The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-05-16

them the funeral service. They came
very near shore-within shouting dis
lance Of the shore, yet did not arrive
on solid land. There are some who
come almost to the shore of Gods
mercy, but not quite, not quite. To b
almost saved is to be lost.
will tell you of two prodigals-the
one that got back and the other that
did not get back. In Richmond, Va,
there is very prosperous and beauti.
full home in many respects. A young
man wandered off from that home.
He wandered very far into sin.
he was always on the wrong track. He
would not go home. At the door of
that beautiful home one night there
was great outcry. The young man
of the house ran down to open the door
to see what was the matter. It was
midnight. The rest CT the family
were asleep. There were .he wife
and children Of this prodlgal young
man. The fact was he had corae home
and driven thera out. He said: "Out
of this house. Away with these chill
dren; will dash their brains out Out
into the stormr" The mother gathered
them up and fled. The next morning
the brother, the young man who had
staid at home, went out to find this
prodigal brother and son, and he
came where he was, and saw him
wandering up and down in front Of the
place where he had been staying, and
the young man who had kept his in
tegrity said to the older brother:
Here, what does all this mean? What
is the matter with you? Why do you
act in this way?" The prodigal
looked at him and said: 'sWho
am L? Who do you take me to be?" He
said: "You are my brother" mo, l
am not. ] am brute. Have you seen
anything of my wife and children?
Are they dead? l drove them out
last night in the storm. 1 am a
brute. John, do you think there is
any help for me. Do you think l
will ever get over this life of dissipa-
tion?" He said: John, there is one
thing that will stop this" The prod
igal ran his fingers across his throat
and said: "That will stop it, and
will stop it before night. Oh, my
brain; l can stand it no long
er." That prodigal never got home.
But l will tell you of a prod
igal that did get home. In
England two young men started from
their fathers house and went down to
Portsmouth, have been sthere-a
beautiful seaport Some of you have
been there. The father could not pur-
sue his children-for some. reason he
conld not leave home-and so he wrote
a letter down to Mr.. Griffin, saying:
"Mr. Griffin, 1 wish you would go
and see my two sons. They have ar
rived in Portsmouth and they are go
ing 20 take ship, and going away from
home. / wish you would persuade
them back"
Mr.. Griffin went and tried to per-
suade them back. He persuaded one
to CO. He went with very easy per-
suasion, because he was very homesick
already. The other young man said:
81 will not go. have had enough Of
home, I'll never go home" "Well" said
Mr. Griffin, then if you won't go home,
l.
respectable ship" mo, you
WON'T said the prodigal; no
You won't. am going
as private sailor; as common sailor;
that will plague my father most, and
what will do most to tantalize and
worry him will please me best" Years
passed on, and Mr.. Griffin was seated
in his study one day when messen-
ger came to him, saying there was
young man in irons on ship at the
| dock-a young man condemned 70
1eath-who wished to see this clergy
man. Mr.. Griffin went down to the
dock and went on shipboard. The
young man said to him: "You don't
know me, do you?" mo-" he said.
81 don't know you." why, don't
you remember that young man
you tried to persuade to go
home and he wouldn't go?" ''Oh,
| yes" said Mr.. Griffin, ''are you that
man?" Eyes, am that man." said the
| other. II would like to have you pray
| for me. have committed murder, but
| must die; but don't want to 60 out
of this world until someone prays for
me. You are my fathers friend, and
1 would like to have you pray for me. :"
Mr.. Griffin went from judicial au.
thority to judicial authority to get
that young mans pardon. He slept
not night nor day. He went from in
fuential person 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 committing crime and
was going to be put to death. So Mr..
Griffin and the father went to the
| ships deck, and at the very moment
Mr.. Griffin offered the pardon to the
young man, the old father threw his
arms around the sons neck, and the SON
said: "Father, have done very wrong
and am very sorry. l wish l had
never broken your heart l am very
sorryl' "Oh," said the father, don't
mention it. It won't make any differ
ence now. 1t is all over. forgive you,
my son." and he kissed him, and kissed
him, and kissed him. To-day offer
you the pardon of the Gospel-full
| pardon, free pardon. do not care
what your crime has been. Though
you say you have committed crime