Milford chronicle., 1907-05-03

legalized robber the people hated him
with an unutterable loathing. 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 I must abide at thy
house" Oh, my friends, is it not a
blessed thought to you that Christ came
to save the publicans and the sinners?
Is 1t not a glorious thought that, no
matter how low a man or a woman /
may be In sin, Jesus is ready and will |
ing to rescue him or her from that sin? |
The Modern Zaeeheus.
Or take another case. Here IS a
plain, honest. simple farmer from one
Of the country districts elected to our
state legislature. He is not at heart a
bad man. He has always tried to lead
a simple, honest. true. faithful life. He
goes to our state capitol His tenn Of
office is drawing to a close. He has a
big mortgage on his farm. He has
tried for years to lift that mortgage,
but it is an impOssibllity. Just as the
session of the legislature is nearing an
end railroad corporation tries to push
through a bill to grab some land for
its private use. That farmer knows
the bill is wrong. But one day the lob
bVigf or rorrocor1f 70 tive Of &t,o 80 fr--,.g ]
comes to him and says: I'VE need your
vote to pass that bill We know you
are opposed to its passage. But if you
can change your mind and vote for it
we will give you five One-thOusand !
dollar bills. That $1,000 will Just pay
on your mortgage and leave your farm r
free of debt. and you can make an easy 1
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 G
their broadsides against him. His good Q
reputation is gone. Do you not believe 9
this modern Zaccheus ever regrets Z,
what he has done? Do you not believe
he is regretting his dishonest acts
now? If you accost him as Christ
greeted the publican of old, do you not N
believe you might lead him to the bet tC
er and truer life? j
But, again, l think that Christ went Il
o the house of Zaccheus to prove to N
he world that he wishes to save the OF
ich man in his palace as well as the W
'oor man in his hut He wants to be "
he Saviour Of Dives in his mansion, as as
yell as the beggar Lazarus in his rags.
he story Of Zaccheus proves this.
Vas Zaccheus poor man? Nay. BE
old, there was a man named Zac-
heus, which was the chief among the
ubllcans, and he was rich" Yes, III
'henever you think OF Zaccheus you
lust think of him living in mansion.
ou must think of him dressed in the 81
lost expensive robes. You must pic
Ire him having all that money can
ny. 1t was to Zaccheus, a rich man, -
lat Christ carried the gospel. IS
But, though Christ came to save the
ch man, how hard 1t is to preach re-
enhance and faith and Judgment to
me to the merchant prince and to the
an who rides in a carriage and to q
his bidding! 1t is easy enough for
e to go to murderer in his cell, Just
'out to be executed for his crimes, 3
id beg him to trust in Jesus. who
we'd the dying thief on the cross;
it, oh, how hard it is for one to go
the rich man and say: Merchant, Wi
tn your gold; lawyer and doctor, for +
tn your lucrative practice; states
IN, sitting in senatorial halls and in
bernatorial chair, Christ came to Thur
We the rich man. He came to save Thur
aristocrat. He came to save Zac- It Mon'
aus. He came to save you. Oh, ye Mon,
althy Zaccheuses, bulwarked up in Thur Thur
II gold. will you not believe Jesus Thur
ne to save you, even yOu?" W
here is a beautiful legend told WI " Ia
)ut Zaccheus which goes thus: Long
er his conversion he continued to
: in Jericho. He lived there until VIII
became a very old man and till his
r became as white as the driven T,sst TIiat
w. Then In his old age he took Frida
N himself a very curious habit Rp;1e ueso
cry morning he would take a. pail --,~-o>
go off alone for walk and stay Fare
ny two or three hours. He would Rour
le .1,I back with a smiling countenance. Milf,
- - -'.u 80 S1'.4 - ms, ms Tele
eH his SrOWhup uauShter WOuld Come
him where he went, he would an
r nothing. But one day his daugh-
followed him She saw her old IA WUF
go to the outskirts of the town to
old sycamore tree. When he got
e, he took his pail and filed it with 30
er and watered the roots of the
Then he plucked up the weeds
ut this old tree and kissed it and
ssed it. Then he knelt down and
'ed by it. When the daughter saw
doing thus, she said, Father, why