Connecticut western news., 1890-07-30
- s--- THE TROPICAL SON.
LESSON V, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
 NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. 8.

init Verses, 1S-2O-Go1den Text, Luke xv, 1S-Commentary by Rev. D. M.
 Stearns.
 [Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per mission of H. s. Hoffman, publisher, Philadel- phia-1
 Il. And he said, A certain man had two sons" This is the beginning of the third sec tion of this parable, which is continuation of the lesson of last week. The whole parable teaches the great love of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for lost, and helpless, and erring humanity; and the sympathy of the angels with God in His joy over the sal vation of the lost
 12. "And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living" The sin is seen in the sons desire for the things of his father rather than for the father and his love. The desire also for independence of the father and separa- tion from him indicates the ingratitude of his heart and his insensibility to the fathers love and care.
 IS. "And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his jour ney into far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous hving.n The first illustration of this rebellious nature In man is seen in Cain, who would not submit to the kind requirements of loving God; but pre- ferring his own way "went out from the presence of the Lordn Gen. iv, 18 to do as he pleased It is seen in Esau, who preferred a mess of pottage to his God given birth right Gen. xxv, S234.
 IA sAnd when he had spent all, there nyrr tbof Tor, ,,I h, began to be in want" When we turn away from God, who is the fountain of living wa ters, and seek to satisfy ourselves with aught else, even with the gifts of God, we are hew- ing out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water Ger. ii, 13), and sooner or later we shall surely come to want.
 15. "And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine" The far country Into which he went from his own fathers house and plenty is all about us. It Is this present evil world which Heth in the wicked one Gal. i, 4; John v, 1g, and which al- lures us away from God All who are un- saved are said to be ''far of, i" and because of their sinful and unclean natures are compared to dogs and swine (Eph. ii, IS; II Pet. ii, go.
 16 "And he would fatn have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him" First want then worldly helps, and now beastly appe- tite.
 IT. "And when be came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my fa- thers have bread enough and to spare, and perish with hungerl" He had been so full of self and self seeking that the Fathers house had not been much in his thoughts, e1- cept perhaps as the recollection of a restraint which he could not submit to. But by hav- ing his desires granted he has been led to see somewhat of the leanness of his soul Ps. cvi, 16. We read in Cor. v, 5, of one being delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the 6esh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. And in Job 1Eih, k-S0 we read of dreams, visions, sickness and afflictions as means used by God with men to bring back their souls from the pit, to be enlightened with the sight of the living.
 1a .'I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, 1 have sinned against heaven and before thee" In the story of the lost sheep and lost piece of money we saw the seeking shepherd and wo- man with the light. The sheep and the money did nothing, the shepherd and woman did all But here Is responsible human being who has gone astray like a lost sheep. and has been as insensible to his fathers lovo as piece of metal
 1Q "And am no more worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy hired ser vants." He was unworthy to be called the son of such father when he had plenty and was living riotously, or even when he left that fathers home, or when he demanded his share of the goods. But he did not know 1t, and could not, under those circumstances, be made to see it. The only way to humble him and bring him to his senses was the way he xzlwx IL d., ,f,,1 ness and unworthiness as he could not other wise have been made to see it
 20. And he arose and came to his father" ]" All his conviction, and sense of unworthiness, and good resolutions, would have gone for nothing had he failed to take this step. He might have remained in the far country and died there full of conviction and good resolu- tions. But here Is the saving point, "He arose and came.n And now we shall see the re- suit
 But when he was yet great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, aud fell on his neck, and kissed him. " Here is the Love of God which said to one poor sinner, 'sThy sins eforgiven; thy faith hath saved thee; go In peace.n And to an other, 'Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more,n and which says to all, Him that cometh unto me will in no wise cast
 
 21 "And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.n This was not all he had intended to say see verse 19, but it seems to have been as far as he got. It is a high honor to be g servant of God, but He makes us His chil dren, children of God and joint heirs with Christ, when in true penitence we come te Him John i, 12; Rom. viii, IT; John xv, 15). If we confess our sins He IS faithful and Just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness q John i, 9.
 22 "But the father said to his servants Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him and put ring on his hand, and shoes or lost their fellowship with God and hiding from Him because of their sin; and see Got clothing them with coats of skins which H' had made Gen. iii, 2D. See the robe O. righteousness, and garments of salvation O Isa. lxi, 10; II Cor. V, 21-
 2S ssAnd bring hither the fatted calf, anC kill 1t, and let us eat and be merry" If, il the previous verse, we have forgiveness O atns, and righteousness, and full restoration to position and inheritance and authority here we have true fello wship and great Joy The foretasts is enjoyed here when He come In to sup with us and we with him tRev. Ill 20; but the full joy will be when we eat ane drink with Him at His table fn His Kingdom duke xii, 3O). See in Mordecai's exalta ton, apparel, adorning, and in the Joy ant gladness of the people, a toreshadowing O Kingdom joys Esth. viii, 15-17)
 24 "For this my son was dead, and 1 alive again: he was lost, and is found. AnG they began to be merry" For the third tim in the parable He tells us of the joy over th lost when found And again in verse 62 Surely that which gives such joy to Father Son and Holy Spirit, should give great jo. to every child of God. But Is it not to b feared that the spirit of the elder brothe might be still manifest if we should mak much ado over the conversion of some poo publican or harlota Let us pray to be fhe' with the Spirit of Him who receiveth sim CT and eatetn with them.