Sir Titus Salt commenced life as a factory boy in a Yorkshire town. By industry, perseverance, and strict attention to business he became one of the wealthiest manufacturers in the county. Upright, honorable, and considerate of the interests of his workers, he built a model town for them and called it Saltaire. Eventually he was elected to Parliament and a baronetcy was conferred upon him by Queen Victoria.
After such achievements and attainments, was the baronet satisfied? Indeed he was not! God's Word declares that, "the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing" (Eccl. 1:88All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. (Ecclesiastes 1:8)). All that Sir Titus Salt had heard, seen, and possessed did not and could not afford him real satisfaction. The same Book declares that, "he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase" (Eccl. 5:1010He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. (Ecclesiastes 5:10)). Earth's riches, honors or pleasures cannot satisfy the thirst of an immortal spirit.
On a never to-be-forgotten Sunday Sir Titus listened to a preacher of the gospel. This man showed by Scripture that soul rest and satisfaction are to be found only in Christ.
In the course of his sermon the minister said: "I have sat in my garden and watched the caterpillars climbing the painted sticks. I have seen them reach the top and look this way and that in search of some juicy twig on which to feed, only to be disappointed and to return slowly and wearily to the ground again. There are many painted sticks in this world," continued the preacher. "There are the painted sticks of pleasure, of wealth, of power, and of fame. All these are calling to men and saying: 'climb me for satisfaction!' And men are climbing them, only to prove that these gaudy dead sticks cannot fulfill their promise.”
On the following day the baronet visited the preacher. He said to him: "Sir, I was in your congregation last night. I heard what you had to say about the painted sticks. I want to tell you that all my life I have been climbing them. Today I am a weary man. Tell me, is there rest for a weary millionaire?”
The herald of the Cross had the joy of pointing the sin-burdened soul to Him who says: "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28).
"I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, and worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.”
Weary one, are you trying to quench your soul's thirst at the brackish streams of earth? In your bosom there is an indescribable longing after rest of heart and conscience which, doubtless, God Himself has planted there.
"Now none but Christ can satisfy!
None other Name for me:
There's love, and life, and lasting joy
Lord Jesus, found in Thee.”