The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-08-17
NUMBER 9

stand on the street and admire the prancing
span. The next best thing to having ban
quet given to ourselves is having banquet
given to our prodigal brother that has come
home to his fathers house.
Besides that, if we do not get as much honor
and as much attention as others, we ought to
congratulate ourselves on what we escape in
the way Of assault. The French general,
riding on horseback at the head of his troops,
heard soldier complain and say, at is very
easy for the general to command us forward
while he rides and we walk" Then the gen.
eral dismounted and compelled the complain
Ing soldier to get on the horse. Coming
through q ravine, bullet from sharp
shooter struck the rider, and he fell dead
Then the general said, 'How much safer it is
TO walk thanto rideI"
Once more have to tell you that this
senior brother of my text stands for the
pouting Christian. While there is SO much
congratulation within doors, the hero Of my
text stands outside, the corners Of his mouth
drawn down, looking as he felt-miserable.
! am glad his lugubrious physiognomy did
not spoil the festivity within How many
pouting Christians there are in our day
Christians who do not like the music of our
churches, Christians who do not like the
hilarities Of the young-pouting, pouting,
pouting at society, pouting at the fashions,
pouting at the newspapers, pouting at the
church, pouting at the government, pout-
ing at the high heaven. Their spleen is
too large, their liver does not work,
their digestion is broken down, there are
two cruets In their caster always sure to be
well supplied-vinegar and red pepper! Oh,
come away from that mood. Stir little
saccharine into your disposition. While you
avoid the dissoluteness Of the younger SON,
avoid also the Feasibility and the petulance
and the pouting spirit of the elder son, and
Initiate the father, who had embraces for the
returning prodigal and coaxing words for
the splenetic malcontent
All! the face Of this pouting elder son is
put before US In order that we might better
see the radiant and forgiving face of the ia
ther. Contrasts are mighty. The artist in
sketching the field Of Waterloo, years after
the battle, put a dove In the mouth Of the
cannon. Raphael, in one Of his cartoons, be-
side the face of a wretch, put the face Of
happy and innocent child And so the sour
face Of this irascible and disguised elder
brother is brought out in order that in the
contrast we may better understand the for
giving and the radiant face of God. That is
the meaning of it-that God is ready to take
back anybody that is sorry, to take him clear
back, to take him back forever, and forever,
and forever, to take him back with loving
hug, to put kiss on his parched lip, ring
on his bloated hand, an easy shoe on his
chafed foot, a garland on his bleeding tenn
ples and heaven in his soul Oh, fall fiat
on that mercyl Come, my brother, and let
us get down into the dust, resolved never to
rise until the Fathers forgiving hand shall
lift us.
Oh, what God We havei Bring your dox-
ologies Come, earth and heaven, and join
In the worship. Cry aloud. Lift the palm
branches. Do you not feel the Fathers az
around your necka Do you not feel the
warm breath of your father against your
cheekf Surrender, younger sonl Surrender,
elder sonl Surrender, ALI Oh, go in today
and sit down at the banquet. Takea slice Of
the fatted calf, and afterward, when you are
seated, with one hand in the hand Of the re-
turned brother, and the other hand in the
hand of the rejoicing father, let your heart
beat time to the clapping of the cymbal and
the mellow voice of the flute. sit is meet
that we should make merry, and be glad; for
this thy brother was dead and is alive again;
and was lost. and Is found.n
ONE of the grounds upon which the
claim is made that Michigan lisa "doubt-
full" state is the attitude of the temper
ance people of the state. 1t will be re-
membered that the last Republican leg
lslature passed local option law which
was afterwards declared unconstitutional
by the supreme court of the state. The
Republicans could in no way be blamed
for this but of course the Prohibition
impractibles did howl about it, though,
at the same time protesting to be OPP
posed to the local option principle.
But at their convention last week the
Republicans of that state took a cora
geous and manly course on the question
that is worthy of the heartiest common
dation. After expressing regret that
the temperance legislation of the last
legislature failed to accomplish the de-
sign of its promoters, the Republican
convention at Detroit Thursday declared
rs follows:
We record ourselves as in favor of the
impartial enforcement of the temper
ance laws of the state, and recommend
to the next legislature the re.enactment
of local option law that shall be free
from constitutional objections.
Before the law passed by the last Re-
publican legislature was declared uncon-
stitutional local option had been carried
in accordance with its provisions in
forty counties in the state, and would
doubtless has been carried in many
more. Prohibition would be thus pro-
claimed in every county and community
where public opinion is i'll favor of pro-
hibition, while in those communities
where the majority favors the saloons
the saloons would be maintained. The
Republicans propose to re-enact this
law free from the constitutional defects.
They pledge themselves to such a
course. They ought, under the circum-
stances, to have the support of every
reasonable temperance man, including
that of the great mass of the Prohibl-
tionists in the state. They are advocates
of temperance legislation in its only fea-
sible form. Of course the attitude of
the Michigan Republicans will have no
effect on the professional Prohibition
lists of the "Sam" Small and "RebeP'
Brooks variety. They will continue to
do their best to help the Democrats by
decoying former Republicans into voting
for the Fisk-Brooks ticket. They will
thus become allies of the Michigan sa-
loonkeepers, distillers, and brewers in
trying to folst on the state Democratic
saloon legislature and administration.
The Republicans deserve credit for their
manly announcement on this question.
They also deserve success.
OREGON AND WASHINGTON.
No section of the country is to-day at