Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-06-26

out of thousand is that our resolu-
tlons amount to nothing because we
make them for some distant time.
There is man who had the typhoid
fever. He said: sob! il 1 could get
over this terrible distress! II this fever
should depart, il l could be restored to
health, would all the rest of my life
serve God" The fever departed. He
got well enough to walk around tho
block. lie got well enough to go over
to New York and attend to business
He is well to-day-as well as he ever
was. Where is the broken vow? There
Is man who said long ago: Tf could
live to the year 1891, by that time !
will have my business matters ar.
ranged, and 1 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? 60" says some man,
"Ill attend to that when can get my
character fixed up; when can get over
my evil habits; l am now given to
strong drink" or, says the man, 81 am
given to uncleanness," or, says the
man, Il am given TO dishonesty. When
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 homo, and SO
he wrote letter down to Mr.. 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" 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, 81 will not go. / have had enough
of home. III never go home" "Well,"
said Mr.. Griffin, then if you won't go
home, I'll get you a respecta BILE posi-
ton on a respectable ship" mo, you
WON'T" said the prodigal; "No, you
won't. | am going as 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 Mr.. Griffin was
seated in his study one day when a mes
sage came to him that there was
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
Il L.
don't know me, do you?' "No," he said,
81 don't know you" "Why, don't you
remember that young man you tried to
persuade to go home and he wouldn't
go?" 80! yes" said Mr.. Griffin, "are
you that man?" eyes, / am that man."
said the other. 81 would like to have
you pray for me. / have committed
murder and l must die; but don't
want to GO out of this world until some
one prays for me. You are my fathers
friend, and | would like to have
you pray for me-" Mr.. Griffin
went from judicial author
ity to judicial authority to
get the young mans pardon. He slept
not night nor day. He went from in
tiuential person to influential person
until in some way he got that 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 moment Mr..
Griffin offered the pardon to the young
man, the old father threw his arms
around the sons neck and the son said:
Father, l have done very wrong and
am very sorry. l wish / had never
broken your heart. / am very sorry"
''O." said the father, don't mention il;
it don't make any difference now. tits
all over. l forgive you, my son." and
he kissed him and kissed him and
kissed him.
To-day l 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
crime against God, against your own
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
Heavenly Father throws his arms
around about you and says: "My son,
forgive you. 1t is all right You are as
much in my favor now as if you had
never sinned." o. there is Joy on earth
and JOY in heaven. Who will take the
fathers embrace?
Quickly we fly toward eternity. We
will soon be there. Some leave this life
condemned. Oh, may it be with us,
that, leaving this fleeting life for the
next, we may find our Father ready to
greet us to our new home with him for
ever. That will be n banquet! Fathers
welcome! Fathers bosom! Fathers
Is. Heaven! Heaven!
Short Paragraphs.
The average cost Of constructing a !
mile of railroad in the United States
at the present time is about $50, 900. |
The government and council OF
Maine have decided to present the
United States cruiser Maine q service
of silver plate TO cost 81, 900.