The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-06-25
THE RUNAWAY FORGIVEN.

The affecting story in the fifteenth
chapter of Luke, of the runaway son,
reckless but finally penitent, has had
its counterpart full often since the Di-
vine teacher told it. The lesson of the
last example is the same as the lesson of
the first, viz, that God forgiyes as kind
parents forgive, only with much greater
love as God is higher than man.
MANY years ago woman with six
children, left in sorrow and poverty by
the death Of a bankrupt husband, suf-
fered the climax of afflietion in the base
iDgratitude of her eldest SON. Wayward
and disobedient, the boy continually
yexed and distressed her; and so lar
from needing her pleadings and tender
admonitions, went on in headstrong
wickedness, growing worse and worse
To the mother, who could not love
him less than she loved the rest oil the
children, his sinful course and the sad
omans of his future were a daily agony.
He was her own, her first-bOrn, anu thaI
was the bitterness of her grief, wheh she
saw him so bad and hardened Mast her
son be a reprobate, and come to an un-
timely end?
The worst seemed to be realized, when,
after some erowning misdeneanor, the
Young migrate suddenly disappeared
from home, and evaded every attempt
TO trace him. Just at the age when he
sbould have been his mothers help and
support, he abandoned her, aud under
circumstances most grievous and aggra-
waiting.
The moor widow had endured enough
before, and this last sorrow ieii upon
her like death-blOw. But the sense oil
duty to her remaining ones was strong
within her, and she lived on. She could
never talk of her lost son, and turned
away with anguish il the other children
spoke his name.
IL was only to God that she ever men
TONED him. ani as the years rolled ON,
and brought 10 tidings Of the absent
one, always in stormy nights her family
would hear her feet pacing her chamber,
and her broken voice lamenting and
praying for her wandering boy. She
could not give him up as dead, but there
were few who would have believed that
her prayers and tears were destined 10
be answered.
Fourteen years passed, and one sum
mer day, while the sad woman was sit
ting in her humble home with her two
Youngest children, now grown to be men,
a tall, heavily-bearded stranger walked
slowly up to the house, and leaned M
arms upon the sill of the open window.
Her astonished eyes met his, but she
did not know him. She saw tears roll
down his cheeks, and then she sprang
forward for a closer look lt was her
Iong-Iost son. Eagerly she called BIN
in, and ran to greet him with weeping
ioy. But the returned prodigil shrank
back.
MOtner, saiu heb
come in until you forgive NE; forgive me
everything"
"George, dear George, "criedtbe moth
er, 81 Gorgave you long ago. There's
nothing to forgive now, only that you've
staid away so long,"
That free, seIf-forgetful welcome was
but the type of the longing love Of the
Heavenly Father for His sinful children
He yearns over them every day they
wander, and by a thousand invitations
opens the way for them to come back
And when they do come back how dl-
vinely complete His pardon! Gas far
as the east is from the west"-the beau
tifuI Bible phrase for infinite distance
$50 far hath lie removed our transgres-
siOns from us. !"
That is the way that He forgiyes.
Alas, that offending, ungrateful hearts
should stay away from Him so longl
AIsAs, that thy --Is>.saIl- stay away L4o
longl