The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-01-10
THE PRODIGAL SON.
DIR. rALMAGE's SUNDAY THEME
He Draws Some Lessons From the
Beautiful Parable.

wilt not cehearse the familiar storv of
the fast young man of the parable. You
know what "a splendid home he left. You
know what n hard time he had. And you
remember how. after that season OF vaga-
bondage and prodigality. he resolved to 90
and weep out his sorrows on the bosom of
parental forgiveness. Well. there is great ex-
citement one day in front of the door OF the
old farmhouse. The servants come rushing
up and say: whats the matter2 What is
the natter" But before they quite arrive the
old man cries out. "Put ring on his hand. -
What a seeming absurdity! What can such
wretched mendicant as this fellow that is
tramping on toward the house want with q
ring? oh. he Is the prodical son. No more
tending of the swine trough! No more long
ing for the pods OF the carob tree! No more
blistered feet! or with the rags! On with
the robe! Out with the ring, Even so does
God receive every one 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 Oh the Wis
ion is that which our Father puts upon u
forgiven soul
1 know that the impression is abroad
among some people that religion bemeaHs
and beiittlcs a man; that il takes all the
, sparkle out OF his soul: that he has to eX-
change roisterinc independence for an &C.
clesinstical straitjacket. Not 60, When u
man becomes n Christian, be does not go
down. Hestar.s upward. Religion multi
plies one by ten thousand. Nay, the multi
pier is in inflnity. 1t is not a blotting out.
1t is polishing; it is an arborescence; it is
an efflorescencc: it is au irradiation. When
man comes into tho kingdom OF God he is
rot sent into mental service. but the Lord
God Almighty from the palaces OF heaven
calls upon the messenger angels that wait
upon the throne to iiy and "put Il ring on his
nand.' In Christ arc the largest liberty, and
brightest Joy, and highest honor. and richest
adornment. "Put a ring on his nand''
remark, in the first place. that when
Christ receives a soul into His love He puts
upon him the ring of adoption. While i'll my
church in Philadelphla 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 mad picked up,
and he was tryiDgto find for them Christian
homes. and as the little ones stood on the
pulpit and sang oHr hearts melted within us.
At the close OF the services great hearted
wealthy man came up and said, "I'il ta Ike this
little bright eyed girl ana I'll adopt her as
ono 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 churcn
gathering up garments for the poor OF New
York, this little child came back with n
bundle under her arm, and she said: There's
my old dress. Perhaps some of the moor
children would like to have it," while she
herself was in bright and beautiful array
and those who more Immediately examined
ncr said she had n ring on her hand. 1t was
a ring o. adoption.
There are n great many persons VINO pride
themselves on their ancestry. and they glory
over the roya; blood that pours through
their arteries. In their line there was - Iord
or n duke or "a nrime minister Nv =, tins'
But when the Lord our Father nnts ,,non
us the ring OF His adoption we be.ome The
hold VIA, mnnpnr Of roye " th. Wo,ho ,n,,,
bcsto,yed mon nc ,hot w. shoniI ho IL, ,I'.
rba CONC ,f Cod II n,o,,a-s 80 - 'S
our garments may Ia in tbis yror,I W - ~"
scant our bread, or how mean the hut W.
iVe IN, IL we nave that ring oil Christs adop-
tion upon our hanu, we are assured OF eter-
ha, ueiehSeS.
Adopteo! Why, thcn, we are brothers and
sisters 10 all 1he Soou Oh earth and heaven.
we nave the Iatn,iy nam, the family dress,
tne fanny keys, the iamlly wardrobe. The
hather LOOKS Hltcr us, robes us. defends us,
DIE sses US: we nave royal blood in our
veins. ana there are crowns in our line. II
we are ilS chli"r"h. thcn princes and prin-
c"SSeS. III Is on'y Il question of time when
49,, 80 tbo 10 Sar,iI, snora. ..,rh men we
ia ;s ,,;,b tLo,,, tbot roo, II;,, ;, VI ny
;TTa, w., "rn t,,a nun. hdopied:
th J,, -, - H. , t" .mnSe, anu IN
;hayt 49,, w., i.sm A n''"'i oiN.uc INC
,ba ,,nns;ons anS nIos ,"No oa' SNARE Oh
Hon nr,b n LOT rs Lo,it SO -" Iu 'eii' 'prs.
,rn-t. M, " ;n;.; io o . " "u ARMY
",,r ,,oa, os ornrs NJ " s''t,''i SioIY Is
- Io' ~ IN , iaS y, auoPtioh
Nv n,. ann +,Ln ,ba ,.arin or p, VS.
low ,bot nr;nnn of byr,nmni,a. a'", "eS-
49, '"> - - 'nu ''nS:
Come let ne ioi, our fr:ardc .b,r.
wbo boyn 1ht,;naI ,ro 49,,
And on thr roola wines or Iva
~ low celestial risn
.r
Let all the saints tcrresir rin, sing
With those TO glory gone
&c. all the servants Of onr kinp
IN heaven and earth are one
49,
nave peeh toiu that wnen any OF ne
h,emoers o. any oi me great secret societies
va tnis coun'rE are IN distant city and are
In any Sino oil trouble. and are set upon by
rnothies, tnSy nave only 70 give certain
Eli anu anu ,ne iiehpers OF that organization
WE VIE loch aEouhu ior Gelcnse. And when
any ihhh peionS'S 10 inns great Christian
-, -, VI ueinoou. II ne Sets III tronpr In trial,
j N. DtntiOn n IN