The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1924-12-18

NSaAIA IHaS He COulu HOL snake OH,
and as the company neared Jericho,
Bartimeus refused to be silenced as
he claimed a boon from the royalty
that ne hailed from the dust of the
roadside and right like king Jesus
gave him the sight he asked. They
streamed through the gates into the
street Of palms with the stir of the
whole city about them
There was one man who was de-
spised by all the Jews, hated by
many, feared by some, for behind
him stood the power of Rome to en-
force the tax he demanded. He was
little and was probably known thru
out the town as "Old Runt," but he
had taken his smallness as a spur to
activity and not cause for failure.
Energetic, alert for whatever went
on among the citizens, quick--witted
and determined, he had his way in
whatever he attempted. All in all,
there was no better business man in
all the region and he would swing
big enterprises from a New York
desk now. When he heard of the
coming of this strange character who
ate with sinners and whose praises
he had heard sung by his fellow-pub-
ican, Levi, he was determined to see
Him. Unable to push thru the throng
he ran ahead and chuck
ling boyishly he swung up into the
low branches of a sycamore tree
where this chief sinner, in the opinion
of the city, was all ready to inspect
the Visitor passing below him. For
Zaccheus had never grown up and
had been saved from that worst death
possible, that of the child in the
mans soul.
THE SAVIOUR.
Jesus had probably heard of this
man before He reached Jericho and
was as eager for the meeting as was
the Publican. There was no difficulty
in locating him, for the crowd was
laughing and there may have been
some passing of badinage between
the man in the tree and the men in
the street, not always to the advan-
tage of the latter. Then Jesus stood
beneath the tree and looked into the
face all alight with intelligence and
desire and the grave eyes below snil-
ed into the laughing ones above. Now,
for the only time in His ministry,
Jesus broke through His rule of ac-
cepting invitations in an utterly I'M
conventional way. He was saying to
Zaccheus: II can break thru forms
too, and am as good a tree-climber
as you are. If you can be unconven-
tional to Me, can be unconventional
in asking for meal with you" 1t
was the incompatible understanding
that Jesus had of human nature that
led Him to the strategy He displayed
in all His soul-winning adventures.
Red tape was ruthlessly cut if by that
means He could find way to mans
heart. Zaccheus didn't stop to climb
down; he dropped, and instantly led
the way to his own door.
Another characteristic feature of
Jesus is revealed in His attitude to-
ward the crowd that growled out its
protest and utter disgust over such a
choice of hosts. "Scabs" and union"
feeling are the only comparable
things to the feelings existing be-
tween the Publican and the Jew for
Jesus, the Jewish rabbi, to dine with
one was an open insult to all the
town. Roosevelt's dining Booker T.
Washington in the White House STIR
red up lesser storm. But Jesus re-
fused to bow to the will of the mob.
He would be unpopular and do the
unpopular that He might win soul.
and the only hope for democracy is
the reign of love instead of that of
prejudice and dislike. Jesus pre-
ferred being right to being popular.
THE SAINT.
What went on in that house no one
knows except the ones who shared
its blessedness. That it was hilarious
goes without saying, for all the joy of
redemption was Embossed, and when a
real man finds a real Master then do
angels sing. Jesus would "abide" in
the house and that is a superlative
joy-bringer in any house in any age.
At sometime during the stay the own
er of the house stood up before the
new Master of the house with an
other of those swift decisions that
mark the man. The rich yollnp man