The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-06-24

that viii stop this.p The prodigal ran
his finger across his throat and said;
THAT viii stop II. and I'll stop II before
night OH my brain; ! can stand 1t no
longer That prodigal never got thome.
But viii tell you Of prodigal that
did get home.
In England two young men started
from their fathers house and went
down TO Portsmouth. The fathercoul
not pursue his children; for some rea-
son he could notleaye home, and so he
wrote letter down TO Mr.. Griffin. say
ing; "Mr. Griffin, wish you would 60
and see my two sons. They have ar
rived In Portsmouth and they are going
to take ship, and going away from
home. ! wish you would persuade them
back" Mr.. 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 not go. Ihave had enough
Of home. I'll never 20 home" "Well,"
said Mr.. Griffin, then II you won't 60
home, III get you a respectable position
on respectable ship" "No, you
won't" said the prodigal; mo, you
won't. ! am going as common sailor;
that win plague my father most and
what will do most TO tantalize and
worry him win please me best"
Years passed on and Mr.. Griffin was
seated in his study one day when mes
sage came to him that there was a
young man in irons on ship at the
dock-a young man condemned to death
who wished to see 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
you?" 'No," he said, II don't know
you" "Why, don't you remember
that young man you tried to persuade
TO go home and che wouldn't go?"
"0hl yes," said Mr.. Griffin, "are you
that mani" eyes, am that man."
said the other. 81 would like to
have you pray for me. / have commit,
ted murder and must die; but don't
want to go out of this world until some
one prays for me-" Mr.. Griffin went
from judicial authority to judicial au-
thority to get the young mans pardon.
He slept not night nor day. He went
from influential person TO influential
person until in some way he got the
young 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 a disguised name had been
committing crime and was going to be
put TO death. So Mr., Griffin and the
father went on ships deck, and at the
very moment Mr.. Griffin offered the
pardon 10 the young man, the old father
threw his arms around the sons neck
and the son said; Father, have done
very wrong and ] am very sorry. !
wish had never broken your heart ]
am very sorry" "Ohl'' said the father,
don't mention Il; II don't make any
difference now. II is all over. / for.
give you, my son" and he kissed him
and kissed him.
To-day offer You the pardon Of the
gospel--full pardon, free pardon. do
not care what your sin has been.
Though you say you have committed a
crime against God, against your own
soul, against your fellow man, against
your family, against the day Of judg-
ment, against the cross OF fChrist-what.
ever your crime has been, here Is pardon,
full pardon, and the very moment that
you take that pardon your Heavenly
Father throws his arms around about
you and says my son, forgive you.
II Is all right You are as much in my
favor now as II you had never silned."
OH there is Joy on earth and Joy In
Heaven Who will take the Fathers
embrace?
There was gentleman in the rail
car who saw in that same car three pas.
sengers OF very different circumstances.
The first was maniac; he was care
fully guarded by his attendants; his
mind, like ship dismasted, was beat
ing against dark, desolate coast, from
which no help could come The train
stopped, and the man was taken out
into the asylum, 10 waste away per
haps, through years Of gloom.
The second passenger was cul-
prit The outraged law had seized
on him AS the cars jolted, the
chains ratified. On his face were crime,
depravity and despair The train halted,
and he was taken out TO the peniten-
tiary, to.which he had been condemned.
There was third passenger under far
different circumstance. She was q
bride. Every hour was as gay as q
marriage bell Life glIttered and beck.
oned. Her companion was taking her
10 his fathers house. The train halted.
The old man was there TO welcome her
10 her new home, and his white lock-
showed down upon her as he sealed his
word with fathers kiss stt-
Quickly we ny toward eternity. We
will soon be here. Some leave this life
condemned. o, may Il be with US, that
leaving this iieeting life for the next
we may find our Father ready TO gree'
us 10 our new homo with Him forever
That viii be n marriage banquet
Fathers welcomed Fathers bosom
Fathers kissl Heavenl Heavenl
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