The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-12-21

This is a character study in black
and white. The picture is drawn by
determined hand and there is no hint
of hesitation. Stroke follows stroke
until the complete portrait Is before
us. The story Is as complete as 1t Is
concise. 1t begins in comedy and ends
In tragedy. The young man, impulsive,
optimistic and emperamentally en-
thusiastic, burries breathlessly into
the presence of Jesus with the long
hushed question of his heart upon his
lips. and then when our hopes for him
are highest we behold him making
what Dante calls THE Great Re-
fusal' and returns to his old life as III
at ease and with his heart as hungry
as ever.
Let us not misunderstood this young
man. He was no comedian trifiing with
sacred things and then casting them
thoughtlessly away from him. He was
intense, enthusiastic, a nobleman at
heart. and when Jesus looked upon
him he fell In love with him. He
had climbed the ladder Of lawful am
bltion, and while still a young man
was in the council OF the elders. Honor
did not spoil the humility of his
heart. and In the presence OF the Mas
ter he bowed in graceful reverence.
Richly endowed with worldly wealth,
he was still more richly endowed with
q nature rich In the virtues that make
for righteousness
Jesus was intensely interested In
this young man We read that He
loved him" think he was interest
ed in him on account Of his youth.
Christ and young manhood, as has
been said. are as magnet and steel.
| This young man had all his life to
live. The years with all their possi-
| BILE achievements were still before
him.
Christ was interested In this young
! man because he was rich. Riches and
wealth meant power. and power is an
| other name for responsibility Jesus
| spoke hard words about rich men and
about rich men who loved money, who
trusted in money, who because or
their money forgot about God Jesus,
however. did not despise a man be-
cause he was rich He loved the rich
young ruler II was rich man who
begged his lifeless body as It hung
unclaimed upon the cross. Two rich
men took his dead body and wrapped
It tenderly In the choicest Of linen and
laid it away in costly sepulcher
Jesus knows and recognizes no class.
Riches and poverty to him are but the
tools with which character fashions cir
cumstances The mans the gowd for
f. that" II is written of him that he
made his grave with the rich in his
death" There is pathos and tragedy
m that sentence. Must the Master
wait till death to dwell in the hab-
itations of the rich?" May he not make
his abode with the rich in his life?
Let the rich man open the door and
Christ will enter In to share his lone
ly isolation, and will satisfy the hun
ger of his heart
Jesus was interested in this young
man because he was moral. His life
was pure and his hands clean. For him
a good name was better than great
riches. He followed the quest of the
best He was one Of the Knights OF
the Round Table. who had pledged his
honor to live sweet life OF purest
chastity To gain the love and ad
miration of Jesus II Is not necessary
to wander off into forbidden paths
of sin, and to run Je gauntlet of a
dissipated life For all young men
who are fighting sin and the devil and
carrying a clean conscience in the
midst of communicating circumstances
Jesus has warm welcome.
Jesus was interested in this young
man. who. with his youth, his position
his influence his purity of life, was
still dissatisfied and came with the
cry of unrest What lack YETI" This
is a wonderful thing that he should
have so much and yet not have
enough
Jesus answered the young mans
question by a command. Come, follow
me-" In great book recently pub
lished there Is this striking sentence
IF the gods went their way and were
satisfied and the beasts vent their
way and were satisfied, the unrest Of
man can only mean that he is not
rightly related to his present life
Now, is not that Just the truth? How
can man be rightly related to this
present life in which he is set If he
leaves out God and refuses to become
related to the eternal realities that lie
all around him. in the world Of truth
and beauty and goodness? Are youth
and worldly honor, and riches the only
things that life needs to be related to-
Out of all these human relationships
the cry is heard What lack yet"
And Jesus responds promptly, "Yor
lack the love and the light OF the pres
ence Of the God of truth"
The human heart is homeless unit
finds the Heavenly Father" Fine
iod. and you find rest and peace anC
satisfaction Religion is satisfaction
. Religion completes life and perfect
owe, and only in the presence of Goo
5 t3e soul satisfied
, No sacrifice is too great TO gain thi
great treasure Sell all that yo'
ave and give to the poor If neces
afy" Let nothing hold you back from
/, olowing after Christ in the life o
elf.surrender and loving service
ed by the Eye That Never Sleeps
I, ~ will guide thee with mine eye.