Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-22

4
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 prodigals, the one
| that got back and the other that did not get
back. In Virginia there is a very prosper
| Gus and beautiful home in many respects.
A young man wandered of from that home.
He 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 great outcry. The
| young man of the house ran down and
ter. 1t was midnight. The rest of the
family We're asleep. There were 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. I will dash their
brains out. Out into the stormr' The
mother gathered them up and fed. 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 you2 Why
do you act in this wayan The prodigal
looked at him and said: 'sWho am I! Who
do you take me to be2'' He said: 'You
are my brother" 'sNo, am not. I am
brute. Have you seen anything of my wife
and childrenl Are they deadl 1 drove
them out last night in the storm. | am a
brute. John, do you think there is any help
for me? Do you think l will ever get over
this life of dissipation', esaid: 'iJohn,
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;
can stand it no longer" That prodigai
never got home. But I will tell YOU of a
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
his children; for some reason he 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. wish you would persuade them
back" Mr.. Griffin went and he tried to
persuade them back. He persuaded one to
go. He went with every persuasion be-
cause he was
VERY HoMEsIcK ALREADY.
The other young man said, Il will not CO.
I 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 respect
able position on respectable ship" mo,
you WON'T" said the prodigal: 'sNo, 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 message
came to him that there was young man in
irons on ship at the dock-a young man
condemned to death-who wished see to this
dock and went on shipboard The young
man said to him: 'syou don't know me, do
youl" 'sNo," he said, 81 don't know you"
"Why don't you remember that young man
who you tried to persuade to go home ard
he wouldn't co." ''Oh! yes said Mr..
Griffin, ''are you that MANI eyes, 1 am
that man. said the other 81 would like
to have you pray for me. I have committed
murder and l must die; but l don't want to
go out of this world until some one prays
for me. You are my fathers friend and l
would like to have you pray for me-" Mr..
Griffin went from judicial authority to judi
cial authority to get the young mans par
don. He slept not night nor day.
He went from influential person to influen-
tial 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 young mans pardon the father came.
He had heard that his son under dis
guised 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 to the young
man, the old father threw his arms around
the young mans neck, and the son said:
Father, l have done very wrong and am
very sorry. I wish 1 had never broken
your heart. l am very sorry" COP said
the father, 'don't mention it, it don't
make any difference now. 1t is all over. l
forgive you, my son." and he kissed him
and kissed him and kissed him.
To-day offer you the pardon of the Cos
pel-fun pardon, free pardon. ] do not
care what your sin has been. Though you
God, against your own soul, against
your fellow man, against your family,
against the day of judgment, against the
cross of ChriSt-whatevcr 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. 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 en-
brace2
There was gentleman in a rail car who
saw in that same car three passengers of
very different circumstances. The first !
was a maniac. He was carefully guarded
by his attendants; his mind, like ship dis
masted, was beating against
A DARK DEsOLATE COAST,
from which no help could come. The train
stopped, and the man was taken out into |
the asylum, to waste away, perhaps, |
through years of gloom. The second pas |
senger was culprit. 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 penitentiary, |
to which he had been condemned. There |
was the third passenger, under far differ |
emit circumstances. She was a bride. |
Every hour was gay as marriage bell |
Life glittered and beckoned. Her compan-
ion was taking her to his fathers house.
The train halted. The old man was there |
to welcome her to her new home, and his
white locks showed down upon her as he |
sealed his word with fathers kiss.
Quickly we fly toward eternity. We will
soon be there. Some leave this life con-
demned. Oh, may it be with US, that, leav-
ing this fleeting life for the next, we may
find our Father ready to greet US to our
new home with Him forever That will be |
q marriage banquet! Fathers welcome! |
Fathers bosom! Fathers kis1 Heaven! |