Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-05-02

can change Your mind and vote for It
we will give you FIVE one-thousand
dollar bills. That $4,000 will just pay
Off your mortgage and leave your farm
free Of debt, and you can make an easy
living for the rest OF your life" The
farmer looks at the money. He strug-
giles against the temptation and at last
yields. At once the newspapers open
their broadsides against him. His good
reputation IS gone. DO you not believe
this modern Iaccheus ever regrets
what he has done? DO you not believe
lie Is regrettlng his dishonest acts
now? If you nccost him as Christ
greeted the publican OF old, do you not
believe you might lead him to the bet.
ter and truer life?
But. again, think that Christ went
to the house of Zaccheus to prove to
the world that he wishes to save the
rich man in his palace as well as the
poor man in his hut. He wants to be
the Saviour of Dives in his mansion, as
well as the beggar Lazarus in his rags
The story of Zaccheus proves this.
Was Iaccheus poor man? Nay. BE
hold, there was man named Fac
cheus, which was the chief among the
publcans, and he was rich" Yes,
whenever you think OF Zaccheus you
must think of him living in a mansion.
You must think Of him dressed in the
most expensive robes. You must pic
ture him having all that money can
buy. 1t was to Zaccheus, a rich man,
that Christ carried the gospel.
But, though Christ came to save the
rich man, how hard it is to preach re-
pentance and faith and judgment to
come to the merchant prince and to the
man who rides in a carriage and to
one who has scores Of servants to run
at his bidding 1t Is easy enough for
me to go to murderer in his cell, Just
about to be executed for his crimes.
and beg him TO trust in Jesus, who
saved the dying thief on the cross:
but oh, how hard it is for one to 60
to the rich man and say: Merchant,
with your gold; lawyer and doctor.
with your lucrative practice. states
men, sitting in senatorial halls and in
gubernatorial chair, Christ came to
save the rich man. He came to save
the alistocrat. He came to save Znc-
cheus. He came to save you. Oh, We
wealthy Zaccheuses, buwarked up In
your gold, will you not believe Jesus
came to save you, even you?'
Sale Of Beauty's Soul.
In all probability you have heard the
old story about Rowland Hill many
years ago preaching upon the outskirts
of London. A great multitude was
gathered about ;he popular preacher.
While he was preaching there drove to
the outskirts of the crowd the carria ge
of the noted arts Dcratic beauty, Lady
Erskne. Suddenly Rowland Hill in his
blunt way stopped and said: Now,
brethren, we are going to have an auc-
ton sale. We are going TO sell the soul
Of Lady Erskine. who is here, to the
highest bidder. Who will bid first for
this soulT L will cries the world.
What will you give for this soul| L
will give riches and honor and pleasure
and fame is that all: Yes. that is
all who is the next bidder: 4 am
says Satan. I will give all the king.
doms Of the earth. will make men
bow down to her. I will give her full
license for all her evil desires until she
reaches the grave is that all?' Yes,
that Is all Who is the next bidder?
cried Rowland HILL I am says
Christ. What will you give" I will
give peace and JOY on earth. will
give her many years Of usefulness to
mankind. Then will give her eternal
joy and life and peace beyond. will
give her Il crown that shall never
fade" Dramatic was that Oh. yes
Only Rowland Hill dared preach such
n gospel to a proud aristocrat But
what Rowland Hill said was true.
Over every rich man as we'll as over
every poor these three forces are strug-
Cling. Christ wants to save the aris-
tocrat just as much as he wants to
save the poorest peasant Zaccheus
was rich man.
There IS beautiful legend told
about Zaccheus which goes thus: Long
after his conversion he continued to
! iNt III JtllCuo. ne uNeu tneTe ultll
he became very old man and till his
hair became as white rs the driven
snow. Then in his old age be took
upon himself very curious habit
Every morning he would take pail
and go off alone for a walk and stay
away two or three hours. He would
come back with a smiling countenance,
as though he had been with Christ
When his grOwnup daughter would
ask him where he went. he would an
swer nothing. But one day his daugh-
ter followed him She saw her old ia
Their go to the outskirts of the town to
IN old sycamore tree. When he got
there, he took his pail and filled 1t with
water and watered the roots Of the
tree. Then he plucked up the weeds
about this old tree and kissed 1t and
caressed It, Then he knelt down and
prayed by 1t. When the daughter saw
him doing thus. she said. Father, why
are you loving that old sycamore treef"
Then the old man said: "Why. daugh-
ter, don't you know? This Is the most
sacred place on earth to me. 1t was
under this tree that Jesus spoke tc
me-"
My friends, that Is only a legend, but
has not that legend any message fol