The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-01-18

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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 it 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 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 i'll
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 at
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
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
a nature rich in the virtues that make
for righteousness.
Jesus was intensely interested in
this young man. We read that He
loved him." I 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 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 man be-
cause he was rich. He loved the rich
young ruler. 1t 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 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 It is written of him that he
made his grave with the rich in his
death" There is pathOs and tragedy
in 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
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sun diSSallshed ana came WIN the
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enough.
Jesus answered lHe young man
/ question by d command come, ioIio"
me. IN great pooh recently pup
hshed there Is inns strlAIns sentence