Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-02-25

when he had reached q far-off country
then whatl He bought him a hundred
thousand acres of the most fertile land in
the settlement; he built him a palatial resi-
dence and stocked his farm, and he was a
prince in the land Yes, in horn! Pve
seen many boy that thought ne was prince
in q hornl
when he reached that far-off country
what did he dos He spent all mot part of
it-in riotous livingl Listen, again When
he had spental there arose mighty famine
in the land Ever notice. brother, when
you're out Of money it seems ike every body
else is out tool Didn't you notice when you
didn't have q thing in the world you couldn't
get man to be your friendl Ever notice
when a man had spent his all there was
famine to him, no matter what there was TO
other people! Ever think of that, boyss
Oh, how true that isl There is family
down town here; they haven't doll ar in
the world. and there's famine right here
in Cincinnati for them. Every grocery IN
town is loaded down with flour and meat and
all kinds Of eatables, but there's famine in
their home, and when they had spent all
there arose mighty famine in that land
Now, brother, when you get to this point
where you see the famine, where you see
where this young man ended, we'Tl leave the
Young men there, and let's you and go
back aud come down around this Incl
Look here, brother, when man dis
poses of all, when mothers prayers, fathers
advice, the Bible, all good influences, ara
disposed of, the next thing man Is going
to- do after he has disposed Of all, ls to join
himself to citizen OF this country-tee
devil-and the devil puts him to work, puts
you to blaspheming the God Of your mother,
violating the Sabbath of your mother; puts
you to drenching your body with liquid
fluid which is but the essence Of damnation-
Il win tell you another thing: If you can
get your eyes wide open you viii be turned
around sensible mSn, and won't do like
A of
to say nothing about relgion, won't treat
his wife like you treat her and love her Ike
you love her A man of good, hard sense
won't treat his children like you treat your
children, and at the same tims love bis
children like you love your children. tell
you there is something wrong with hu-
manity.
''O6, brother, thank God for getting my
eyes opened that day, and since then
have been singing, Happy day,
sins away 1 was q new man, a saved man,
and went right about and left off my wick
edness from that day to this
"Look here, citizens of Cincinnati Here
is a man who has been west twenty years
and he comes back to Cincinnati, and
poor, bloated, besotted, drunken wretch
staggers along the walk; and that gentle
man who has been living in the west twenty
years. saws: Who was that staggering along
thereP That's Bill So and-so' That can't
men in the city, 4 tell you that is Bill So
and-so; he has been a vagabond for ten
years. well, well, l never saw such a
change in fellow in my life You just let
the devil get hold of one of them and keep
them q while aud their own folks won't
know them That's WHAT'S the matter I
will have nothing to do with man that will
despoil my countenance and ruin my health
so that my own precious mother won't rec
ognize me-.
keeper and gambler in this town. l saw
him two weeks ago He came to me and
talked with me about religion, and he came
forward here and gave himself to God, and
I met the same fellow in the streets q few
days ago and I didn't know him. His skin
was clear and he looked good; and it is as
tonishing how the Lord God can take one of
out of him right away. And it is astoDish-
ing how the devil will do you the other
II have had women say to me, Mr.. Jsees,
! am going to bring my husband down to
hear you to night, but you must be mighty
particular what you say. A preacher hurt
his feelings once, and he never would
go back to his church again just felt
like saying, The old hog is on his way to
the pen You just have to be mighty par
ticular with my husband; if you don't you
will hurt his feelings and if his feelings are
hurt you will do him no good Going to
the hogpen.
''Oh, my congregation, in all love and
kindness, do you see yourself in this picture
as wandering from Gods And how many
have resolved, 4 will go back, 1 will go
back And this poor boy suffered in sin,
until at last he says, will aris5 and go to
my father and will say unto him, Father,
/ have siDned against heaven and before
thee, and am no more worthy to be called
thy son; make me as one of your hired ser
wants And he arose and came to his
father But when he was yet a great way
off his father saw him and had compassion,
and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
And the son said: Father, l have sinned
against heaven and in thy sight, and am no
more worthy to be called thy SON.
BLESSED be God for the prodigaIs return
and welcome Ring the bells Of heaven,
there is Joy to-day. Oh, brother, every man
in this house, every boy in this house who
wants to live and die under the roof of the
old homestead in my Fathers house, l want
every one of you to stand up Those who
will say conscientiously I want to go back,
and I want to live and die under the old
roof and homestead in my Fathers house.
stand up. [Almost the entire congre cation
arose.-Repl Blessed be God Oh, angels
come and carry the news back that these
prodigals are coming home"
Six thousand people crowded into Music
Hall and an equal number were unable to
gain admittance.