The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-14
The MEAN GOOD MAN.
Rev. DR.. HANNA Delivers His Fourth
Sermon to Young Men.

Sermon to Young Men.
The Rev. DIR. HANNA, pastor Of the First
English Evangelical Lutheran Church, on
Geary street, last night delivered the fourth
of his course of sermons to the young.
based on the parable of the prodigal son.
His subject was "The Elder Brother" and
he selected his text from Luke XII: q, And
be was angry and would not 60 ill.,"
The preacher said there was another
striking character In the parable besides
the prodigal. viz, the prodigaPs elder
brother. The younger usually received all
the attention, while the elder received mere
passing allusion. But he was as truly rep
resentatlye character as the prodigal him.
self, and showed one side of human nature
and experience Just as much as the other
showed another side.
The conduct of the elder brother showed
him as a type OF a mean good man in the
sense OF being envious, uneharitable. ungep-
erous and unforgiying.
The mean good man was to be found in
business. III neigh Dor had been uufortu-
gate IN business aud ii had been proved be-
yond peradveDture that he had failed hon
estiy, The mean good man would. metaphor
eally speaking, keep both feet on his neck
TO his dying day. III the unfortunate man
tried to re-establish himself ia business he
would under or over bid HIM as the occasion
might require, and would peTsstently in
slnuate that his failure WAS caused in the
pursuit of some secret sin or by lack of
judgment or lack of business capacity.
Inc mean good man was also to be found
In society. Lake some one" said the
preacher, who had fallen and brought TO
himself humiliation aud shame. but who
seeks TO retrieve himself and begin a
new and belt life. Thank God there
are some people who would seek 10
restore him 10 society, showing the
glorlfylng power OF Christianity. But alas,
there are too many who initiate the prodi-
gars elder brother ard are angry and will
not encourage or help him. They say. let
him first re-establish his character and then
we VIII see about 1t. AS If man could re-
establish his character if he is an outcast
from society. Little these mean good men
Know how hard 1t is to reform when human
sympathy and help are utterly indispens-
able.
Inc mean good man was also TO be found
In the church. Although the church was
an institution whose cardinal principles
were charity, generosity and forgiveness Of
SINS 10 Tue utmost limits, there were not a
lew Individual Christians who had the dis
position of the elder brother. These men
insisted upon the sinner remaining outside
among other sinners until he showed gen.
uine repentance, but they might just as well
cast man INTO the Niagara River and tell
nun 10 swim upstream and save himself.
There were some persons SO holy, SO per-
iect that they would not be pleased to see a
prodigal In the church and would take liz as
personal affront If sinner was allowed
to SIT In the same church with them. There
were some great churches that had the
spirit OF the elder brother and he wondered
how much they weighed as factors in saw
ing souls. Not one feather.
lie urged the young men to be careful and
TO not lay down a rule Of exactness that
might be set for their own destruction.
This conduct OF the elder brother was
very important lesson for the prodigal, as
1t was part Of the penalty he had TO pay for
his sin. He concluded by imploring them
to always remember that no one can sin
without paying the penalty, and though no
one might know of 1t the saddest thing of