Connecticut western news., 1890-06-18

never again forsake him.
 In the first place, notice in this text the fathers eyesight; ill the second place. notice the fathers haste; and, in the third place, notice the fathers kiss.
 To begin the fathers eyesight "When he was a great way off his father saw him." You have noticed how old people sometimes put a book off on the other side of the light. They can see at distance great deal easier than they can close by. do not know whether this father could see well that which was near by, but l do know he could see a great way off. ''His father saw him." Perhaps he had been look ing for the return of that boy especially that day. I do not know but that he had been in prayer, and that God had told him that that day the recreant boy would come home. '"The father saw him a great way off,"
 I wonder if Gods eyesight can de- scry us when we are coming back to him? The text pictures our condition we are a great way off. That young man was not farther off from his fa- ther's house, sin is not farther off from holiness, hell is not farther off from heaven, than we have been by our sins away off from our God; aye, so far off that we could not hear his voice, though vehemently he has called us year after year. I do not know what bad habits you may have formed, or in what evil places you have been, or what false notions you may have en- tertained; but you are ready to ac- knowledge, if your heart has not changed by the grace of God, that you are great way off-aye, so far that you cannot get back of yourselves. You would like to come back Aye, this moment you would start if it were not for this sin, and that habit, and this disadvantage.
 But am to tell you of the fathers eyesight. "He saw him great way off" He has seen all your frailties, all your struggles, all your disadvantages. He has been longing for your coming. He has not been looking at you with a critics eye or a bailiffs eye, but with a fathers eye; and if a parent ever pitied a child God pities you. You say: "Oh, had so many evil surroundings when I started life." Your father sees it. You say: 1T have so many bad sur roundings now, and it is very difficult for me to break away from evil associa- ations." Your father sees it, and if you should start heavenward- I pray you may-your father would not sit idly down and allow you to struggle on up toward him. Oh, nol Seeing you great way off he would fly to the rescue. How long does it take a father to leap into the middle of the highway if his child be there and swift vehicle is coming and may destroy him9 Five hundred times longer than it takes our heavenly ia ther to spring to the deliverance of a lost child. "When he was great way off his father saw him."
 And this brings me to notice the fathers haste. The Bible says he ran. No wonderl He did not know but that the young man would change his mind and go back. He did not know but that he would drop down from ex. haustion. He did not know but that something fatal might overtake him be- fore he got up to the doorsill; and SC the father ran. The Bible for the most part speaks of God as walking. 'In the fourth watch of the night" il says, "Jesus came unto them walking on the sea-" ''He walketh 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 for God the Father runs to meet him.
 Oh! if a man ever wants help it is The world says to him: ''Back with you. Have more spirit. Don't be hampered with religion. Time enough yet. Wait until you get sick. Wai1 until you get old" Satan says: ''Bach with you; you are so bad that Goo will have nothing to do with you;" or "You are good enough, and need nc Redeemer Take thine ease, eat drink and be merry" Ten thousand voices say: Back with you. God is g | hard master. The church is collec ton of hypocrites. Back into you sins; back to your evil indulgences | back to your prayerless pillow. The silliest thing that a young man ever | does is to come home after he has been l wandering" Oh, how much help a man does want when he tries to be come Christian! Indeed, the prodi gal cannot find his way home to hi fathers house alone. Unless some ont comes to meet him he had better have stayed by the swine troughs.
 l When the tide comes in you migh more easily with your broom sweel back the surges than you could driv, back the ocean of your unforgive1 transgressions. What are we to do Are we to fight tho battle alone, ant 1 trudge on with no one to aid us, ana no rock to shelter us, and no word O encouragement to cheer us2 Glory b' to God, we have in the text the an nouncement: "When he was yet great way off his father ran." Whe1 the sinner starts for God, God start for the sinner God does not come ou with slow and hesitating pace. The infinite spaces slip beneath his feet, ano l he takes worlds at bound. "The father ran." Oh, wonderful meeting when God and the soul come together '"The father ran." You start for God an6 God starts for you, and you meet; and
 while the angels rejoice over the meet ing, your long injured father falls upo1 your neck with attestations of com passion and pardon. Your poor, wan