The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1889-02-08

despot, but a Father-kind, loving,
forgiving, and he makes all heaven
ring again when prodical comes
back. ~ have no pleasure" he says,
Gin the death OF him that dieth. :"
If man does not get to heaven it is
because he will not go there. No diff
ference the color, no difference the
history, no difference the antecedents,
no difference the surroundings, no
difference the sin, When the white
horses of Christ's victory are brought
out to celebrate the eternal triumph
you may ride one Of them, and as
God is greater than all, his joy is
greater, and when a soul comes back
there is in his heart the surging of an
infinite ocean of gladness, and to ex-
press that gladness it takes all the
rivers of pleasure, and all the thrones
of pomp, and all the ages of eternity
It is a Joy deeper than all depth, and
higher than all height, and wider
than all width, and vaster than all
immensely. 1t overtops, it under
girds, it outweighs all the united
splendor and joy Of the universe.
Who can tell what Gods joy ISL
You remember reading the story of
king, who on some great day Of
festivity scattered silver and gold
among the people, and sent valuable
presents to his courtiers; but methinks
when soul comes back, God is so
glad that to express his Joy he filings
out new worlds into space, and kindles
up new suns, and rolls among the
white robed anthems of the redeemed
a greater hallelujah, while with a
voice that reverberates among the
mountains of frankincense and is
echoed back from the everlasting
gates, he cries: '"This, my son, was
dead, and he is alive again"
At the opening of the exposition in
New Orleans l saw a Mexican futist,
and he played the solo, and then after
ward the eight or ten bands of music,
accompanied by the great organ, came
in; but the sound of that one flute as
compared with all the orchestra was
greater than all the combined Joy of
the universe when compared with the
resounding heart of Almighty God
For ten years a father went three
times day to the depot. His son
went off in aggravating circum-
but the father said: HE will
come back" The strain was too much
and his mind parted, and three times
a day the father went. In the early
he watched the train, it's ar
rival, the stepping out of the passen-
gers and then the departure of the
train. At noon he was there again
watching the advance of the train,
watching the departure. At night
there again; watching the coming,
watching the going for ten years. He
was sure his son would come back.
God has been watching and waiting
for some of you, my brothers, ten
years, twenty years, thirty years,
forty years, perhaps fifty years-wait-
ing, waiting, watching, watching; and
# this morning the prodigal should
come home what scene of gladness
and festivity, and how the great
Fathers heart would rejoice at your
coming home. You will come, some
If you, will you 'nota You will, YOU
MINISTER'S OF RIGHT REJOICE WHEN
THE PRODIGAL COMES HOME
III. l notice also that when q y
gal comes home there is the JOY Of the
minister's of religion. Oh, it is a grand
hing to preach this gospel. know
here has been great deal said about
he trials and the hardships of the
Christian ministry. | wish somebody
would write a good, rousing book
lbout the joys of the Christian minis
ny. Since I entered the profession /
nave seen more of the goodness of
5od than will be able to celebrate in
Ill eternity. l know some boast about
heir equilibrium, and they do not
Use into enthusiasm, and they do not
break down with emotion; but con-
'ess to you plainly that when !
zee a man coming to God and
giving up his sin / feel in
body, mind and soul a transport
When l see a man who is bound hand
md foot in evil habit emancipated,
rejoice over it as though it were my
own emancipation. When today in
our communion services such throngs
If young and old stand at these
altars, and in the presence of heaven
md earth and hell attest their allegi-
lnce to Jesus Christ, feel a joy some
hing akin to that which the apostle
describes when he says: Whether in
he body l cannot tell, or out of the
BODY cannot tell; God knoweth."
Oh, have not ministers right to re-
dice when a prodigal comes home9
They blew the trumpet, and ought
hey not to be glad of the gathering Of
he host2 They pointed to the full
supply, and ought they not to rejoice
when souls pant as the hart for the
water brooks? They came forth say
ng: "All things are now ready"
,ught they not to rejoice when the
,rodigal sits down at the banquet
Life insurance men will all tell you
hat ministers of religion as a class
i've longer than any other. 1t is con-
irmed by the statistics of all those
Who calculate upon human longevity.
Why is it9 There is more draft upon
he nervous system than in any other
Profession, and their toll is more ex-
have seen ministers kept
N miserable stipends by parsimonious
who wondered at the
lullness of their sermons, when the
men of God were perplexed almost to
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