breath
smelling vile with liquor. AS they
came forward to the mercy seat | kept
saying to myself; Il wonder if those
men are in earnest. | wonder If those
men truly want Christ" Then | be
thought myself of conversation |
before. He said: Ten years ago |
was in the Pacific Garden mission. To
my left, on one of the front seats, sat
man so maudlin drunk that | did not
think he understood one word that was
said. He was the lowest kind of an
0utcast. When the invitation to come
to Christ was given, that man arose
and staggered forward and fell on his
knees and then and there gave his
heart to Christ. He was sincere, too, for
he Is now working as an evangelist.
His name is Melville Trotter." 1t is
uOI SUI tIlut tHc tltitI SUI
came to my mind that night, for the
man whose pleadings had drawn that
dissipated crowd to their knees was
the Melville Trotter whose conversion
the elder had witnessed. No wonder
his invitations were so confident. He
knew that the Christ who had saved
him could save all who came to him.
That is why Christ saves the worst
cases. 1t encourages others to come to
him. That is why htwent to be
guest at the house of Zaccheus
Honest at Heart.
/ take Il step further in my subject
and declare that Christ went to the
home of Zaccheus for another reason.
He wanted to prove to the world that
some of the sinners who have been
swept off their feet by great tempta-
ton are sometimes the easiest men to
reach and lead to the better life. A
man may be thief and robber or
even murderer and yet not be we'd
ded to his sins. He may long TO be-
come pure and true and honest and
upright Zaccheus was a publican.
Zaccheus was dishonest tax collector.
But Zaccheus was one who, at the first
salutation of Jesus, was willing to
come down from that sycamore tree
and welcome the master to his home.
That Is the type of sinner who can be
most easily reached for Christ by us in
the present day.
Again, | believe that Zaccheus was
at heart an honest man and wanted to
do right. When man is converted
and says to Christ, Behold, Lord, the
half of my goods | give to the poor,
and IL have taken anything from any
man by false accusation | restore to
him fourfold," he gives good evidence
that he had primarily been of an hon
est nature. Then perhaps it was his
honesty that led the Romans to offer
the office of tax collector to him. Ter
haps the Roman officials came to him
and said 'Zaccheus, would you not
like to be the tax collector for the city
of Jericho? You know everybody. You
know just how much they are worth.
You can make more out of it than any
body else" "Oh, no." l think l hear
Zaccheus say, Il do not want the posi-
ton. 1t Is one of the meanest AMI
most contemplate positions on earth"
II know it." says the Roman governor,
"but, remember somebody has to take
this position, and If you take it think
of all the money you can make and
how rich you can leave your family.
You had better take 1t, Zaccheus."
Then In moment of great temptation,
perhaps, Zaccheus fell. Do you not
think he ever regretted that he took
that position? And when Jesus called
him back to the better life do you
wonder that he gladly climbed down
out Of that sycamore tree and asked
Christ into his home? Do not make
the mistake of thinking that great
sinner never has desire to come back
to the better life
How many men are there whom, like
Zaccheus, you might lead to Christ?
Here Is one whom you call a stony
hearted, brutal saloon keeper. You
fbi,ly I,a 10 brutal h,1f no Ia MT rThara