Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-02-09
For 1gnung naen.
Returning to his Fathers House.

1t is more than twenty years ago as wa,
passing through the streets Of Cincinnati,
saw young man coming down from a hous,
that stood back some distance from the street
'ursiug and swearing at terrible rate, and }
noticed he was cursng his own father
| stopped at the gate, and as he came ou
| recognized him as a young man Of my ac
quaintance. laid my hapd gently on hi,
shoulder, aud asked, My dear friend, wha
is it that has put you so dreadfuly out Of
humor this morning2"
Why said he, 81 am in debt for my
board pointing to the house from which h,
had just come; "and about two weeks ago,
young lady, cousin Of mine, came there 10
BOARD, and | became responsible for her board
ilsoi and now | am out Of money, and | hay,
written to my father again and again to scnd
me money and he has not condcscendcd tc
send me so much as the scratch Of pen,
aud again be cursed his father.
After waiting little for his passion to
'ubslde, us we walked on together, remark
ID, Every day the stage goes from this cit,
right by your fathers door now do this, and
your father does not relieve your wants thel
am mistaken in the feelings which fathe,
has for a son. Take the stage tomorrow
morning-it goes early, and you must b,
there in time-and 90 home, tell your father
what are your circumstances exactly, aud see
If be will not relieve your necessities. You
have been writing to him, and sometimes
perhaps, when you have not been in the best
iumor, aud your father does not understand
what are your necessities Now" said l.
'' will you promise me that you will GOT"
After some hesitation and some entreaty,
he at length promised that he would 20 hom,
aud see his father, and | lett him.
The next Sabbath evening. at the Central
Presbyterian church, then on Fifth street. and
under the pastoral care of Rev. DR.. Rice,
saw this young man sitting in pew befor
me. When the congregation was dismissed
waited for him, and rs he came down the
aisle | took him by the arm, and We descend
sd into the street together, and when we wer,
out of the crowd | began
Well, have you been home ?"
Yes" said he.
And did you see your father "
"Yes."
And did you tell him all about your cir
cumstances
Yes"
And what did your father say ?"
"Why, he said aud here his voice choked
-" be said, My son, you areliving in that
wicked city you are going to the ball room,
| hear, and to the theatre, and fear to worse
places and you write home to me to send you
money. The money | have | have earned by
hard labor, and have saved it byrigid econ.
omy. My SON cannot consent TO take my
hard earnings, and send it to the city to ruin
iny boy. DO this, my SON will furnish
you means to pay off all your honest debts
now, go to Cincinnati, and pay every dollar
you owe, like a man. and then come home and
live with me, and | will set you up in busi.
ness right acre, and while have anything to
help you with, you shall not suffer-
"Well, said [, " and are you going to take
your fathers advicc?"
"Yes." said he, "that am have lust
come down to settle up my business, and then
am going home to live with my father"
reminded him that he had anothet Father,
from whom he had been straying and who
was just as anxious for his return, and who
was willing and able to do abundantly more
for him than even his kind and loving earthly
parent; and then | babe him goodnight and
went to my lodgings to reflect. We Christians
treat our heavenly Father as this young man
did his kind father on earth. We stray off
from God, and when we have wasted the sub.
stance He has SO kindly furnished us, we m-
patiently call upon Him from a distance.
I" We ask, and we receive not, because we ask
lmiss, that we may consume it upon our
lusts."
God our Father wants US to come home and
live with Him, where the tempter will not be
so likely to assal us, and where VIC shall have
bread enough and to spare o that we could
but learn what it is to walk with God, to re-
urn unto our Fathers house, and to abide
indcr the shadow of the Almighty