The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1895-11-07
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY TIKI
NOTED DIVINE
Subject: 'Eesurn o. the Prodi.ai
- SON."

Text: 'Pu. rins oa ais 1and."-La.;e
w, %.
I will not rehearse the familiar story of
the fast young man Of the parable. You
know what a splendid hsn.5 he left. You
know what a hard time he had. And you
remember how, after that season OF vaga-
bondage and prodigality. he resolved to go
and weep out his sorrows on the bosom OF
parental forgiveness. Well, there il great ELS
element one day in front OF too door of the
old farmhouse. The servants come rushing
up and say: Whats the natter What is
the matter2" But before they quite arrive tho
old man cries out. 'Put ring Oh his hand. ,
What seeming absurtlitS, What can such
wretched Mehdieaat as this fellow that is
trampiag on toward the house want with n
rings Oh. he is the prodigal son. No more
tending OF the swine trough No more long
ing for the pods of the carob treel No more
blistered feetl or with the ragsl On Win
the robe! Out with the ring, Even so does
God receive every ene Of Us when we come
back. There are gold rings, and pearl rings,
and emerald rings, and diamond rings, but
the richest ring that ever flashed on the WIS.,
ion Is that which our Father puts upon
forgiven soul.
I know that the impression Is abroad
among some people that religion hemenns
and belittles q man, that It takes all the
sparkle out of his soul, that he has to ex-
change roistering independence for an &C.
clesiastcal straitiacket. Not SO. When a
man becomes a Christian, he does not 60
down. Hestarts upward. Religion multi
plies one by ten thousand. Nay, the multi
plier is in infinity. 1t is not a blotting out,
1t Is a polishing; it is an arborescence. 1t is
an efforescence; it is an irradiation. When
man comes into tho kingdom of God, he is
not sent into mental service, but the Lord
Col Almighty from the palaces Of heaven
10 Nhn roll.
upon the throne to fly and "put ring on his
hand" In Christ are the largest liberty, and
brightest Joy, and highest honor, and richest
adjournment 'Put ring on his hand"
l remark in the first place, that when
Christ receives soul into His love He puts
upon him the ring of adoption. While in my
church in Philadelphia there came the repre-
sentative of the Howard Mission of New
York. He brought with him eight or ten
children of the street that he had picked up,
and he was tryingto find for them Christian
homes, and as the little ones stood on the
pulpit and sang our hearts melted within us.
At the close of the services great hearted
wealthy man came upand said, "Tll take this
little bright eyed girl ana I'll adopt her as
one of my own children" And he took her
by the hand, lifted her into his carriage and
went away.
The next day, while we were in the church
gathering up garments for the poor Of New
York, this little child came back With
bundle under her arm, and she said: ''There's
my old dress. Perhaps some of the poor
children would like to have it." while she
herself was in bright and beautiful array,
and those who more Immediately examined
her said she had ring on her hand. 1t was
ring Of adoption.
There are great many persons who pride
themselves on their ancestry, and they glory
over the royal blood that pours through
their arteries. In their line there was lord,
or duke. or prime minister, or king.
But when the Lord, our Father, puts upon
us the ring of His adoption we become the
children of the Ruler of all Nations. "Be-
hold what manner Of love the. Father hath
bestowed upon us o.-' 81 'hAaal| All ~ated
tine tine sons som, 81 God bis property fof the :
scans to bis suraties.