The Iola register., 1891-06-26
How sharper than serpsnt's tooth, it is,

is the heaviness Of his mother" Tha
is the Bible.
We read nothing in this story-thi
parable founded on everyday life-w'
read nothing about the mother. l
says nothing about going home to her
l think she was dead. / think she hal
aled OF broken heart at his wander
lngs. A man never gets over having
lost his mother. Nothing said about
her here. But he is homesick for his
fathers house. He thought he would
Just like to 60 and walk around the old
place. He thought he would just like
to go and see if things were as they
used to be. Many a man, after having
been of long while, has gone home
and Knocked at the door and stranger
has come. tits the old homestead, but
a stranger comes to the door. He finds
out father is gone and mother is gene.
and brothers and sisters all gone. |
think this young man OF the text said
to himself: Perhaps father may be
dead" Still he starts to find out. He
Is homesick. Are there any here today
homesick for God, homesick for heaven?
But remark concerning this resolu-
tion. it was Immediately put into execu-
ton. The context says. He arose and
came to his father" The trouble in 99s
times out of 1000 is that our resolutions
amount to nothing because we make
them for some distant time. II re-
solve to become christian next year,
that amounts to nothing at all. II |
resolve TO become a christian to-mor-
row, that amounts TO nothing at all. If
l resolve at the service tonight to be-
come christian, that amounts to moth
ing at all. II resolve after l GO home
to-day to yield my heart to God. that
amounts to nothing all. The only kind
OF resolution to anything is the resolu-
tion that is Immediately put into execu-
ton.
There is man who had the typhoid
fever. He said: 20. if l could get
over this terrible distress if this fever
Should depart: if could be restored to
health. | would all the rest of my life
serve God" The fever departed. He
got well enough 20 walk around the
block. He got well enough to 90 over
10 New York and attend to business
He IS well to-day-as well as he ever
was. Where i 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
arranged. and | will have time 70 attend
10 religion, and will be a good. thor
eugh, cOnSecrated christian" The
year 1891 has come. January. February.
March, April, May, June almost half
of the year gone. Where is your bro
ken vow? Or says some man, Il
will attend to that when I can get my
character fixed up: when l can get over
my evil habits. | am now given to
strong drink" or. Says the man. Il am
given TO dishonesty. When | get over
my present habits. then I will be thor
Ough christian. My brother. you will
get worse and worse, until Christ takes
you in hand. Not the righteous: sin
ners, Jesus came TO cali" O. but You
say: Il agree with you on that. but I
must put off a little longer" Do you
near as you are 10 the kingdom of God
and never entered it?
l will tell You OF two prodigals, the
Dne that got back aud the other that did |
lOt get back. In Virginia there is a
very prosperous and beautiful home in .
many respects. \ young man wandered /
VI from that home. He wandered very !
ar into sin. They heard of him often. /
Dut he was always on the wrong track. !
1e would not go home. At the door of |
hat beautiful home one night there was /
great outcry. The young man of the /
lOuse ran down and opened the door 10 |
ee what was the matter. II was mid
light. The rest of the family were .
sleep. There were the wife and the .
hildren of this prOdigal young man. /
The fact was he had come home and |
riven them out. He said: Out of
his house. Away with these children. /
will dash their brains out. Out into
ne storm. The mother gathered them
p and fed. The next morning the +.
'rother, the young man who had stayed
{ home. went out to find this prodigal
,rOther and son. and he came where he
Sae and saw the young man wandering
ID and down in front OF the house where 4
.e had been staying. and the young man
rho had kept his integrity said to the
ther brother: Here. what does all
his mean? What is the matter with
ou? Why do you act in this way
The prodigal looked at him and said:
Who am I: Who do You take me 10
e." He said: "You are my brother"
No l am not. l am brute. Have
on seen anything of my wife and child
en-? Are they dead: l drove them
Ut last night in the storm. am a
rute. John. do you think there is any
elp for me? Do you think | will ever
ct over this life of disSipation?" He
AID: John. there is Just one thing
nat will stop this" The prodigal ran
is finger across his throat and said:
That will stop it. and I'll stop it be-
IRE night. o! my brain: can stand it
o longer" That prodigal never got :
ONE. But will tell you of prodigal
nat did get home.
There was a gentleman in a rail car
no saw in that same car three passen-
ers OF very different circumstances.
he first was maniac. He was care
lily guarded by his attendants: his
lind. ike ship dismasted, was beat
lg against dark, desolate coast, from
hich no help could come. The train
opped and the man was taken out into {
lie asylum, TO waste away. perhaps. .
trough years of gloom. The second /!
assenger was a culprit. The outraged /,
W had seized on him. AS the cars 1
lted. the chairs ratified. On his face
ere crime. depravity and despair. The
ain halted and he was taken out 10 ;
le penitentary. to which he had been
,ndemned There was the third pas
niger under far different circum- {
ances. She was bride, Every hour n
as as gay as a marriage bell. Life i
Uttered and beckoned. Her compan- \
n was taking her to his fathers house. a
he train halted. The old man was I
lere to welcome her to her new home, d
nd his white locks showed down upon I.
er and he sealed his word with n
theirs kiss. Quickly we fly toward e
ernity. We will soon be there. a
,-,a laora @b;c lifa oop1ampad q :.