Norwich bulletin., 1916-05-16
GAVE SERMON ON
LIFE's SUPREME REFUSAL.
Rev. Joel B. sloeum, D. D., Speaks or
Timely Topic at Central BaPtis
Church.

At the Sunday evening service at the
Central Baptist church, Rev. Joel B.
Slocum, D. D., the pastor, spoke on the
topic, Life's Supreme Refusal, tax
ing his text from Mark, 1929.
| This familiar story from which this
| text text is taken presents several IA
/ vorable things in connection with the
man who made this supreme refusal
| said Rev. DR.. Slocum. Three of the
| four gospels tells the story in sub
| stantial agreement as to details. From
| all of them we learn these facts:
| That he was young. The strong in
| ference is that he was also hand
some. If Hoffman was correct in his
| conception he was certainly very hand
| some He was enthusiastic. He came
! running to Jesus. He was courteous.
He kneeled to Christ. He was physi-
| cally clean and morally upright. He
was conscious of having had more
! than the average success in keeping
| the law. He was especially an ex-
pert in the second part of the deca-
1 Iogue which refers to mans duty with
man.. He was rich, and Jesus didn't
| think less of him for that. He was
| a ruler, probably of the synagogue. All
these outstanding things in the young
| mans life were favorable and could
be turned to good account. More
over, there was one other good thing
which perhaps was better than all
the other good things put together.
And that was his consciousness that
he needed something else that he didn't
have. True, he did not realize defin-
itely what that was. but he had it and
that was an indication in the right d.
rection.
This young man was courageous, too
He was not shy and covert in his in
terview with Jesus. He came in
broad daylight and with all the frank
ness of youth.
But Jesus put him to the test-or
the very pain of his specialties and
he passed that test and Jesus looking
on him loved him and said unto him
"One thing thou lackest," for Jesus
saw by this time that the citidel Of
, in his morality, but especially pride
, in his riches. The final test that Jesu!
! put to him had two phases: go sci
: whatever thou hast" That would bt
/ | an act of supreme sacrifice such as hi
: had never contemplated before. Tha
would mark his worldly pride and tn
Y sense of his material power. Then Civ
!, it to the poor. This would be sacri
8 flee worth while. Then come and b.
h my disciple. That would be tn
i only course to salvation.
e Jesus saw that that was the onl,
course open to this young man.
But the demand was too great. H
d lowered his head and went ava,
:, slowly (not running and o. so sad
: "! We are glad Of that. There i
y some hope as long as the soul is sus
ceptib1e to sorrow. Then Jesus turn
Y, ed with a comment which was a par
of his observance that while Christian
:, may become rich, it is exceedingl
= difficult for the rich to become Chris
y tians. They get all bound up in tn
= worldly things. They get farther an
farther away from the spirit of a lii
N tie child. Now suppose this youn
~ man had taken the suggestion of Jesu
what would that harne meant?
ie It would have given him a gres
= friendship. That would have bee
1e worth everything to him. That is tt
81 greatest friendship that any man ca
re have.
s. 1t would have given him 1iber1
or education. No man is educated III
til he learns about Jesus.
It would have given him promil
in ence such as he had never dreamt
is about He thought he was promil
elk ent then and that is what he SUI
lp, posed he would have to sacrifice.
lp, Refusal of Christ today means Il
as loss of all these things. Only as Y
tn link our names and our inf1uenc
with Christians can we hope to win.
Do you suppose we should ha,
heard of Sherwood Eddy, the Me
chant? Possibly, but not likely. B
IT. today the whole world knows abo
him. Are you on His side! Have "
lie made choice? Will you take Him I
ci- friendship and education and usefu