Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-12-10
THE PRODiGAL SON.
TIE Sixth of the Series On the Pearl
uf Parallels.
Or. Smiths Sermon, Last hight-confes'
sion and Restoration Of the Protigal
The Welcome Home That
Awaits Us.

Dr }. r.. SmltD, OIL tne rouEtu ssTees NJ
E. church, last night preached the sixth OF
his series of sermons on the parable OF the
Prodigal Son. The congregation, as usual,
YVES large and attentive and heard with
appreciative interest, the sermon. The
theme was Confession and Restoration
shown by the following extract OF the text:
And the son said unto him, Father have
sinned against heaven and in thy sight ano
aul no more worthy tn be called thy son
The sermon opened a. follows:
We left cur proiig.l in the first glao
cls.p OF reconciliation. He had beer
thrilled with the kiss OF forgiveness, auo
ca med by the embrace OF affection. The
doubts and fears that had haunted him
ever and anon, throwing their darkenins
shadows across his pathway, and blowing
- ltful angry gusts OF vengeful wrath, nae
mi vanished, as the hoar frost before the
..n.u.trs sun HIS father was father
.t,ll. Paternil affection had survived
every act of GisoOedience. Like the IN.
varying need e, that is true, amid ali
storms and in every cline, tn fathers
love had followed he prodigsl boy throhgh
all his wanderings, and was unmoyed by
The shameless Irodigaiity that had strip.
ped him OF his patrimony, and had sent
him hell less, friendless waif to husks
and swine. 1t had been a calcium light
upon the tower, fiingiDg its deathless radi-
ance far and wide across the wlr,d's
wastes until il had illuminated the
darkness Of that far off land
where in the prodigal was about TO die. 1t
had inspired and guided him in his home
ward Journey. 1t had brought that father
out and across those sterile wastes to meet
his returning boy, and it had poured upon
him from that fathers heart the richest,
sweetest tides of love; but there was one
thing il did not and could not do. 1t had
no power to blot out the fact OF sin, or to
render unnecessary the duty Of repentance
and confession. There is
NO ROYAL ROAD TO HEAVEN.
70 every traveller thither the wicket gate
stands at the head Of the way. No wander
er from God can feel the bliss OF Divine
forgiveness and share the dignity Of Divine
worship, who does not return hOmewaru
with the tTuest psnilenCe in his heart aud
the sinCereSt confession upon bis lips. Inc
LonIe comm Z, implies that only the weary
Of that far eli land return home
And weariness implies sense =.
Is abandonment You will remember
that The pIodiga!, while yet IN that far oil
and. all but buried in his degradation,
resolved not only that he would return
aUme, hut that he would say Father,
etc. The conviction that this is right, that
is necessary, is intuitive. Be il SO that
he fathers love is undimmed, that II
burns on mid all rebellions and through
all Gegradations, still the duty is no less
plain. Sin raises barrier upon the hu-
man side between us and God. 1t brings
sense of unworthiness, OF i'll desert. 1t
picTCes the heart with such sense OF
shame that confession of one enormity is
q relief OF one burdened spirit"
The REGISTER has not space this morn
ing to follow Dr. Smith in his beautifully
illustrsted argument, but can now only
give
THE PERoRATIOE.
And thus the Prodigal is fitted for his
new position and prepared for his duties,
by having the shoes placed upon his feet.
Servants went barefoot, children were
skud. ! think itlmpiies Two things: First,
this was needed TO complete the fitness Tor
residence at home THe church OF Cos
ls q rOval household. No rags, no poverty
admitted here. Every comfort and luxury
that IL finite wisdom and mercy can devise
and omniputence itself eau provide, IS sup
piled. And the promise is, whatsoever
things We desire, eic,' and oh, how limit
less Is the provision OF GOO But second.
it implies that in this new station there are
duties to be performed. And it is not to
life oil incidence we are invited. Our
feet shod with preparation OF the Cos
pei" Lies paths are rough, there is
needed protection from its thorrs. Its
duties are incesssnt. This alone makes
her ways plesssntness. Oh. how com
pletely the Christian feet are shOd
1t is to sll this that to night | invite You
All yours, if you will only come. Will
you not leave that barren plain? Come
home to God. What charm is holding you
back Why stay longer where the flowers
face and pleasures cease and JOY turns to
sorrow? Overhead is the gathering cloud.
lightning in its folds. On, ii it breaks,
while you have no shelter, Hark, your
Father waits. The robe is ready, the Jew.
eiry prepared, the shoes, aye, the fatted
calf. These are eternal, these are peren-
NAL. Come home then, for all OF these
things are now ready.
60 SEE the Nashville Jubilee Singers in
First Baptist Church, Tuesday evening,
December l1th. They ng old plantation
songs in native costume.