The Opelousas courier., 1890-08-09

would changed his mind and go back. He did
not know but that he would drop down from
exhaustion. He did not know but that some
thing fatal might overtake him before he got
up to the doofsill; and so the father ran. The
Bible, for the most part, speaks OF God as
Walking. On the fourth watch of the night"
IL ssyE.s tJests came unto them walking on
the sea- .tHe waiketh upon the wings of
the wind" Our first parents heard the voice
of the Lord, walking in the garden in the
cool of the day; but when a sinner starts
ont for God the father runs to meet him. Ont
if a man ever wants help it is when he tries
to become a Christian. The world says to
him; Back with you n,., HAZE rsIsg' more s Pims
enough vet. Wait until you get sick. Wait
until you getold." Satan says: BACK with
YOU. you ate 50 Dad ssat goa viii uaes.io.h,
ing to DO with vou.' or, You are good
enoighard need no R~edeemer. Take thine
ease, eat, drink and be merry" Ten thou
sand voices say: Back with you. God IS a
hard master. The church is d collection OF
hypocrites. Back into your sins; back 70
your evil indulgences; back to your prayer
less Pillow. The silliest thing that q young
Kaan ever does In TO come home aftsf4h % mas
Oh. wonderful meeting. when God and the
soul come together. "The father ran"
You start for God and God starts for you,
and you mseti and while the angels rejoice
over the meeting your long injured Father
falls upon your neck with attestatiotts OF com
passion and pardon. Your poor, wandering,
sinful. polluted soul and the loving. eternal
Father have met.
remark upon the fathers kiss. He fell
on his neck" my text says, land kissed
him. 1t is not every father that would
have done that way. Some would nave
scolded him. and said: "Here, you went off
with beautiful clothes, but now you are all
in tatters. You vert off healthy, and come
back sick and wasted with yoif designations"
He did not say that. The son, all haggard and
ragged and filthy and wretched, stood before
his father. The father charged him with
none of his wanderings. He just received
him He Just kissed him. bis wretched-
ness was a recommendation to that fathers
love. oh, that fathers kissl How shall l
describe the love Of God2-the ardor with
which He receives a sinner oaek again
Give me @ plummet, with which l may
fathom this sea. Give me a ladder with
which l can scale this height. Give me
words with which I can describe this love.
The apostles say in one place, "unsearch,
able;' in another. ''past finding out"
Height overlapping all height; depth plung
| ing beneath ali depth; breadth comprising
ali immensely.
Oh, this love! God SO loved the world. He
loves vou, Don't you believe it, Has He
not done everything to make you think sof
He has given you life, health, friends,
~ ara rho hearing of your ear. He has
strewn your path with mercies. He has fed
YOU. clothed you, sheltered you, defended
you, loved you. importuned you aI your
life long. Don't you beheve lie loves you?
Why, If now you should start up from the
wilderness OF your SIN he wonld throw pom
arms around you. 10 maze you neileVe tnae
! He loves you He stopped TO mangef ana cross
and sepuichre. with ali the passions OF his
holy nature reused lie STANDS perofe you 10,
day, and would coax you to happiness ana
heaven. Oh, this rather s klss! mere is so
much meaning ana love compassionlhit IL
,oan usnaorinon Nh how mueh heip a man
SSo 80 nant ]gba5 he tries to become a Chris
tien, Indeed the n~rodigal cannot find HIS
.ani bon,a to Iis fatner,s honse alone. IN
less some one comes to meet Aim he had bet
tar bo Nc sta ved hv the swine trouehs,
When the tide comes in YOU might moro
easilv with our broom sweep back the
s,,ross than Won corld drive back the ocean
of your unforgiven transgressions. What
are we 10 aoY are we - nsnS ~ y old ms
alone, anu ~ ~ sn oa ~ - ~ md M word q.
anu lo Losa % anaor nss c.lorv he Ia
Ge c9u 10 honai ~ tba tot +he annoancemen4,
y NJ y at s;nnar starts For God God
ran. nheu u Liz c y J Soc not CONS
STATUS 1uf 'h1 slh nsa ha.;ta+inr aca Nh.
ous WI . na an ho,,na+h H;s feat ard He
tnhalvs sRS : - ~ po,,nd asTha f. tber ran y
S"Aes "oi'es : y
50 much pardon in it, so Iauea neaveh IN u
I proclaim Him the Lord God, mercl1ai,
gracious and long suffering, abundant IN
goodness and truth. Lest you would not pc
fieve Him He goes UP Golgotha. and While the
rocks are rending, and the graves are open
ing, and the mobs are bowling, and the sun
l .. NJ 1t r--A -. O. IInot Sn0