Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-05-02
The Parable of tie PrOdis;sI son
applied To- the Work of Recon-
strucIIOn.

The Parable Of the ProdigaI son
applied To- the Work of Recon-
strucIIOn.
Below viii be found i most excellent and
pertinent application oi the parable oi the
ProdIgal Son to the OF the rebels who
are anxious to be at once relieved from all
consequences Of their crime. L. a. an extract
from speech in Congress by Hon. j. r. Ben
Jamin, u represe ntaJiva from >lIssouri. Mr.
Benam said
For the sake OF peace | am disposed yield
a great deal, and this beautiful parable OF
the Saviour presents a more nearly parallel
with mat under consideration tnan any other
that suggests itself To me, | AN disposed TO
unite with the opposition anu make 1t the
= basis oi reconstructlon.' There Is another
reason why We should all close in upon that
platform, tor when We have an example iur
nlshed by him " VINO spa&e a. never man
zpake," and we follow ii, we are sue to not
| 70 wrong. There can be no question but pos
terity VIII approve oar course, and | believe
our constituents vii say t. as, " Weil done.
| good and faithful servants the prodlsal
son, then, l. 20 be our guide, ami let Us lOok
into Il little ana apply the principe IN
practice.
- \ certain man had two sons, and the
Younger SAID UO MS father - Father give me
the portion II gods that fdlleth 10 Ana
ne dIvlded uuto them nj i.yIog. iuis /
| lnier, means: want II Secede. | am deprived
OF my rights here, therefore prefer to set up
Tor myself, and oe LEI alone Ills tatutr,
rather more Chri.tian-like thau | nele Slui-
uei, finally consented. Ine account continues:
And not many days alter the younger sou
| gathered All together ami took MS jJurLeJ
IntO far country Dixie probably ana
there wasted his substance with rIotous NV
Ine. liz Is not stated that be stole any thing
when about 10 leave, nor that ne attempted To-
take the life OF hIs benetActor. UniIke our
errIng brothers, he did Tot sen. ou bls fathers
strong Uox, Ia New Ore4n- and Charleston,
nor clandesCneiy pur,oin his weapons OF de-
iense la Floyd. But the worid has grown
wiser since then. " And when be rad spent
all there arose mighty famine in that land j.
and he began ~ be- IN want HOw completely
this plank III the platform hts, proving con-
clusiyely its architect % be 4 master workman.
- And he went and joined himself 70 a cIllzen
Ot that country that Is, sought L. tOreigu
Alliance and he sent him into his helds u
eed swine. Our brothers were not quite -
successful. Had lhey succeeded, undoubtedly
the sequel would have been the same. - And
he would tain nave tilad belly with the
nusks that the SWINE did eat anl SEQ man
| =
you observe. lie fnaIly-probably after about
tour years aosence-came 10 h'mselt ana re
turned to Ills father, who t Il had - bread
enough ana 10 spare A. he met the old
gentleman he exclaimed, IN tne anguish OF his
soul, evinclng d spirit vi real ana sincere pen
iteuce, - Father, have sInned against neay-
en-, and in thy sight, anu am DO more worthy
to be called Thy son make me a. one of tny
hired servants.
has 70 ftal rlr m a.
frame OF mind, craving forgiveness, Tor his
crimes, considering II d privilege TO be pcrmis-
ted TO occupy the most humble position ia
society, and ready 10 perform servI, e even the
most menIai in It's character. On the contrary
they generally bear themselves IN the most
rogant and even insulting manner. instead
OF asking forgiveness lor the wrongs they nave
done, they tell you they accept the sliua-
tIon.' Instead of asking that they may ne
permitted to enter their father house, they
abruptly tell you to vacate It, for 1t Is theirs.
Their only regrets are that their efforts were
not crowned with success.
But as l am to-day d compromising mood
and ready to yield nine points in ten rather
than not succeed, Will consider them as truly
penitent, returning as the prodIgal returned,
broken 10 spirit and cOntrIte of hearr. Hence
we Will receive them a. DE recel ed. The
prodigai clothed, Tor ne was naked, bu1
not more than were they. Hence must
cothe them, ami their services may neTe
after be required In IL more honorable war than
they have hitherto been engaged 10, | suggest
that blue Is the most appropriate c.lOr. Be
sides, we perhaps have small surplus of that
color left over. - A ring put upon hIs
+ finger. Certainly 1t IS necessary that some
badge should be worn that she falth.css may
be distinguished from the faithful. 4 ring
sh Ill be put on their fingers that they may be
hereafter known. Ii Is less degrading and
: humIlIatlng when worn upon the finger than
r either the wrist ankle therefore we viii
Iut it on the finger, for the chIvary has always
been sensitive oD that pont, and We should be
very careful and not wound his feelings or
i'm peach his honor.
But the fatted calf must be killed. the min
strels called In, and we must make merry.
Yes, and we have done ali that. What loyal
= heart did not rejoice when the" johnny Rebs :"
. were marched home by the boys In blue, keep
ing Involuntary step to the music OF the Union
they had put forth such efforts to destroy :;
not with the "pomp and circumstance OF
glorious war; when they departed, but
sick, hungry and naked. We all rejeiced,
, and still rejoice, and generations yet unborn
will continue to rejoice on every succeeding
e anniversary of that glorious event, not only
with music and dancing, but with 9 bonhres
, and illuminations -
/ Here ends the first act in the drama of the
prodigal son. There is another act to be per-
q formed. The curtain rises presenting entirely
n different scenery, and a new character steps
4 forward.
. little reconstruction becomes necessary.
! The other son enters. He, the eldest, and who
= had ever remained loyal, never having trans
9 gressed his fathers commandments, and hear
Y ing music and mirth-making, inquiries the
!. cause. The situation is explained to him, and
r he feels Preside Mt ohnson says he felt when
4 he saw - Union men standing out III the cold
Il often unable co get receipt OF a voucher ioI
A their losses, while 50 traitors could get iucra
tive contracts, pushing loyal men aside" He
y : felt % deeply panied His father comes ou'
n and entre4 ts him to come in. He says, 4" No
: have served thee faithfully 10 these many