The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-08-24

~UNO sh0thl Oub AoSt hABAs -
the storm. / am brute. John, doyou
think there Is any help for me? Do you
thinkT will ever get over this life Of
dissipation?" He said: John, there is
just ono 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 brainl I 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
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 persuaded one TO go. He
went with very easy persuasion because
he was very homesick already. The
other young man said, II will not go. l
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
a respectable position on respectable
ship" "No, you WON'T" said the prodi-
gal; mo, you won't am going as a
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 a
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
said to him: "You don't know
me do you" 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 go?" 30, yes!" said Mr.. Crit
fin, ''are you that man?" Yes, am the
man." said the other 81 would like to
have you pray for me. 1 have com.
mitted 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 au-
thority to judicial authority TO get that
young mans pardon. He slept not night
nor day. He went from influential per
son 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 disguised name had been COM
mitting crime and was going to be put Ia
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
WAOhB anu hhA NSA oOAAys "aoH
had never broken your heart. am very
sorry" "Ohp said the father, dom
mention it.. 1t don't make any differ
ence now, 1t is all over. forgive you,
my son, and he kissed him and kissed
him and kissed him
To-day offer you the pardon Of the
gospel---full pardon, free pardon. IdC
not care what your crime has been
Though you say you have committed 4
crime against God, against your owr
soul, against your fellow-msn, against
your family, against the day Of judg
ment against the cross Of Christ
whatever your crime has been, here Il
pardon, full pardon, and the very mo
ment you take that pardon your Heav
enly Father throws His arms about you
and says: "My son, forgive you II Il
all right You are as much In my
favor now as II you had never sinned
Oil there is Joy on earth and Joy In
Heaven. Who will take the Father
embrace2'