The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-08-23

OH from Jn3C nome. he wandered very
far into sin. They heard Of him often,
but ne was always on the wrong track.
Hs would not go home. At the door of
that beautiful home one night there
was a great oytcry. 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 chill
dren of this prodigal young man. The
fact was he had come home and driven
them out.
J He said: ''Out of this house. Away
/ with these children; I 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 staid at home, went out TO find
this prodigal brother and son, and he
came where he was and saw the young
man wandering up and down ID 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 your Why do you
act in this way?" The prodigal
looked at him and said: "Who
am I? Whom do you take me to Der
He said, You are my brother" mo,
am not. am brute. Have yon seen
anything Of my wife and children
Are they dead? / drove thsm out
last night in the storm. ! am a
brute. John, do you think there is any
help for me9 Do you think will
ever get over this life of dissipatfonT
He said, John, there is Just one thing
that will stop this" The prodigsl ran
his finger across his throat and said:
THAT will stop it, and I'll stop it before
night. Oh, my brain; / can stand 1t no
longer" That prodigal never got home.
But will tell you of prodigal that did
get home.
In this country two young men start
ed from their fathers house and went
down to Portsmouth. The father could
not pursue his children: for some rea-
SON he could not leave home, and so he
wrote letter down to MIR. Griffin, say
ing: 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 are going away from
home. l wish you would persuade
them back" Mr.. Griffin went and he
tried to persuade them back. He per-
suaded one to go. He went with very
easy persuasion because he was very
homesick already. The other young
man said: II will not go. have had
enough of home. I'll never go home"
WELL" said Mr.. Griffin, then if you
won't go home I'll get you respectable
position on a respectable ship" mo.
you won't" said the prodigal; mo, you
won't. / am going as q 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 mes
sage came to him saying there was
young man in irons on a ship at the
1ock-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 your
mo" he said, II don't know you"
"Why, don't you remember that young
man you tried to persuade to go home.
and he wouldn't goY" "Oh, yes said
Mr.. Griffin; ARE you that manY" Eyes.
l am that man." said the other 81
| "OAAA ANY W AAeAH yOo IAdg 4OA liz
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 au-
thority to judicial authority to get that
young mans pardon. He slept not
night nor day. He went from infiuen-
tial person to influential person until in
some way he got that young mans par
don. He came down on the dock and
as he arrived on the dock with the par
don 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 to the young man the old father
threw his arms around the sons neck
and the son said: Father, have done
very wrong and I am very sorry. l
wish had never broken your heart. /
am very sorry" oh said the father,
don't mention it. It doesn't make any
difference now. Il is all over. l for
give you, my son" and he kissed him
and kissed him and kissed him.
Today l offer you the pardon of the
Gospel-full pardon, flee pardon. ! do
not care what your. crime 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-
1nent, against the cross of Christ-what-
ever your crime has been, here Is par
, don, full pardon, and the very moment
you take that pardon your heavenly
! Father throws his arms about You and
says: My son, forgive you. Ii Is all
: right. You are as much in my favor
now as if you had never sinned." Oh,
there is JOY ON earth and joy IN heaven!
Who will take the Fathers embrace?
? What They Said.