The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-04-17

form. 1t tolls In the music or mag
ical charm these letters, H-O-N-E-S-
T-Y! This is the old word of new
national anthem that shall save us
and rejuvenate our country. Like
all hours marked by historys strokes,
it has it's demand. The greatest hour
of history demanded world saving
sacrifice, and all times point back
to Christ, saying: First, Behold
the !"-the greatest man OF
earth's greatest hour. Second, BE
like Him, serve, sacrifice, save" And
the Christ gives us our motto, our
Drinciple of financial salvation:
twist We not that must be about
My Fathers business?" Earth's bus
mess must be made Gods business.
Christianity has given the world
it's greatest and best. AS it has been,
so it must be- We may truly say, so
it 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. l hail the coming
day, the advent of the most exalted
type of Christian. In law and lltera-
ture. in art and science, among capt.
talists and laborers, statesmen ana
citizens, let us have what we need,
namely-Christian men-that Is, men
-Christlike.
The third treasure he secured was
wisdom. We see in Zaccheus 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 fact, for it is not possible
that the gifts of few thousands or
millions should give the guilty con-
science peace. He found this as 1ar
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
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 se1f-indu1gent, often wasteful and
wicked-one-ha1f 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 held
largely by the professed followers OF
Christ. This is as it should be, not
because it is by them most deserved,
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 Christian
rich man, unless he is liberal giver,
and even the Christian poor often
prove that it more blessed to give
than to receive.
The fourth treasure that he Sc
cured was salvation. This day IS
salvation come to this house. so said
Christ Does it pay to get right with
God and to square up with men? AS
we'll 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 all to
obtain it. Directly, salvation is ever
and always free-without money and
without price; indirectly, it is secured
by humiliation, restitution, confess
ion and liberality.
Salvation is so 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 1Stre of spirit
ual things. There are lives loaded
with material wealth and blessings
that are just sinking them in sin and
wickedness. They are sure to strike
the rocks of an accusing conscience,
and condemning 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 Dart-a treasure that the world
cannot give, neither take away. He
IS a living testimony that honesty
nays and the square deal is profita-
BILE 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
I'D in Heaven. God give US the fear
of doing wrong; a daring courage to
right our wrongs, and an unwavering
faith to do well 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.