The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-11-21

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They wrung their hands in grief, but
could do nothing for her, and the poor
girl died in darkness and despair.
What was their wealth to them then
A young man, some time ago. lay
DIVING. and his mother thought he was
a Christian One day, passing his
room door. she heard him say. Lost
lost loStl'' The mother ran into the
room and cried. Ny boy, is il posi-
bic You have lost your hope in Christ.
now you are dyinze'' No. mother.
il is not that: have hope beyond
the grave, but have lost nay life. |
have lived "a years, and done nothing
for the Son OF God, and now | am dy-
ing. Nv life has been spent for NY
self: have lived for this world, and
now, while | am dying. I have given
myself to Chiist; but my life is lost. y
If there is one protested child of God
who never had the JOY OF leading even
one soul into the kingdom Of God, oh
let him begin at once.
Now, secondly. let me talk a little
while to those who have gone back in
to the world--to the backslider. Ii
MAJ be you came to some great city
a. kfH CaAS ArrV HAOtt-~t$A &fiAA@tAaA&-
You were as.member of a church once,
and a teacher in the Sabbath school,
perhaps; but when you came among
strangers you thought you would just
wait little-perhaps take a class by
and by. So you gave up teaching in
the Sunday school. you gave up all
work for Christ. Then in your new
church you did not receive the atten-
ton or the warm welcome that you
expected, and YOU got into the habit
of staying away. You have gone so
far now that you are found in the
theater, perhaps, and the companion
of blasphemers and drunkards. Per-
haps am speaking now to some one
who has been away from his fathers
house for many years. Come, now,
backslider, tell me, are you happy?
Have you had one happy hour since
you lett Christ? Does the world salts
fy you, or those husks that you have
got in the FAR country | have trav-
eled a good deal, but never found a
happy backslider in my life. | never
knew man who was really born of
God that ever could find the world sat
isfy him afterwards. Do you think
the prodigal son was satisfied in that
foreign country? Ask the prodigals
in this city if they are truly happy.
You know they are not. There is
no peace, saith my God 10 the wicked. y
Oh, backslider, | pity youl But |
want TO tell you that the
Lord Jesus pities YOU good
deal more than any one else can.
He knows how bitter your life IS; He
knows how dark your life is; He wants
you TO come home. Oh. backslider,
come home tonight | have loving
message from your Father. The Lord
wants you, and calls you back tonight,
Come home, o wanderer, this night;
return from the dark mountains of
sin. Return, and your Father Will
give You a warm welcome. | know
that the devil has told you that God
won't have anything to do with YOU,
because You have wandered away. III
that is true, there would be verv few
men in heaven. David backslid; |
Abraham and jacob turned away from |
God; | do not believe there is saint |
in heaven but at some time of his life |
with his heart has backslidden from |
God. Perhaps not in his life, but in |
his heart. The prodigal's heart.got /
into the far country before his body |
got there. Backsliderl tonight come |
home.
A number of years ago, before any |
railway came into Chicago, they used |
to bring in the grain from the West
ern prairies in wagons for hundreds /
OF miles, so as TO have it shipped off
by the lakes. There was father who
had large farm out there, and who
used to preach the gospel rs well as
attend to his farm. One day when
church business engaged him, he sent
his son TO Chicago with grain. He
waited and waited for his boy to
return, but he did not come home.
At last he could wait no longer, so he
saddled his horse and rode to the
place where his son had sold the grain. |
He found that he had been there and
got the money for the grain; then be
began to fear that his boy had been
murdered and robbed. At last, with
The aid of a detective, they tracked
him to gambling den. where they
found that he had gamb!ed away
The whole of his money.
In hopes of winning it back
team, and lost that money, too. He
had fallen among thieves, and like the
man who was going to Jericho, they |
stripped him. and then they cared no
more about him. What could he do !
He was ashamed to go home TO meet
ais father, and he fled. The father
knew what il all meant. He knew the
BOY thought he would be very angry
With him. He was grieved to think that
his boy should have such feelings !.
towards him. That is Just exactly
ike the sinner. He thinks because he !
las sinned, God will have nothing to
10 with him. But what did that
ather do? Did he say, LET the boy |
soP No; he went after him. He
arranged his business and started
liter the boy. That man went from
own TO town, from city to city He
would get the ministers to let him
preach, and at the close he would tell
his story. II have got a boy
Who IS a wanderer on the face
IF the earth somewhere He would
describe his boy and say, III you ever
lear OF him or see him, will YOU not Z
write to meP" At last he found that {
ne had gone TO California, thousands
Il miles away. Did that father say
Let him go?n No: off he went to the {
Pacific coast, seeking the boy. He !
vent to San Francisco. and advertised !
n the NEWSPAPERS that he would
reach at such church
N such II day. When .
re beg preached he told his story, in
ropes that the boy might have seen I,
he advertisement and come to church !
When he had done. away under the !
'aliery there was a young man who
waited until the audience had gone
tut; then he came towards the pulpit.
ne father looked and saw it was that
10Y, and he ran TO him, and pressed
iim to his bosom. The boy wanted to
'onfess what he had done. but not a
word would the farther hear. He for
ave him freely, and took him to his
rome once more.
Not long ago. in Edinburgh, lady
sho was an earnest Christian worker.
ound q NOuug woman ubasa faaf hi