The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-25
THE .pRoDlGAL SON."
ellis Want"...Fourth OF Rev. L. W.
Reads Interesting Series In the
First Baptist Church.

LuSt evening IteV. 4. w heuu uciiF~
cred the fourth of his interesting series on
on the "Prodigal Son" The following is
synopsis OF the discourse:
A Young man in Brooklyn had good
position in bank and home OF luxury.
There was no good reason why he should
not be one OF the mobiles: young men OF
that city; but like the prodigal of the BIZ
ble lie left all and took his journey,
landing finally in Chicago. He wasted
his substance with riotous living. and
lost all he had of character, manhood and
money. When first saw him he was a.
most complete wreck. He was surely
in want Like the prodigal, he had moth,
ing. He was an object of the deepest
pity. From this | gained something of
an idea of the condition OF the young
man of whom l an to speak tonight.
| "And he began to be in want" This
gives another picture of the case,
First His want brought him into u
very sad state. "'Willful waste brings
woeful want" 1t is very sad to see all
leave man. a. Care would have saved
him from such condition. 1t was not a
| necessity that he should fall into this
state. He did it himself. He alone was
| to blame for it. If he had only thought a
little he might have saved himself from
such sad plight. Every one away from
God who suffers spiritual want need not
be In such relation e His folly
brought this sad state of affairs upon
himself. He deliberately chose his course.
and so had to reap of that which he had
been sowing. By an obstinate persistence
| in his own way, he came to suffering and
famine. 1t is thus witt each one away
from Christ. By willful pursuance of
| that which is wrong, the rebel against God
Is brought into state of moral want.
Second. Want brought the prodigal
into state of servitude. He Joined him
| self to man 10 perform service for him.
| The unregenerate man is slave-joined
10 satan as the one for whom service is to
be performed. He was sent to feed
swine. a. This was mean position.
It was sign of great degradation; if it
had been to feed sheep. it would have been
different, but swine shows the depth to
which he had fallen. Many young men
are in like condition today. How many
resort to mental service for saloon. who
a few years ago, were courted and sought
after 1t is the old story over again. e }
The contrast was grea, between his pres.
ent and former life He certainly could
not think of 1t without a shudder Many
men are made to contrast their present
with former state. Ii is not pleasant
reflection sometimes The boy in limo
cency is in condition of happiness. b =
cause the life is not tainted with actual
transgresson but when manhood comes,
the whole character is polluted. The COP
trast is as great as can be conceived of
1t was thus with the p:odigal once every
thing, now nothing.
Third. Want brought to him dissatis>
faction. A man can not be satisfied when
he is in any great need. a. He WAS de-
prived of home-had nothing. now but
the field; this necessarily could not give
| satisfaction. We often see men dissatis-
fed with their surroundings; the world can
not give satisfaction to a human heart
which is permanent. No abiding place
morally. Everything uncertain and unsat,
isfactory. e His old companions who had
been with him in his days OF dissip alton
and plenty had now gone His associates
now were swine-nothing better could he
find. How like many modern young men,
who spend all and are deserted and have
no associations worthy the name. A
young man came to me last fall in bad
state Of want. He had good home 10
La Crosse and good position. For some
cause he left and went to Minneapolis
and from there to Dakota, and then here.
When he cnme to me all was gone, and In
summer clothing he presented sad con-
dition Els associations had deserted
him and he was in want 1t was sad
state. SO is each one without God
Fourth. He was brought to position
where there was no help in that country.
Famine reigned. No relief. a. NJ
man would give TO him. He desired to
eat the husks, if by that means life could
be preserved little longer. A few year;
ago in India a famine prevailed, and there
was great restitution and suffering Thi;
Young man was in like condition. G..
Every soul which has wandered away
from God is in this condition spiritually
A famine prevails. The husks of the
world are sought fOI to give that which |;
desired. Oh, wretcbed condition, May
God save you from its power!
Fifth This state of want meant death
famine is always followed by death. Il
is sure unless hel , is secured. a. The
prodi2al was dead to former things; he
was dead to his father and all Of the zen,
der and dear relations of home. These
had gone from bis mind now. He could
gain no crumt of comfort from them be
cause he was dead to them. CO. Il
meant death in Il physical sense To him
We have read of the terrible devastation
caused b. famine; we know that it /,
fearful and that no man can stand agains
it, In this sense it is like sin. Dealt
comes as a result of sin; there is no es-
cape.
Sixth This condition brought hin
into lost srate; there was nothing more
sure than that he was lost. want tt
call your attention to two ways in which
he was lost. a. He was lost to virtue
and honor. These has deserted him as al
unfit place for them to abide. In fact q
life such as his made it impossible fol-
these two graces to dwell in his heart
Like a traveller gone out of his way ant
among briers and thorns, so this youns
man in sin and disgrace and beggary
(2) He was lost to all good and happi
ness. Like a majestic ship riding tn,
waves of old ocean, but by some flaw be
Games uumanagabe and goes down will
her precious cargo, so the prodigal will
a fine character at first, becomes at last
through sin, a wreck A young man, o.
one of the first families of Washington
became dissipated. aud. and with his
accomplished young wife went to Dakots
TO try to retrieve his character But hi'
old habits were too strong, and he there
became an outcast SO far did he 60 il
sin. as to forfeit all right to the love o.
his wife, or his claim to manhood. HI
was in want of character. Every out
of you tonight who stands aloof from
God is In great want. May God help yol