The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-13
in the show-window than inside on the


our day about the higher life. Now, there
are two kinds of higher-liie men. The one
are admirable, and the other are most
repulsive. The one kind of higher-liie
man is very lenient in his criticism of 9TH
ers. does not bore prayer meetings to death
with long harangues, does not talk great
deal about himself, but much about Christ
and heaven, gets kindlier and more gentle
and more useful until one day his soul
spreads wing and he flies away to eternal
rest, and everybody mourns his departure.
The other higher-liie man goes around
with Bible conspicuously under his arm,
goes from church to church, a sort of gem
eral evangelist, is a nuisance to his own
pastor when he is at home, and nuisance
to other pastors when he is away from
home; runs up to some man who is count
ing out roll OF bank bills, or running up
difficult line of figures, and asks him
how his soul is; makes religion n dose Of
ipecacuanha; standing in religious meet
ing making an address, he has patron
izing way, as though ordinary Christians
We're clear away down below him, so he
had TO talk at the top OF his voice in order
TO make them hear, but ut the same time
encouraging them to hope on; that by
while come up within sight OF the place
where he now stands tell you plainly
| that roaring, registering, bouncing sinner
is not so repulsive 10 me as that higher
life maliormation. The former may re-
pcnt; the later never gets over his phari-
| saism. The younger brother OF the para
BILE came back, but the senior brother
stands outside entirely ohlivious Of his
own delinquencics and deficits, pronounce
ing his own culogium. Oh, how much
easier il is to blame others than to blame
oulselvesl Adam blamed Eve, Eve
blamed the serpent, the serpent blamed
| the devil, the senior brother blamed the
younger brother. and none OF them blamed
themselves.
Again, the senior brother OF my text
stands for all those who are faithful about
the reformation OF the dissipatcd and the
dissolute. In the very tones Of his voice
you can hear the fact that he has no faith
that the reformation OF the younger son is
genuine. His entire manner seems 10 say,
That 10y has come back for more money.
He got third Of the property; now lac LAS
come back for another third. lie will
never be cOnientcd b. stay ON the farm.
lie will fall away. would go in too and
rejoice with the Others il thought this
thing was genuine; but il is a sham. That
boy is confirmed incbriate and de-
bauchee." Alas my friends for the in.
credulity in the church Of Christ in regard
10 the reclamation OF the recrcant You
say man has been strong drinkcr
say, "Ies, but he has reformed" "Oh,
YOU say, with lugubuOus face, 81 hope
YOU are not mistaken, / hope you are moi
mistaken" You say Don't rejoice toe
much over his conversion, for soon he will
be unconyerted, | fear. Don't make toe
big party Tor that returned prodical, OF
strike the timbrcl too loud; and II you kill
q calf, kill the one that on the commons,
and not the one that has been luxurating
in the paddock" That Is the reason why
more prodicals do not come home 10 their
fathers house. II is the rank infidclty in
the church Of God on this subject There
il not house on thestrocts OF heaven that
has not in Il a prodigal that has returned
and stayed home. There could be un'
rolled before You a scroll OF 1901 names
the names Of prodicals who came back
forever reformed. Who was John Bunyani
A returned prodigal Who was Richard
Baxter? returned prodigal. Who was
George Whitfield the thunlcrcr2 A rc
turned prodigl. And could go out In al
directions in this audience and find OF
either side those who, once FAR astray io
many wears, have been faithful, and thci
eternal salvation Is as sure ~ though the,
had been ten years in heaven. And yc
some OF you nave not cnough faith In thoi
return.
You do not know how to shake hand
with prodigal. You do not know how &
pray ior him. You do not know how {,
greet him. lie wants 10 sail in the warn
gulfstrcam Of Christian sympathy. lol
are the iceberg against which lac strike
and shiycr. You say he has been prod
igal. know IL. But YOU aW the sour
unrcsponsiyc, censorious, snturninc, cranky
elder brother, and II YOU are going 10 hcay
en-. one would think some people would b,
tempted 10 go 10 pcrditi0n 10 get ava,
from YOU. The hunters say that Il a dee
be shot. the other deer shove him out u
their company, and the general rule b
, ! away with the man who hus been wound
, cd with sin. Now, | say, the moro bone
/, a man has broken, the more need lac ha
, | of "A hospital, aud that the more a man ha
i been bruised and cut with sin. the NOR
[, need be has 10 be carried into human an
, divine sympathy. But for such men Their
h not much room In this world-tho me
Z who want 10 come back after wandering
: | Plenty Of room Tor elegant sinners, sinner
, in velvet and satin and lace, for sinner
high .salaried, for kid gloycd aud patent
leather sinners, for sinners fixed up b
I. hair-dreser pomltumcd aud laycndorct
/, and cologncd and irizzled, and crmpe
!, and banged" sinneu-plenty Of room
; such We meet elegantly AZ the dcor Of on
Z churches. aud wc invite them into the be-
: seats with Chcsteriieldian gallantrics; "
4 usher them into the house OF God, and pl
I soft ot,omans under their feet, aud pl
. giltedged pfayer.bo0k in the
hand, and pass the contribute
I, box before them with q
y air Of apology, while they the gcncroi
souls, take out the exquisite pOrtcmol
b, naic, aud open Il, and with diamond,
I. finger push down beyond the SO go
u pieces and dcIiciously pick out as an e
= precision OF gratitude their Offering 10 u
a lord Of cent. For such sinners plon
n Of room, plenty ot room. But for u
4 man who has been drinking until his co
!, is thrcadbarn aud his face is erysipclase
ID aud his wiic's wedding dress Is In u
~ pawnbroker's shop, and his children, !
III stead OF being in school, aro out bcggil
1 broken bread at the basement dOor Of q
Z. city-ihe man, body, mind and soul,
o. FIRE with the flames that have lcapcd lro
II the scathng, scotching. blasting, consul
n. ing cup which the drunkarl takes trom
a ling and agonized and afitighted, aI
or presses TO his parched lip and his crack
N tongue, and his shricking yet immor
rs spirit-n0 room.
q. Oh, II this younger son Of the paral
or had not gone 10 iar Of, II ho had .
"a | dronped AZ low in yassaii. the prot,