disciples were slow to learn, but no more so than are the followers of to- day. They had forgotten already the lesson of the Christ given in 18:2-5. They considered them of small impor- tance. Why should the Master be bothered with them? Rebuking the Disciples. The Lord was displeased with His disciples. He loves the children; He longs for them; His arms are outstretched for them. " B r i n g them to M e , " is His command. We hear much about the child problem, but it is easy of solution— bring them to Jesus. He will take them into His arms and bless them. If He blesses children, will He not bleps those who carry them to Him? How sad to know that often the Church has ignored the children; has doubted their ability to trust the Lord. It is not enough to bring them to Sunday school, or to ehurch. Many drift through both places and never find the Lord. Bring them to Jesus; put them by faith into His arms and they will be safe. If the Lord loves them we are all sure that the devil hates then), and longs to get them into his possession. Not more than fifty per cent, of the child- ren of the State are brought into the Sunday school and not more than thir- ty per cent, of those in the Sunday school are won for Christ. The child problem is easy of solution if we could but see it. A little girl was turned loose in one of the upper counties of New York. Six generations of her de- scendants produced a large number of idiots, imbeciles, drunkards, lunatics, paupers and prostitutes, and two hun- dred known criminals, costing the State hundreds of thousands of dollars. Sup- posse she had been taken by some one to the loving Lord. What then? (k) LACKING AND LOSING. "One thing thou lackest." "He went away sorrowful." In contrasct with the mothers seek- ing a blessing for the children is the picture of the young man seeking eter- nal life. The incident can be treated in varied steps. "Mi s s i ng the Ma r k ," " T h e True T e s t ," " T h e Hindering Power of We a l t h ," " L a c k i ng One Thing and Losing All Th i n g s ," and " T u r n i ng the Back upon Ch r i s t ." Any one of these would make a practical theme. Seeking eternal life. Here is a young man who is a rich, educated, religious, moral, honest in- quirer. He is breaking from the reli-
gion of the synagogue. He is courage- ous, risking his position and the pos- sible reproval of his associates. He has high aspirations and holy zeal. The first view of this young man is inspir- ing. A rich ruler on the run for sal- vation. We see him kneeling at the feet of the Saviour and reverently call- ing Him "Go od Ma s t e r ." He was honest—unlike the dishonest lawyer who asked Him a similar question. He was himself a teacher and believed in the life to come. In all of his studies and practices he had never found any place for his soul. Now in his eager- ness to reach the solution of his soul need, he broke through all of the cus- toms of the Orient. He was an excep- tional character and religiously moral, and the Lord looked upon him and loved him. He came to the right place to secure the one thing needful—the feet of Jesus. He had wrong ideas of the Master. He looked upon Him as a good man, and this the Lord resented. He will never accept the title, or ac- knowledge tribute paid to Him on that plane. " T h e re is none good but o n e ." Why do you not call me Goa? " M a r k 10:18). He failed to see that He was God manifest in the flesh. He had wrong conceptions of eternal life. He thought it could be purchased or mer- ited by some deed or service. This error is universal. Everywhere men all seeking to do something that they may be saved, and this weary treadmill of work is vain. It is no longer do but done. Salvation has been wrought out at a great price. It is finished. There is nothing left but to accept what God offers, without money and without prie«. Sent to the Law. He had a wrong estimate of his own goodness. He wanted to do something, so the Lord sent him to the law. If he can keep the whole law he shall live, but he must keep it every whit. " T h e man that doeth these things shall live by them. He was ignorant of the real meaning of the law and ignorant of his one frailty. He had lived a life of exter- nal obedience and outward moral rec- titude. His interpretation of the law was mechanical. " W h a t lack I. y e t ? " His hungry soul is not satisfied, and he thinks he is ready to do anything. \vhat more is there to do, he asks? Thi? reveals the, heart of the Pharisee. Had he been under thé power of the Spirit he would have said all these
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