Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-08-13

threw II, and 1t fell oil bini aid cfllshed hlth
to death. SO jealousy is not only absurd, IL
Is killing to the body and it is kill ng To the
soul How; seldom it is you find one mer
chant speaking well Of a merchant in
the same line of business. How sci
doiS it is YOU hear of physician
speaking well Of a physician on the
same block Oh, my friends, the world is
large enough for all of us. Let us rejoice at
the success of others The next best thing to
owning a garden ourselves is to look over
the fence and admire the flowers. The next
best thing to riding in fine equipage is to
stand ON the street and admire the prancing
span. The next best thing to having a 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 a ravine, bullet from a sharp
shooter struck the rider, and he fell dead.
Then the general said, 'How much safer it is
to walk thanto rider
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 physiognoiny did
not spoil the festivity within How many
Douting 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 supphed-vinegar and red pepper! Oh,
come away from that mood. Stir a little
saccharine into your disposition. While you
avoid the dissoluteness of the younger son,
avoid also the irascibility and the petulance
and the pouting spirit of the eller son, and
initiate the father, who had embraces for the
returning prodigal and coaxing words for
the splenetic nalcontent.
AL the face of this pouting elder son is
put bs fore 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 dove in the mouth of the
cannon. Raphael, in one of his cartoons, be-
side the face of a wretch, put the face of a
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 10 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 nis
chafed foot, garland on his bleeding uem
piles, 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.
Oh, what God we havel Bring your do1-
ologies. Come, earth and heaven. and join
in the worship. Cry aloud. Lift the palm
branches Do you not feel the Fathers arm
around your neckl Do you not feel the
warm breath of your father against your
cheekl Surrender, younger son! Surrender,
elder son! Surrender. ALL Oh, go in today
and sit down at the banquet Take 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 land 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 mako merry, and be glad; for
this thy brother was dead and Is alive again;
and was lost, and is found"