Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-05-04

MAY 4, 1907
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 publlcans and the sinnersF
Is it not a glorious thought that, no
matter how low man or a 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 revival service held by a
we'll known slum worker. After the
talk was over he asked all who would
TO come forward and confess Christ.
They came by scores. There were
about a hundred of them. Some were
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
saving to myself: Il wonder II those
men are in earnest. | wonder If those
men truly want Christ" Then | be-
thought myself of conversation l
had with one Of my elders few DAYS
before. He said Ten years ago l
WAS in the Pacific Garden mission. 10
Of A front
n man so maudlin drunk that DID not
think he understood one word that was
said He was the lowest kind OF an
outcast. 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
not surprising that the elders story
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. lie
knew that the Christ who had saved
him could save all who came to him.
That is why Christ saves the worst
cases. It encourages others to come to
him. That is why he went to be q
guest at the house OF Zaccheus.
Honest at Heart.
I take step further in my suDJect
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 tc
reach and lead to the better life. a
man may be n thief and a robber OF
even n murderer and yet not be wed
ded TO his sins. He may long to be
come pure and true and honest anC
upright. Zaccheus was publican
Zaccheus was dishonest tax collector
But Zaccheus was one who, at the mrs.
salutation Of Jesus, was willing u
come down from that sycamore tre'
and welcome the master to his home
That IS the type Of sinner who can b'
most easily reached for Christ by us II
the present day.
| Again, believe that Zaccheus wa
at heart an honest man and wanted Il
do right. When a man Is converte'
and saws to Christ, Behold, Lord tn
| half of my goods give to the poor
and If I have taken anything from an.
man by false accusation | restore L
him, fourfold," he gives good eyldenc
that lie had primarily been or an non
| est nature. Then perhaps it was III
honesty that led the Romans to one
the Office of tax collector to him. Pel
haps the Roman officials came to hin
and said: "Zaccheus, would you no
like TO be the tax collector for the CIT
of Jericho? You know everybody 1o
know lust how much they are wortr
You can make more out Of it than any
body else" "Oh, no." l think l hea
Zaccleus say, Il do not want the pos
tion. 1t is one Of the meanest an
most contemplate positions on earth.
"I know it," says the Roman governor
"but. remember, somebody has to TAX
this position, and If you take it thin
Of all the raoney you can make an
how rich you can leave your famll!
, You had better take it, Zaccheus.
Then in a moment Of great Temptation
: perhaps, Zaccheus fell. Do you Nc
think he ever regretted that he too
= that position? And when Jesus calle
t him back to the better life do yo
l wonder that he gladly climbed dow
out Of that sycamore tree and aske
{ Christ into his home? Do not maF
] the mistake of thinking that gre;
j sinner never has a desire to come DaC
, to the better life.
: How many men are there whom, liz
= Zaccheus, you might lead to Chris
{ Here is one whom you call ston
j hearted. brutal saloon keeper. NC
e think he is brutal, but he is not. Thel
s never was a man who loathed the ours
t of liauor more than he loathes it.
s YOU talked to him, you might find tn
It he drifted into the whisky business
= thousands Of whisky dealers have don
e They honestly tried to find other Ell
: ployment but could not Then in
y spirit Of desperation they took emplo
e ment in a saloon. Before they kne
= it they commenced to make lots
money. But in the midnight hour,
e the darkness Of their rooms, some
# these saloon keepers have reallz
# again and again that the road tn
Is are taking 20 fortune Is marked
Y tombstones and coffin lids ana op
D. graves. Only too willing would tho
K sands of the saloon keepers be to tn
a their backs upon the evil traffic If tn
le only knew a way to get out. If yC
20 | n mon would accOSt some OF the