tions and professions
which could get themselves translated into character and action. Words
have always been the bane of religion as well as its vehicle. Religious
emotion has enormous motive force, but it is the easiest thing in the
world for it to sizzle away in high professions and wordy prayers. In that
case it is a substitute and counterfeit, and a damage to the Reign of God
among men.

How about our own religious talk?

Would it be better, then, to give up preaching and public prayer?

_What has the utterance of religion done for us?_

Fourth Day: This Camel Passed Through

And he entered and was passing through Jericho. And behold, a man
called by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was
rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the
crowd, because he was little of stature. And he ran on before, and
climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass
that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said
unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must
abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received
him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, He
is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus
stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods
I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any
man, I restore fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, To-day is
salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of
Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which
was lost.--Luke 19:1-10.

Zacchaeus was engaged in the profitable but shady business of farming the
Roman taxing system in one of the richest districts of Palestine. He was a
politician and business man combined, and the kind of man that is "bound
to land." Being only five feet one he had no chance amid a crowd in a
narrow street watching a procession. So he climbed a tree. Imagine a
corporation president climbing a telegraph post to see Jesus! This spirit
of determination appealed to Jesus and he promptly made friends with him,
though he well knew he would lose some more of his reputation by
identifying himself with a publican. Zacchaeus proved his fitness for the
Kingdom of God by parting with his accumulated graft at a single sweep.
Fifty per cent of his property given away outright; the balance used to
m