The Yale expositor., 1894-11-16
TABERNACLE PULPIT.
DR.. TALMAGE'S RETURN FOR A
SERMON TEXT.
The Text Being Chosen from Luke
10. xiii: Bring Hither the sFatted
Calf and XIII It"-A Touching Dis


In all ages of the world it has been
customary to celebrate joyful events
by festivity-the signing of treaties,
the proclamation 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 ana 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 q 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
son 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 a 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. All! there never will be
glander 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
The musicians will take their places,
and the gay groups will move up and
down the floor. All the friends and
neighbors are gathered in, and extra
supply is sent out to the table of the
servants. The father presides at the
table 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 TIE back
door, and says: This is great ado
about nothing; this bad boy should
have been chastened instead of greeted;
veal is too good for him" But the
father says, Nothing is too good
nothing is good enough" There sits
the young man. glad at the hearty re-
ception, but o shadow of sorrow fit
ting across his brow at the remem-
brance of the trouble he had seen. All
ready now. Let the covers lift. Music
He was dead and he is alive again! He
was lost and he is found! BY such
bold imagery does the Bible set forth
the merrs making when n soul comes
home to God.
First of all, there is the new con-
vert's Joy. 1t is no tame thing TO be-
come a Christian. The most tfemen-
dous moment in mans life is when
he surrenders himself to God. The
grandest 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
morning rang my doorbell and said
Sir, i can not contain myself with the
= ioy feel; | came here this morning
to express it. have found more JOY
, in FIVE minutes in serving God than il
all the years of my prodigality, and
came to say So"
You have seen, perhaps, man run
, ming for his physical liberty, and thu
officers of the law after him; and yol
r saw him escape or afterward you
{ heard the Judge had pardoncd him
I and how great was the glee of tina
n rescued man; but it is a very tam
q thing that compared with the runnin!
D for ones everlasting life-the terror
( of the law after him, and Christ com
{ ing in to pardon and bless and rescu
@ and save. You remember John Bun
k van, in his great story, tells how tn
Pilgrim put his fingers to his ears an
ran, crying, Life. life, eternal life!
y A poor car driver, after having had t
l. struggle to support his family 70
h years, suddenly was informed that
d large inheritance was his, and Their
a was Joy amounting to bewilderment
n but that is a small thing compare
q with the experience of one when h
Il has put in his hands the title deed
a the joys, the raptures, the splendors
% heaven, and he can truly say, 1T
p mansions are mine, its temples al
q. mine, it's songs are mine, its God
a. mine!"
Oh, it is no tame thing to become
Christian. 1t is a inerrymaking. 1t
% the killing of the fatted calf. 1t
: jubilee. You know the Bible nev'
a compares it to funeral, but alwa.
ar compares it to something bright. 1t
Mt more apt to be compared to banqu
or than anything else. 1t is compared
no the Bible to the water--bright, flas
a. ing water; to the morning-roseat
ca fireworked, mountain transfgur'
Az morning. wish could to-day tai
h. all the Bible expressions about pardc
AZ and peace, and life and comfort, al
Mt hope and heaven, and twist them in
ar one garland, and put it on the brow
ma the humblest child of God in all Il
"a. land and cry: "Wear it, wear il NO
NJ wear it forever, son of God, daught
of the Lord God Almighty. Oh, {
q. Joy of the new convert oh, the gla
In ness of the Christian servicel
nd You have seen sometimes man In
he religious assembly get up and give
ed experience. Well, Paul gave his {
lot perience. He rose in the presence
two churches-the church on ear
and the church in heaven-and he sa