The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-09-02

Christ takes you in hand. Not the
righteous, sinners Jesus came TO call"
o! but you say: 81 agree with you or
all that, but / must put it off little
longer" Do you know there were many
who came just as near as you are to the
kingdom of God and never entered it
l was at East Hampton. L. l., and
went into the cemetery to look around
and in that cemetery there are twelve
graves side by side-the graves of sail
ors. This crew, some years ago, in a
ship went into the breakers at Anna
gansett, about three miles away. Ny
brother, then preaching at East Hamp-
ton, had been at the burial These men
OF the crew came very near being saved.
The people from Amagansett saw the
vessel, and they shot rockets, and they
sent ropes from the shore, and these
poor fellows got into the boat and
they pulled nightly for the shore, but
just before they got to the shore the
rope snapped and the boat capsized and
they were lost, their bodies afterward
washed upon the beach. 0! 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 ara
some men who come almost TO the shore
of Gods mercy, but not quite, not
quite. To be only almost saved is to be
lost.
will tell you of two prodigals, tho
one that got back and the other that
did not get back. In Richmond, Va,
there is very prosperous and beautiful
home in many respects. A young man
wandered off from that home He
wandered 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 a 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 He said: ''Out of this house. Away
with these children; l will dash their
brains out. Out into the storml" The
mother gathered them up and fled. The
next morning the brother, young
man who had stayed at home, went
out to find the prodigal brother and
o,,1 hn ,x~bn,.a 1,n nj
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
looked at him and said: 'Who
am ~ Whom do you take me to be?"
He said: "You are nv brother" "NO,
am not. l am a brute. HIVE you
seen anything of my wife and children?
Are they dead? l drove them ont last
night IN the storm. l am brute. John,
10 YOU think there is any help for meP
Do you think I will ever get over this
life of dissipation?n He said: 'John,
there is just one thing that will stop
this" The prodigal ran his finger
across his throat and said: ''That viii
stop it, and I'll stop it before night.
0! my brain: l can stand it no longer"
That prodigal never got home. But
will tell you of q 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
20 and see my two sons They have az
lived 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-
,uaded one to go. He went with very
easy persuasion, because he was very
already. The other young
man said: 81 will not go. ! have had
enough of home I'll never go home"
a'Well," said Mr.. Griffin, then if YOU
won't 90 home. I'll get you a respect
able position on a respectable ship"
'No. You won't" said the prodigal;
no you won't l am going as a COM
non sailor: that viii plague my father
most, and what will do most to tam
-alize 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
1 young man in irons on q ship at the
locll-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
rou?" NO" he said, 81 don't know
you" 'Why, don't you remember that
young man you tried to persuade 20 go
home and he wouldn't go?' Or yes"
said Mr.. Griffin, ARE you that man?"
''Yes, | am that man." said the other.
II would like to have you pray for me.
I 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 l would like
20 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 influen-
-ial 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
crime and was going to be
out 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