The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-12-22

1921.
This Is a character study in black
and white. The picture Is drawn by a,
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 temperamentally en-
thusiastic, hurries breathlessly into
the presence of Jesus with the long
hushed question Of his heart upon his
lips. and hen 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 Ill
at ease and with his heart as hungry
as ever.
Let us not misunderstood this young
man. He was no comedian trifling with
sacred things and then casting them
thoughtlessly away from him. He was
intense, enthusiastic, a nobleman ut
heart. and when Jesus looked upon
him he fell in love with him. He
had climbed the ladder of lawful am
bition. and while still a young man
w oS III NhS SouhSA II AN
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
a nature rich in the virtues that make
for righteousness.
Jesus was intensely interested IN
this young man. We read that He
loved him." l think he was interest
ed in him on account OF his youth.
Christ and young manhood. as a
been said, are as magnet and steel.
This young man had all his life to
live. The years with all their posi-
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 OF
their money forgot about God. Jesus,
however, did not despise a MAJ be-
cause he was rich. He loved the rich
young ruler. 1t was a rich man who
begged his ~lifeless body. as ii hung
unclaimed upon the cross. Two rich
men took his dead body and wrapped
it tenderfy III the choicest of linen and
laid it away in a 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
a. that" 1t is written of him that
made his grave with the rich ir
death" There is pathos and tr
in that sentence. Must lie Aii--~si
wait till death to dwell in the hab-
i~tations of the rich?" May he not make
his abode with the rich in his hfer
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. i
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 1t is not necessary
to wander off into forbidden paths
of sin, and to run the gauntlet or a
dissipated life. For all young men
who are fighting sin and the devil and
carrying a clean conscience In the
midst of communicating circumstance
Jesus has a warm welcome.
t 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 I YETI" This
n is a wonderful thing that he should
have so much and yet not have
4 enough.
Jesus answered the young mans
question by a command. Come, follow
me-" In a great book recently pub
lished there is this striking sentence,
;" IF the gods went their way and were
; satisfied. and the beasts went their
O way and were satisfied, the unrest OF
man can only mean that he is not
d rightly related to his present life"
" Now. is not that just the truth? How
can a 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
d all around him. in the world of truth
S and beauty and goodness? Are youth
and worldly honor. and riches the only
r things that life needs to be related to!
Gu. Of all these human relationships
the cry Is heard. What lack l YETI
.e And Jesus responds promptly. "You
lack the love and the light of the pres
:, ence of the God of truth"
The human heart Is homeless unit
:, it finds the Heavenly Father" Find
~ God, and you find rest and peace ant
satisfaction. Religion IL satisfaction
d Religion completes life and perfects
IL love, and only in the presence OF Goo
is the soul satisfied.
u No sacrifice Is too great to gain this
great treasure. Sell all that 20,
have and give to the poor II neces
sary." Let nothing hold you back from
following after Christ In the life O
self-surrender n loving service
b. Led by the Eye That Never Sleeps
It will guide thee with mine eye.