The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-10-01
9bort 9ernrons
For
5unnap Dalf-Dour
Themes:
Theme:
A RICH MANS
DIFFICULTY.

BY Rev. DR.. John R. Mackay.
+ + +
Text: Jesus said unto him, Go sell
whatever thou hast, and give to the
poor; and come, take up the cross,
and follow me.--Mark, X, 21.
+ II
Here we have a drama that almost
merges into a tragedy. 1t Is full OF
power; it quivers with intensest inter-
est.
Two young men face each other.
The distinguishing quality in one is
the bearing of a cultured, well bred
gentleman. The distinguishing quail
ity of the other is the strength and
dignity and beauty Of the soul that
shines in every feature Of His face.
In the face of the one is a great ex-
pectancy; in that of the other is the
strong reserve power that invites the
cry of human need. The one is pupil,
the other is the master.
Jesus took his hand and, lifting him
up to that level where man looks into
the eyes of man, said, "Put away, sell
those things that are between you
and your fellow man and take the
same pathway l am taking; then you
will truly realize the vision that has
come to your soul" These words
created conviction, for they voiced the
message of his own soul. He felt that
was the door through which he must
pass, and that on the other side of 1t
would be new JOY and new power. But
the price was too great. In silence
as of the grave he turned sadly to-
ward home.
This is no condemnation of riches.
There is no moral quality in mere
money. Our saying that money is
the root of all evil is only partially
true. 1t is true only in so far that
Z money awakens the worst forms Of
selfishness in us-it touches springs
and sources of soul poison as nothing
else does. If there is anything else
q that will touch a deeper depth and
awaken a worse form of seltishness,
then that is the root of all evil. Jesus
enunciated a great principle and did
W uOS IlO up W q huitoW
Life must have a vision, an ideal.
A vision is an outline of possibility.
"To live," to truly live" is to bring
energy, every activity, every thought
to bear upon the filling in of that out
line. 1t is to see "gleam" and fol-
I low it. To see that vision is to see
II the purpose of God. To set out to
realize it is to feel the presence Of
God in the life. This gives true big
ness to the soul and to the life. The
man who is too big to consider small
things is also too small to consider
big things. We must have telescope
men and men with telescope minds.
Too many are microscopic men-in
tense upon little things without see
ing their Internationally or their
relationship to a centre. In religion
the order must never be inverted-it
Is vision, that we may see how the
parts relate to the whole; outlook
that We may helpfully and truly gel
inlook. Wealth needs vision, and this
Jesus gave this young man.
Vision finally changed him. Tradi
tion says the young man followed
jesus ldlST. Ills is easy W UcllSfO
for no true soul can ever get away
< from it's vision or from the love thai
awakened it. Both were here. Every
beggar he met every struggling work
man he employed, every ill clad, il
& fed child he saw, every tired looking
mother and every form of sorrow Of
Z suffering would daily awaken hi!
vision anew. 1t would be with hin
as he rested on his own luxuriou!
couch, as he sat at his own richl!
/ ladened table, as he put on his OWL
comfortable garments, as he balanced
Z his weekly accounts-the vision woult
81 pour in its light and suggestions OIL
= these. And so this vision, this low
~, of Jesus would follow and appeal an,
- plead until the heart and life becam
shot through with the Christ spirit
selfishness was driven out, his sou
set free to follow the CLEAN and tn
true joy of ennobled manhood bt
came the young mans possession.