Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-08-22

depth! Oh, was glad there was no smil'
ing in the room when that man was taken
out, his poor wife following him with his
hat in her hand, and his coat on her arm.
1t was as solemn to me as two funerals
the funeral of the body and the fuueral ot
the soul. Beware lest thou also be tempt.
ed.
An invalid went to South America for his
health, and one day sat summing himself on
the beach, when he saw something crawl
ing up the beach, wriggling toward him,
and he was affrighted. He thought it was
wild beast, or a reptile, and he took his
pistol from his pocket. Then he saw it was
not wild beast. 1t was man, an immor-
tai man, man made in Gods own image;
and the poor wretch crawled up to the feet
of the invalid and asked for strong drink,
and the invalid took his wine flask from his
pocket, and gave the poor wretch some
thing to drink, and then under the stimulus
he rose up and gave his history. He had
been merchant in Glasgow. He had gone
down under the power Of strong drink un-
til be was so reduced in poverty that he
was lying in boat just off the beach.
"Why," said the invalid, 81 knew a mer-
chant in Glasgow once" a merchant by
such and such name, and the poor wretch
Strengthened himself and said, ST am that
man." s'Let him that thinketh he standeth
take heed least he fall"
Again, I remark that the senior brother
of my text stands for the spirit of envy and
| jealousy. The senior brother thought that
all the honor they did to the returned
brother was wrong to him. He said. 81
have stayed at home, and ought to have
had the ring, and l ought to have had the
| L T 30 hou had fho
lands" Alas, for this spirit of envy and
jealousy coming down through the ages!
Cain and Abel, Esau and Jacob, Saul and
David, Haman and Mordecai, Othello and
Iago, Orlando and Angelica, Caligula and
Torquatus, Caesar and Pompey, Columbus
and the Spanish courtiers, Cambyses and
the brother he slew because he was better
marksman. Dionysius and Philoxenius,
whom he slew because he was better sim
ner. Jealousy among painters. Closter-
man and Geoffrey Kneller, Hudson and
REYNOLDS. Francis, anxious to see picture
of Raphael, Raphael sends him a picture.
Francis, seeing it, falls in a fit of jeal-
ousy from which he dies. Jealousy among
authors. How seldom contemporaries
speak of each other. Xenophon and Plato
living at the same time, but from their
writings you never would suppose they
heard Of each other. Religious jealousies.
The Mahommedans praying for rain dur
ing a drought, no rain coming. Then the
Christians begin to pray for rain, and the
rain comes. Then the Mahommedans met
together to account for this, and they re-
solved that God was so we'll pleased with
their prayers He kept the drought on SO as
to keep them playing; but that the Chris
tians began to pray, and the Lord was SO
disgusted with their prayers that he sent
rain right away so He would not hear any
more of their supplications. Oh. this ac-
cursed spirit of envy and jealousy! Let US
stamp it out from all our hearts.
| A wrestler was so enviOus of Theogenes,
the prince of wrestlers, that he could not
be consoled in any way !; and afte1
Theogenes died, and statue was lifted to
him in a public place, his envious antagon-
ist went out every night and wrestled with
the statue until one night he threw it, and
it fell on him and crushed him to DEATH
So jealousy is not only absurd, but it il
killing to the body and it is killing to the
soul. How seldom it is you find one mer
chant speaking we'll of a merchant in tht
same line of business. How seldom it il
you hear of a physician speaking we'll of ;
physician on the same block. Oh, m!
friends, the world is large enough for all o
US. Let us rejoice at the success of others
The next best thing to owning a garder
ourselves is to look over the fence and ad
mire the flowers. The next best. thing tt
riding in fine equipage is to stand on the
street and admire the prancing span. The
next best thing to having banquet giver
to ourselves is having a banquet given tt
our prodigal brother that has come home tC
his fathers house.
Besides that, if we do not get as mucf
honor and as much attention as others, VIZ
ought to congratulate ourselves in what We
escape in the way of assault. The French
general, riding on horseback at the heat
of his troops, heard soldier complain anG
say, sit is very easy for the general tt
|, command us forward while he rides and We
walk" Then the general dismountea ant
compelled the complaining soldier to ge
on the horse. Coming through ravine, {
, bullet from a sharpshooter struck thu
rider, and he fell dead. Then the genera
said, "How much safer it is to walk thai
to ride ~
Once mora 1 have to tell you that thi
senior brother of my text stands for th,
pouting Christian. While there is so mucl
congratulation within doors, the hero o
nv text stands outside, the corners of hi
mouth drawn down, looking as he felt
miserable. am glad his lugubrious ply
siognomy did not spoil the festivity within
How many pouting Christians there are il
our day-Christians who do not like tn
music of our churches, Christians who d.
not like the hilarities of the young-pout
ing, pouting, poutipg at society, poutipg a
/ , re fashions, pouting at the newspapers
", ~. ting at the charch, pouting at the gov
ernr, eu ut, pouting at the high heaven.-
Thn;r ., >leen is too large, their liver doe
~ - orI, 81 their digestion is broken down
Tharo wo ,ra tu . cruets in their castor AWAY
snro ne 70 he veil supplied-vinegar and re,
nenner, Oh. GO ,ue away from that mood
SIR Stpp little sacch into your disposition
WI While Won avoid the dissoluteness of tn
Younger son. avoid also the irasclbillty AM
the petulanee and the pouting spirit OF Tn
elder son. and initiate the father, who ha
embraces for the returning prodlgai ant
coaxing words for the spieneslc macon
| tent. :
All the face of this pou't ing elder son SON. !
put before us in order that we '"g.' IetIo 4h
see the radiant and forgiving face u -.;s .n
father. Contrasts are mighty. The a..
in sketching the field of Waterloo, years
after the battle. put dove in the mouth Of
the cannon. Raphael, in one of his car.
ICONS, DeSlQe tne lace OF wretch put the
face of a happy and innocent child. And
SO the sour face of this iracible and disgust
ed elder brother is brought out in order
that in the contrast we may better under.
stand the forgiving 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, a ring on his bloated
hand, an easy shoe on his chafed foot, a
garland on his bleeding temples and heaven
in his soul. Oh, fall fiat on that mercy.
Come, my brother, and let us get down
into the dust, resolved never TO rise until
the Fathers forgiving hand shall lift us.
o, what God we have Bring your
doxologies. Come, earth and heaven, and
join in the worship. Cry aloud. Lift the
palm branches Do you not feel the
Fathers arm around your neck? Do you
not feel the warm breath of your Father
against your check? Surrender, younger
son Surrender, elder son Surrender,
all Oh, 60 in to-day and sit down at the
banquet. Take a slice of the fatted calf,
and afterward, when you are seated, with
one hand in the hand of the returned
brother and the other hand in the hand OF
the rejoicing father, let your heart beat
= 4. kLo Ill &c FL, IL A.