The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-04-08

the cemetery to look around, and in
that cemetery there are IL graves
side by side-the graves of sailors.
This crew some years ago, in ship
went into the breakers at Anna
gansett, about three miles away.
My brother, then preaching at East
hampton, had been at the burial. These
men of the crew came very near being
saved The people from Amagansctt
saw the vessel, and they shot rockets,
and they sent ropes from the shore,
and these poor fellows got into the
boat, and they pulled nightly for the
shore, but just before they got to the
shore the rope snapped and the boat
capsized and they were lost
There are some men who come almost
to the shore of God S mercy, but not
quite. To be almost s. we'd 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. They
heard of him after, but he was always
on the wrong track. He would not go
| home. At the door of that beautiful
home one night there was a great out
cry The young man Of the house ran
down TO open the door to see what was
thej matter. 1t was midnight. The
rest Of the family were asleep. There
were the wife and children of this
prodigal young man. The fact was he
had come home and driven them out.
He said: "Out of this house. Away
with these children; will dash their
brains out. Out into the storm" 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 the young man wandering up
and down in front of the place where
he had been staying, and the young
man who had kept his integrity
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: "Who
am l? Who do you take me to be?" He
said: "You are my brother" No, | an
: not. / am brute. Have you seer
5 anything of my wife and children!
. Are they dead? drove them out las
+: night in the storm. / am brute
: John, do you think there is any hell
= for me? Do you think l will ever ge
e over this life of dissipation?' He said
t John, there is one thing that will
: stop this" The prodigal ran his finger
d across his throat and said: THAT will
stop it, and will stop it before night
: Oh, my brain; l can stand it n
q longer" That prodigal never &c
l. home. But will tell you of a prodigf
r that did get home. In England tw
d young men started from their father
is house and went down to Portsmouth
d | have been there-a beautiful sci
le port. Some of you have been ther
st The father could not pursue his Chi
rs dren-for some reason he could NJ
sr leave home-and so he wrote lett
lie down to Mr.. Griffin, saying:
a "Mr. Griffin, l wish you would {
e. and see my two sons. They have a
+. rived in Portsmouth, and they are G
er ing to take ship and going away frol
III home, wish you would persuade the
ne back"
er Mr.. Griffin went and tried to persuac
I'd them back He persuaded one to go. |
~ went with very easy persuasion, b
e. cause he was very homesicll alread
The other young man said: II will II
e; go. have had enough of home. l
90 never go home" "Well," said Mr., CIR
he fin, then if you won't so home, Ill G
or you respectable position on respe'
on able ship" mo, you won't, !" said t
n prodigal mo you won't. Pm going
p, private sailor, as common sailc
nd that will plague my father most, a
an what will do most to tantalize a
,ol worry him will please me best" Yea
I'm passed on, and Mr.. Griffin was seat
IN, in his study one day when messeng
he came to him saying there was you
rd man in irons on ship at the dock
nd young man condemned to death-w
for wished to see this clergyman. \
Zip Griffin went down to the dock and we
Dol on shipboard. The young man said
ed. him: "You don't know me, do yo'
Ter mo" he said, II don't know yo
vas 'Why, don't you remember that you
ost man you tried to persuade to go hor
led and he wouldn't go?' "Oh, yes" s.
wn Mr.. Griffin, ''are you that man?" "Y
the / am that man." said the other.
len would like to have you pray for me.
the have committed murder, and / m
me die; but don't want to go out of
SIS? world until some one prays for N
our You are my fathers friend, and
Go would like to have you pray for N
Mr.. Griffin went from judicial auth
hat ity to judicial authority to get t
ion young mans pardon. He slept
cu- night nor day. He went from inAu
ty- tial person to influential person, III
uld in some way he got that young ma
his pardon. He came down on the dc
re- and as he arrived on the dock with
rest pardon the father came. He had he
de. that his son, under disguised ma
ak had been committing crime, and '
ugh going to be put to death. So
to. Griffin and the father went
lere the ships deck, and at the v
nun moment Mr.. Griffin offered the ]
e to don to the young man, the old
ave ther threw his arms around the 81
and neck and the son said: Father, h
ion, done very wrong and am very so
con. / wish had never broken your he
has / am very sorryw "0h," said
,.ol, -,