Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-25

they shot rockets, and they sent ropes from
the shore, and these poor fellows got into
the boat, and they pulled nightly for the
| shore, but just before they got to the
shore the roped snapped and the boat cap
sized and they were lost, their bodies after
ward washed up on the beach. O.! what a
solemn day it was-I have been told of it
by my brother-when these twelve men lay
at the foot of the pulpit and he read over
them the funeral service They came very
| near shore-within shouting distance of
| the shore, yet did not arrive on solid land.
| There are some men who come almost to
| the shore of Gods mercy, but not quite,
not quite. To be only almost saved is not
| to be saved at all.
| will tell YOU of two prodieals. the one
| that got back and the other that did not get
back. In Virginia there is very prosper
GUS and beautiful home in many respects.
A young man wandered off from that home.
be wondered very far into sin. They heard
OF him often. but he was always on the
wrong track. He would not go home. At
the door of that beautiful home one
night there was a great outcry. The
young man of the house ran down and
opened the door to see what was the mat
ter. 1t was midnight. The rest of the
family were asleep. There We're the wife
and the children of this prodigal young
man. The fact was he had come home and
DRIVEN THEM OUT.
He said: "Out of this house. Away
with these children. l will dash their
brains out. Out into the storm!'' The
mother gathered them up and fled. The
next morning, the brother, the young man
who had stayed at home, went out to find
this prodigal brother and son, and he came
where he was, and saw the young man wan
dering up and down in front of the place
where he had been staying, and the young
man who had kept his integrity said to the
older brother: Here, what does all this
meant What is the matter with youa Why
do you act in this way" The prodigal
looked at him and said: "Who am II Who
do you take me to be-" He said: "You
are my brother" 'sNo, am not. 1 am a
brute. Have you seen anything of my wife
and childrenl Are they deadl I drove
them out last night in the storm. 1 am
brute. John, do you think there is any help
for mel Do you think l will ever get over
this life of dissipation He said: John,
there is just one thing that will stop this.''
The prodigal ran his finger across his
throat and said: ''That will stop it. and
I'll stop it before night. o. my brain: l
can stand it no longer" That prodigal
never got home. But l will tell YOU of
prodigal that did get home.
In England two young men started from
their fathers house and went down to
Portsmouth. The father could not pursue
MS cnllQren; Tor some reason ne could not
leave home, and so he wrote letter down
to Mr.. Griffin saying: ''Mr Griffin, 1
wish you would go and see my two sons.
They have arrived in Portsmouth and are
going to take ship, and going away from
home. 1 wish you would persuade them
back" Mr.. Griffin went and he tried to
persuade them back. He persuaded one to
60. He went with every persuasion be-
cause he was
VERY HOMEsICK ALREADY.
The other young man said, Il will not go,
l have had enough of home I'll never
go home" "Well, said Mr. Griffin, ''then
if you won't go home, I'll get you a respect
able position on respectable ship" mo,
you WON'T" said the prodigal: mo, you
won't am going as a common sailor;
that will plague my father most, and what
will do most to tantalize and worry him will
please me best.''
Years passed on and MIR. Griffin was
seated in his study one day when message
came to him that there was a young man in
irons on ship at the dock-a young man
condemned to death-who wished see to this
clergyman. Mr.. Griffin went down to the
dock and went on shipboard. The young
man said to him: '.you don't know me, do
you2" NO" he said, 81 don't know your
why don't you remember that young man
who you tried to persuade to go home and
he wouldn't go2n fsOhi yes,'' said Mr..
Griffin, ARE you that man2'' eyes, / am
that man." said the other. 81 would like
to have you pray for mo. have committed
murder and must die: but don't want to
60 out Of this world until some one -prays
Tor mo You ere my fathers frioud and I