The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-22
THE RUNAWAY FORGIVEN.

The affecting story in the fifteenth
chapter OF Luke, ofthc runaway son, reck.
less but finally penitent, has had its count
erpart full often since the Divine teacher
told it. The lesson Of the last example is
the same. as the lesson Of the first, viz,
that God forgives as kind parents forgive,
only with as much greater love as God is
higher than man.
Many years ago a woman with six
children, left in sorrow and poverty by
the dea h Of q bankrupt husband surviv.
ed the climax Of afliclion in the base in
gratitude of her eldest son. Wayward
and disobedient, the boy continually ,ex.
ed and distressed her: and so far from
needing her pleadings and tender admo.
nitions, went on in headstrong v ickedncss,
growing worse and worse.
To the mother, who could not love him
less than she loved the rest of the child.
rem, hi; sinful course and the sad olnens
of his future we're daily agony. He
was her own. her tirst.born, and that was
the bitterness Of her grief, when she saw
him so bad and hardened. Must her son
be reprobate, and come to an untlmely
end?
The worst seemed to be realized, when,
after some growing misdemeanor, the
young migrate suddenly disappeared from
home, and evaded every attempt to trace
him. just at the aye when "a should
have been his mothers help and support,
he had abandoned her, and under cirrun.
stances most grievous and aggrevatirg.
The poor widow had endured enough
before, and this last sorrow fell upon her
like dealhblow. But the sense OF du,y
to her remaining ones was strong within
her, a she lived out. She could never
talk of her lost son, and turned away
with anguish if the other children spoke
his name.
1t was only to God that she ever men.
toned him, and as the years rolled on, and
brought no tidings of her absent one,
Away in stormy ights her family would
hear her feet pacing her chamber. and her
broken voice lamcnting 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 to be answered.
Fourteen years passed, and one summer
day, while the sad woman was sitting in
her humble home with her two youngest
children, now grown to be men, tall.
beavi|y- bearded stranger walked slowly
up to the house, and leaned his arm upon
the sill Of the open window.
Her astonished eyes met his, but she did
not know him. She saw tears roll down
hi: cheeks, and she sprang forward for
closer look. 1t was her long.lo>t son.
Eagerly she called him in, and ran to
greet him with weepingjoy. But the re-
turned prodigai shrank back.
''Alother,'' said he, II shall never come
in until you say You forgive me; for.
give me everything
''Georee, dear George cried the mo,h-
er. 81 forgave you Ting ago. There $
nothing to forgive now, only that you've
staid away so leng!'
That free, selt.forgetful welcome. was
but the type of the longing love Of the
Heavenly Father for His sinful children.
He ye,rns over them every day they
wander. and by thousand invitations
opens the way for them to come back.
And when they do COME back how divine.
y complete mis- pardon! "As far as the
east is from the west''-the beautiful BIZ
hle phrase 70" infinite distance 80 far
hath lie removed our transgressions from
u.s.
That is the way that He forgivcs.
Alas, that offending. ungrateful hearts
should stay away from Him so long )!
Alas, that any should stay away too long!