Smyrna times., 1886-03-10
For the Smyrna Times,
The Prodigal Son,
BY A. P. GRIFFITH.

BY A. P. GRIFFITH.
We read in the Scriptures of a fam
lily that had been prosperous and |
happy. The father, an indulgent and !
loving parent had accumulated around !
him servants and animals, that were |
used in the qualification of his own and |
the wishes of his two sons. But the !
younger son, chafing under the re-
straints of the parental home and de-
string to start out in life and set up for
himself, requested his father to give
him the portion of goods that would
fall to him. According to the law of
inheritance of that day, the elder son
was entitled to all the estate and there
really was no portion of goods that
would fall to the lot of the younger one
and brother. Yet we find the father
showing his confidence and esteem for
the young son as well as the elder for
Z" he divided unto them his living"
The young man, taking the gift that
so kindly had been confided to him,
babe farewell to the family and
homestead and starts off on long
journey and by many sad experiences
and a circuitous route he at last
reaches " far country" f." and there he
wasteth his substance in riOtOns liv-
ing" After he had spent all he joined
himself to a citizen of that country and
his occupation was feeding swine,
which for a Jew was not only humilia-
ting but disreputable. His poverty
was so great and his hunger so severe
that he would have gladly eaten the
husks that he fed to the swine, "yet no
man gave him to eat" There was a
famine in that land and that circum-
| stance brought the young man to con-
slider that in his fathers house the SER
wants have "bread and to spare, while
perish with hunger" Then reason
ing within himself he concluded the
best thing he could do would be to 90
back to the old homestead and there
confess to his father that he had
! sinned against heaven and in his sight,
and was no more worthy to be called
| hired servants" and he arose and
came to his father. The father
now cid in years, sat many lonely
hours thinking of the boy who had
! gone away to make his fortune in the
/ far off land, and often down the path
! the young man took, with strained Wis
ion did he look, hoping to catch the
first view of the returning boy, and one
! day he was rewarded by the sight of
the lad even when he was rewarded by
the sight Of the lad, even when he was
great way off" and "having COM
passion on him ran and fell on his
neck and kissed him." and before the
boy had the words of confession out,
the servants were commanded to
bring the best robe and put it on him,
and to place the ring on his finger, and
shoes on his feet, and to bring hither
the fatted calf and kill it, saying Let
as eat and be merry for this, my son,
was dead and is alive again, he was
lost and is found" and there was
great rejoicing. There are several
striking features about this Parable of
the young man in the Gospel that we
see in this day Young men start out
in life and desire to set up for them
selves and whether they leave the old
homestead or remain under its roof,
they are entrusted with God-given tai
ents, with the precious promises OF
Holy Writ that offer "lOng life to the
young man that remembers his Creator
. in the days of his YOUTH with the
blessings of the father and the prayers
anG tears of fond mother, with the
recOllections of the family alter, and
the worn leaves of the old Bible, anC
yet, with all these he may be in "a fal
off land, feeding on the husks of sir
and wasting these spiritual substances
Yet, if he will come to himself" anC
consider how the heavenly Father il
waiting to receive him, and how al
: heaven is being prepared for his recep
ton, methinks he will take the frs
step towards the heavenly home a
once. Before his confession was made
his pardon was granted and so the
heavenly Father waits to bless. The
loving Saviour is watching for the
hOmeward steps and he will "abun
dainty pardon all who approach the
Father through Him." "The table is
spread with all the bounties of heaven
and there is enough for each anC
enough for all, and enough for ever
= more" Many young men of to-day
: acknowledge their lack of duty in be
/ coming Christians. They believe il
: Jesus and in the atOnement he has
made, but they do not believe on Jesu.
, for that salvation that can come t,
, them in no other way. Oh! that will
, the New Year many may start for the
, home above, where the robe of right
! eOusness awaits them and the bell
of heaven will peal out the anthem o
praise over a sinner that repenteth
5 Some young men have tried to reason
out their salvation in all ages of the
2 world, but have failed, and so will yol
= fail. 1t is believe on the Lord Jesu
Christ and thou shalt be saved.
Some are saying they cannot believe il
/ anything they cannot understand
' Can we understand our own existence
/ or the things we see around us day by
+ day in Nature, and in the heavens
e above us? As we cannot fathOm tn
, wisdom OfGod that gave us all thes
t things, neither can we fathOm tn
mercy of God that provides for our sal
? VatiOn, as we accept, use and enjoy al
! the things in this life familiar to Ou
T. five senses, without being able to eX
+ plain and understand them. So by
living, appropriating faith we accep
the salvation of God through Christ
: Science is trying to explain all theS
; HlNtACh thAiis5Sj buS OuC AA4l LllOl II SOC
the further it gets away from tn
y truth as expressed in Gods word
= therefore it wisely admOnishes us t
beware of science falsely so called
John B. Coughs last words as he san
j, upon the floor with paralysis were t.
: the young men, that they should max
/, their record clean" And now let u
hear the conclusion of the whole mat
ter, Fear God and keep his com
mandments for this is the whole duty {
!, man."
e THE New COMET.-The comet whic
j. was discovered by a Parisian astronC
Q mer last December seems destined t
4 to cut quite figure in terrestrial Gil
d cles. Professor Boss, of the Dudle
: Observatory, reports that it is increas
= ing in brightness and promises to be
n orond SOaRfanla - Rxy tho roiddIo Z