Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-08-27

ne rchu over them the funeral Service
They came very near sh0re-withiI
shouting distance of the shore, yet die
not arrive on solid land. There ar
some men who come almost to the shore
of Gods mercy, but not quite, moi
quite To be only almost saved is 10 b.
lost
l will tell you of two prodigals, the
one that got back and the other that
did not get back. In Richmond, Va.
there is avery prosperous and beautiful
home in many respects A young mar
wandered off from that home. lie
wandered very far into sin. They
heard of him often but he was always
on the wrong track. He would not 60
home. At the door of that beautiful
home one night there was great out
cry. The young man of the house ran
down and opened the door to see what
was the matter. 1t was midnight
The rest of the family were asleep.
There were the wife and children OF
this prodigal young man. The fact
was he had come home and driven them
out. lie said: "0ut of this house. Away
with these children; ! will dash their
brains out Out into the STORM" The
mother gathered them up and fed. The
next morning the brother, young
man who had stayed at home, went
out to find the prodigal brother and
son, and he came where he was and
saw the young man wandering 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 this
mean? What is the matter with you?
Why do you act in this way?" The
prodigal looked at him and said: "Who
am 1? Whom do you take me to be?"
He said: you are my brother" mo,
i am not. / am brute. Have you
seen anything of my wife and children?
Are they dead? drove them out last
night in the storm. am brute. John,
do you think there is any help for me?
DO you think will ever get over this
life of dissipation" He said: John,
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 prodigal never got home. But I
will tell You of prodigal that did get
home.
In this country, 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, wish you would
go 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 per-
suaded one to 60 He went with very
easy persuasion, because he was very
homcsicS already. The other young
man said: II will not go. / have had
of home. I'll never go home"
WELL" said Mr.. griffin, "then if you
won't go home, I'll get you respect
able position on respectable ship"
mo, you won't" said the prodigal;
mo you won't l am going as COM
mon sailor; that will plague my father
most, and what will do most to tan
talize 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 saying there was |
q 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 I
said to him: You 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
nome and he wouldn't go?" ''O!' yes"
said Mr.. Griffin, ''are you that man|"
'Yes, l am that man." said the other.
II would like to have you pray for me.
have committed murder and must
lie; but don't want to go our of this
world until some one prays for me. You
ire my fathers friend and would like
% have you pray for me-"
Mr.. Griffin went from judicial author
ty to judicial authority to get that
young mans pardon. He slept not
night nor day. He went from infiuen-
ial to influential person until in some
way he got that young mans pardon.
lie came down on the dock and as he
lrrived on the dock with the pardon the
ather came. He had heard that his
on under a disguised name had been
crime and was going to be
nut to death. So Mr. Griffin and the
ather went on the ships deck and at
he very moment Mr.. Griffin offered
he pardon to the young man the old
ather threw his arms around the sons
leck and the son said: Father, have
lone very wrong and l am very sorry.
wish had never broken your heart.