The Forrest City times., 1891-06-26

He is we'll to-day-as we'll as he ever was. Where is the broken vow? There is man who said long ago: If could live to the year 1891, by that time l will have my business matters ar ranged, and I will have time to attend to religion, and will be good, thorough, consecrated Christian" The year 1891 has come. January, Feb ruary, March, April, May, June-almost half of the year gone. Where is your broken VOW? 'Ol" says some man, "I'll attend to that when can get my character fixed up; when can get over my evil habits; I am now given to strong drink" or, says the man, ''I am given to uncleanness," or, says the man, "I am given to dishonesty. Wher l get over my present habits, then I'll be thorough Christian" My brother. you will get worse and worse until Christ takes you in hand. Not the righteous; sinners, Jesus came to call.' To be only almost saved is not to be saved at all.
 In England two young men started from their fathers house and went down to Portsmouth. The father could not pursue his children; for some reason he could not leave home, and so he wrote letter down to Mir. Griffin, saying: "Mr. Griffin, wish you would go and see my two sons. They have arrived in Portsmouth and they are go- ing to take ship, and going away from home. wish you would persuade them back" Mir. Griffin went and he tried to persuade them back. He persuaded one to go. He went with very easy persuasion because he was very home sick already. The other young man said, II will rot go. have had enough of home. I'll never go home" Well" !" said Mir. Griffin, then if you won't go home. I'll get you respectable posi- tion on a respectable ship" ''No, you won't" said the prodigal; "No. you won't. l 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 a mes sage came to him that there was a young man i'll irons on a ship at the docls-a young man condemned to death who wished to see this clergyman. Mir. Griffin went down to the dock and went on shipboard. The young man said to him: "You don't know me, do you?" "No,' he said, "I don't know you" Why. don't you remember that young man you tried to persuade to go home and he wouldn't go?" "Ol yes" said Mir. Griffin, "are you that man." ''Yes, am that man" i" you pray for me. l have committed l..,, T | ls,.& Igx,, want to go out of this world until some one prays for me. You are my father friend and l would like to have went from judicial author ity to judicial authority to get the young mans pardon. He slept | not night nor day. He went from in- fluential person to influential person mans pardon. He came down on the dock and as he arrived on the dock with the pardon the father came. He had heard that his son under disguised name had been committing crime and was going to be put to death. So Mir. Griffin and the father went on ships deck and at the moment Mir. Griffin offered the pardon to the young
 
 around the sons neck and the son said: Father, 1 have done very wrong and l | am very sorry. 1 wish 1 had never broken your heart. am very sorry. "On' said the father, don't mention it; it don't make any difference now. ltis all over, 1 forgive you, my son." and he kissed him and kissed him and kissed him.
 To-day I offer you the pardon of the Gospel-full pardon, free pardon. l do not care what your sin has been. Though you say you have committed q l crime against God, against your own l soul, against your fellow man, against your family, against the day of judg- ment, against the cross of Christ whatever your crime has been, here is pardon, full pardon, and the very mo- ment that you take that pardon your l Heavenly Father throws his arms | around about you and says; My son, 1 forgive you. It is all right. You are as much in my favor now as if you had never sinned." 0, there is joy on earth and joy in heaven. Who will take the | fathers embraceP
 Quickly we fly toward eternity. We | will soon be there. Some leave this life condemned Oh, may it be with us, that, leaving this feeting life for the next, we may find our Father ready to greet us to our new home with him for ever. That will be banquet! Fathers weleomel Fathers bosom! Fathers kissl Heaven! Heaven.