The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-13
PERFECT PEOPLE"
Rev. DR.. Talmage's Sunday Sermon.
The Meanness of the Prodigal Sons
Elder Brother.
The Type Of a Despicable solf-
Righteous Glass.
The Kind Of Higher Life" that Is
Lower Life"
A Sermon Which Everybody Should
Read-A Roaring, registering SIM
ner Better Than Psalm
Singing Pharisee.
sncclnl pIsnntch TO The Annonl.

Special Dispatch to The Appeal
ATLANTA, Ca, Aug. l2.-The Rev. I.
Dewitt Talmage, ID. d., of Brooklyn, is
in this region. lie has spoken several
times at the great Piedmont Chautauqua,
= and his public appearances are attended
10y vast multitudes everywhere. Preach
ing from the text luke, XIV. 2S), "And he
was angry, and would not 60 in" he said:
Is the elder son Of the parable so I'M
sympathetic and 30 cold that he is not
worthy OF recognition? The fact is that
we ministers pursue the younger son. You
can hear the tapping Of his rags in many
sermonic breeze, and the crunching Of
the pods for which he was an unsuccess-
full contestant. i confess that for long
time was unable to train the camera OBJ
scura upon the elder son OF the parable
never could get negative for n photo
graph. There was not enough light in the
gallery, or the chemicals were poor, or the
sitter moved in the picture. But now |
think have him. Not q side.iacc, or a
throc-quar,cs or mere bust, but a full
length portrait as he appears TO me. The
father in the parable Of the prodiga) had
nothing to brag Of in his two sons. The
one was rake and the other n churl. i
find nothing admirable in the dissolute-
ness OF the one, and find nothing at
traciiye in the acrid sobriety OF the other.
The one goes down over the larboard side,
and the other goes down over the star.
board side but they both 90 down.
From the window OF the old homestead
bursts the mnstrclsy. The floor quakes
with the feet Of the rustics, whose dance
is always vigorous and resoundmg. The
neighbors have heard Of the return Of the
younger son from his wanderings, and
they have gathered together. The house
Is full Of congratuators. ] suppose the
tables are loaded with Injuries Not only
the one kind Of meat mentioned, but its
concomitants. CLAP" 90 the cymbals
'thrum" go the harps, click" 60 the
chalccs, up and down 90 the feet inside
while outside is n most sorry spectacle.
The senior son stands at the corner Of
the house frigid phegmatic. lie has
Just come in from the fields in very sub
stantial apparel. Seeing some wild cxhil-
erations around the old mansion, lac asks
OF a servant passing by with goa,skin Of
wine on his shoulder what all the fuss IL
about. One would have thought that, on
hearing that his younger brother had got
back, he would have gone into the house
and rejoiccd, and II lac were not consCen-
tiously opposed 20 dancing, that he would
have joined in the Oriental schoitische.
No. There he stands. Ills brow lowers.
HIS lip curls with contempt lie stamps
the ground with indignation. He sees
nothing at all 90 attract. The odos of the
feast coming out On the air do not sharpen
his appetite. The lively music does not
put any spring into his step. lie is In a
terrible pout. lie crticiscs the ex.
pensc, the injustice, and the morals
Of the entertainment. The father rushcs
out barcheaded and coaxed him 90 come
in. lie will not go In. lie scolds the
father lie goes into pasquinadc against
the younger brother, and hc makes To,
most uncomcly scene. lie says Father
YOU put a premium on vagabondism.
STAYED at home and worked on the farm
You never made party Tor me; you didn'I
80 much as kill kid. that wouldn't have
cost half as much rs calf but the scapc
grace went oil in fine clothes, and h,
comes back not iit 10 be seen, and what I
time YOU make over himl lie breaks YOU
heart, aud you pay him for Il. That cal
90 which YOU have been giving extra fec
during all these weeks wouldn't have beer
40 TAT and sleek II ! hal known 90 wha
=. use YOU were going TO put ~ That vaga
bond deserves to be cOwhldCd instead o
bnnque,ed. Veal Is too good for himl'
That evening while the younger son "a
telling his father about his adventures
and asking about what had occurred OF
the place since bis departure, the scnio
brother goes 10 bed disguised, and slam
the door after him. That senior broihc
still lives You can see him any Sunday
any day Of the week. Al meeting O
ministers In Germany some one asked th
question, "Who IL that elder son2' an,
Kummachor answered: 81 know him,
saw him Yesterday" Aud when the
insisted UPON knowing whom lac meant
he said: "Myseli when saw the accoun
Of the conversion Of a most obnoxious MAJ
was irritatcd."
First, this senior brother Of the teN
stands for the selfcongraiulatory, sci
satisfied. selfworshipiul man. With th
same breath In which he vi,upcrat,
against his younger brother be ut,cu
panegyric ior himself The scli.rightcor
man Of my text, like every other sci
righteous man. was full Of faults. II
was an migrate, for he did not apprcciaI
the home blessings which hC had all tho
years. lie was disobedicnt, for when NJ
father told him TO come in lac stayed on
lie was a liar, for lac said that the rccr
ant son had dcvourcd his fathers Twin
when the father, 70 far from being reduce
90 penury, had homestead left, had II
siriimenls Of music, had jewels, had
mansion. and instead Of being q paupD
was a prince This senior brother, wit
90 many faults Of bis own, was mcrcilo
in his criticism Of the younger brothe
The only perfect people that ! have ev
known were utterly obnoxious. | vi
never 80 badly cheated IN all my life as |
n perfect man. lie got 80 far up In b
devoions that he WIS clear mp above {
90 the rules Of common honesty. These m'
that 90 prowling among pnyer.mccin
mud In places Of business telling lac
good they aro--look out for them, ke
your hand on your pocsetbookl | ha
noticed that Just in proportion rs M
cots good ho gets humble. The de
Mississippi does not make as much moi
10 the hpwling mountain rivulct THE
las been many store that had mOre zoo