The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-12

BROOKLYN, N. Y. Nov. 11.-Rev. DR..
Talmage, having concluded his round
the-world tour, has selected as the sub
ject for to-day's discourse through the
press: Home Again.
In all ages of the world it has been
customary to celebrate joyful events
by festivity-the signing of treaties,
the prOclamati ton of peace, the Christ
mas, the marriage. However much
On other days of the year our table
may have stinted supply, on Thanks
giving day there must be something
bounteous- And all the comfortable
homes of Christendom have at some
time celebrated joyful events by ban
quet and festivity.
Something has happened in the old
homestead greater than anything that
has ever happened before. A favOrite
son, whom the world supposed would
become a vagabond and outlaw for
ever, has got tired Of sightseeing and
has returned to his fathers house
The world said he never would come
back. The old man always said his
con would come He had been looking
for him day after day and year after
year. He knew he would come back
Now, having returned to his fathers
house, the father proclaims cele-
bration. There is calf in the pad
dock that has been kept up and fed
to utmost capacity. so as to be ready
for some occasion of joy that might
come along. Ali there never will be
a gl ander day on the old homestead
than this day. Let the butchers do
their work, and let the housekeepers
bring into the table the smoking meat
TIL
rnd the gay groups will move up and
down the floor. All the friends and
neighbors are gathered in, and extra
pply is sent out to the table of the
servants The father presides at the
ia BILE and says grace, and thanks God
that his long absent boy IS home again.
oh. how they missed him; how glad
they are to have him back. One brother
indeed stands pouting at the back
door. and saws: This is a great ado
about nothing; this bad boy should
have been chastened instead of greeted;
veal is too good for himl" But the
father says, Nothing is too good;
nothing IS good enough" There sits
the young man. glad at the hearty re-
ceDtion, but a shadow Of sorrow fit
ting across his brow at the remem-
brance of the trouble he had seen. All
lie was dead and he is alive again! He
was lost and he is found! By such
bold imagery does the Bible set forth
the merry making when a soul comes
home to God
First of all, there is the new con
vert's ioy 1t is no tame thing to be-
come a Christian. The most tremen-
dous moment in a mans life is when
he surrenders himself to God. The
prandest time on the fathers home
stead is when the boy comes back
Among the great throng who, IN the
parlors of my church, professed Christ
one night was a young man, who next
a1orning rang my doorben and said:
Sir, ] can not contain myself with the
Joy l feel; came here this morning
to express it. have found more JOY
in five minutes in serving God than in
all the years of my prodigality, and I
came to say So"
You have seen, perhaps, man run
Ding for his physical liberty, and the
Off sers Of the law after him; and you
saw him escape or afterward you
heard the judge had pardoned him,
and how great was the glee of that
rescued man; but it is very tame
thing that compared with the running
for ones everlasting life-the terrOrs
Of the law after him, and Christ com
ing in to pardon and bless and rescue
and save You remember John Bun
van. in his great story, tells how the
Pilgrim put his fingers to his ears and
ran, crying, Life. life, eternal life"
A poor car driver, after having had to
struggle to support his family for
years suddenly was informed that a
large inheritance was his. and there
was JOY amounting to bewilderment;
but that is a small thing compared
with the experience of one when he
has put in his hands the title deed to
the JOYS. the raptures, the splendors Of
heaven, and he can truly say, Its
mansions are mine, its temples are
mine, its songs are mine, its God Is
mine.'
Oh. it is no tame thing to become
christian Tt is a merryn .aking- 1t is
the killing of the fatted calf It IS
Jubilee You know the Bible never
compares it to funeral, but always
compares it to something bright. 1t Is
more apt to be compared to a banquet
than anything else 1t is compared in
the Bible to the water-bright, fash
ing water; to the morning roseate,
fireworked, mountain TRANSPORTED
morning I wish I could to-day take
all the Bible expressions about pardon
and peace, and life and comfort, and
hope and heaven. and twist them into
one garland. and put it on the brow o.
the humblest child Of God IN all this
land and cry: Wear it. wear it now.
wear it forever, son of God, daughter
of the Lord God Almighty Oh, the
Joy of the new convert Oh, the glad
ness Of the Christian servicel
You have seen sometimes man in