"Not one, my father. All were beneath the stone, and all have gone. And yet I was there only last night, and from the island I saw Blonda and Tonie skating on the lake. And when they stopped (seeing, perhaps, the light I had with me), I wrapped myself in the white linen and cried out, and then vanished quickly, even as a ghost should. After that they went away, and I ran back by a path that would cross theirs and so home. But oh, my father, I must tell you that now my beautiful, shining hoard is gone, I care for nothing any more."
"Listen, Freskel," cried the old man, sitting down and drawing the poor lad nearer to him, "listen. Once in the very long ago, when our Lord Jesus Christ was on earth and taught the people, mingling with the poor and sinful and working miracles among them, there came to him a rich young ruler, and asked him what he must do to inherit eternal life. It was a great question, Freskel, one which we should all ask in our turn. Wouldst thou know what the Master answered?"
"Yes, I would know," replied the lad.
The old man continued: "Our Lord spake to the young ruler, reminding him of the commandments which were part of God's law to Israel. And he answered, 'All these have I kept from my youth up. What lack I yet?'
"Then Jesus said unto him, 'If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me.'"
"What?" exclaimed Freskel. "Sell all—all and he so rich?"
"Even so," replied Pastor Oshart.
"And what did that young man?" asked Freskel, fixing eager eyes on the pastor's face.
"He did as too many people do whom Christ calls to make sacrifices for His sake," replied the old man. "'He went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.'
"Ah, Freskel, this love of money—this clinging to wealth—makes it very hard to follow Jesus. Our Lord goes before us, and the path is often rugged, and hills are steep, and the snares and pitfalls of the way are many; and yet we try to toil along after Him, dragging with us our heavy chains of gold and our burden of precious things, and we see not that while we are greedily clutching what we already have, or are eagerly searching for fresh treasure, the Lord passes on and is no more seen of us, the example of Jesus is forgotten, His love and favour are no longer the one thing needful for us.