The Penn's Grove record., 1908-04-24
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49, - 6AAC oAktL IllE4l
and work Gods works with Him. The
main demands of our times are of ne
cessity those of development and or
ganization. The business of our day
are large enterprises which bestow
great gain. Are these important and
great opportunities to be filled by the
emissaries of the devil? Instructive
ly all right thinking men cry. no
Are wicked and selfish men large
enough for The times? How the
wicked have fallen and what a mighty
cry goes up for men.
God give US men," good men.
Hark, the clock is striking a new
hour. 1t has sounded many before.
None, however, more important and
far reaching than the present. As al
ways 1t is an hour of change and re-
form. It tolls in the music of mag
zeal charm these letters, HOMES
T-Y! This is the old word of a new
national anthem that shall save US
and rejuvenate our country. Like
all hours marked by history's strokes,
1t has its demand. The greatest hour
of history demanded a world saving
sacrifice, and all times point back
to Christ, saying: First, Behold
the man!"-the greatest man of
earth's greatest hour. Second, BE
like Him, serve, sacrifice, save" And
the Christ gives us our motto. our
principle of financial salvation:
"Wist We not that 1 must be about
My Fathers business?" Earth's bus
mess must be made Gods business.
Christianity has given the world
its greatest and best. AS it has been.
so it must be. We may truly say, so
1t is. The demands of the world on
the church are seldom disappointed.
The few failures but prove the rule
that the bank of faith can supply
the calls of sight. I hail the coming
day, the advent of the most exalted
type of Christian. In law and litera-
ture, in art and science. among CAPT.
~talists and laborers, statesmen and
citizens, let us have what we need,
namely-Christian men-that is, men
I-Christlike.
The third treasure he secured was
wisdom. We see in Zaecheus one
who could make money, but was now
bound to make it honestly and will
ing to use it we'll. 1t may be OBJ
Jected that all his money was not
dishonesty obtained. Let us accept
that as a fact, for it is not possible
that the gifts of a few thousands or
millions should give the guilty con-
science peace. He found this as far
as it could be obtained in restitution.
The restitution proved what he want
ed to be; his gift of half his goods,
what he was. We can almost feel his
conversion, as his actions accuse him
self of boarding and indulgence. His
desires seem to broaden from being a
lake of pleasure to becoming a river
of blessing. The use of wealth is a
great art and a wise wealth user is
indeed an artist. Let us presume the
same conditions to prevail in our day;
one-half of my goods to the poor, one
half of the accumulated wealth-the
wealth that is making people selfish
and self-indulgent, often wasteful and
wieked-one-half this wealth would
prosper charity, missions and the
cause of Christ beyond all our fond
est dreams. Yet let us remember the
church is blessed with great wisdom
and willingness to use wealth for the
good of the race and the glory of God.
The wealth of all the world is hefd-
largely by the professed followers OF
Christ. This is as it should be, not
Soo IL 10 W Al1ClA " 0CoCA NCdg
but because it is by them best used.
The wealth of the world may be held
largely by Christians, but it belongs
to God. No man is truly a Christian
rich man, unless he is a liberal giver,
and even the Christian poor often
prove that it more blessed to give
than to receive.
The fourth treasure that he Sc
ofIrnd woo co1uofinn saThic dow -
salvation come to this house" so said
Christ. Does it pay to get right with
God and to square up with men? As
well ask, Does it pay to buy gold
eagles with trade dollars? Salvation
is truly the Pearl of Great Price"
which, once found, it is worth ali to
obtain it. Directly, salvation is ~
and always free-without money and
without price; indirectly, it is secured
by humiliation, restitution, confess
ion and liberality.
Salvation is 81 great it must cost
and so great it cannot be purchased.
Not all of earth's wealth and treas
ures can buy salvation, for we were
redeemed not by silver or gold, but
by the precious blood of Christ. Fac
cheus was to have less of material
things, but so much more of spirit
-ual things. There are lives loaded
with material wealth and blessings
that are just sinking them in sin and
wickedness. They are sur to strike
the rocks of an accusing conscience.
and eondemning heart. Man lightenS
the ship. Restitution and liberality
will prepare the way for Gods great
blessing of salvation.
How rich Zaccheus became that
day! Like Mary, he found that bet
ter part-a treasure that the world
cannot give, neither take away. He
is a living testimony that honesty
pays and the square deal is profta-
bic. He gained life's greatest pos
session-the salvation of his soul.
And strange to say, he began to be
doubly rich when he was converted.
He learned to give to the poor, and
thus started to lend to the Lord. His
treasures were simply transferred;
for every honest dollar sincerely Civ
en- in charity and liberality is so saved
beyond the rainy day, treasures laid
UP in Heaven. God give us the fear
of doing wrong; a daring courage to
right our wrongs, and an unwavering
faith to do we'll with what is truly
our possessions. To hold is to lose;
to give is to save. God grant that in
this grace of giving we may abound
to the blessing of others on earth,
and the enriching of ourselves in
Heaven.