Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-04-10

come almost to the shore Of God s
mercy, but not quite, not quite. To DO
almost saved is to be lost
Two Prodigals.
Twill tell you of two prodigals-the
one that got back and the other that did
not get back. In Richmond there is a
very prosperous and beautiful 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 Oh the wrong track.
He would not 20 home. At the door Of
that beautiful home one night there was
A great outcry. The young man Of the
house ran down to open the door to see
what was the 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 those children will dash their
brains ont! Out into the storm ]" The
mother gathered them up and fed. The
next morning the brother, the young
man who had staid at home, went out
to fluid this prodigal brother and son,
and he came to 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 broth
err: 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 bei" He said,
"You are my brother. " "No, / am not.
am brute. Have you seen anything
of my wife and children! Are they
dead? | drove them out last night in
the storm. l am brute. John, do you
think there is any help for me? Do you
think Twill ever get over this life of dis
sipation?" He said, John, there is one
thing that will stop this. D." The prod
igal ran his fingers across his throat
and said: THAT Will stop it, and will
stop it before night. Oh, my brainl l
can stand it no longer. That prodigal
never got home. But will tell you Of
a prodigal that did get home. In Eng
land two young men started from their
fathers house and went down to Ports
MOUTH have been there-a beautiful
seaport. Some Of you have been there.
The father could net pursue his children
for some reason he could not leave
homeland so he wrote letter down to
Mr.. Griffin, saying:
"Mr. Griffin, wish you would 60
and see my two sons. They have arrived
in Portsmouth, and they are going to
take ship and going away from home
1 wish you would persuade them back "
Mr.. Griffin went and tried to per-
suade them back. He persuaded one to
60 He went with very easy persuasion,
because he was very homesick already.
The other young man said: Il will not
60 have had enough of home. I'll
never 90 home" well" said Mr..
Griffin, then if you won't 90 home, III
get you a respectable position on re-
spectacle ship. "No. you won't, " said
the prodigal. "No you won't. l am 60
ing as a 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 a messenger
came to him, saying there was a young
man in irons on a ship at the dock-a
young man condemned to death-who
wished to see this clergyman. Mr.. Grit
fin went down to the dock and went on
shipboard. The young man said to him,
"You don't know me, do your" "No, "
be 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. care you that man3" Eyes, l
am that man, said the other. IL would
like TO have you pray for me. have
committed murder, and must die.
But don't want to go out Of this world
until some one pays for me. You are
my fathers friend, and 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 influential per-
son 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 a disguised name, had been
committing crime and was going to be
put to death. So Mr.. Griffin and the IA
Their went OH 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, l have done
very wrong, and l am very sorry. l
wish l had never broken your heart. l
am very sorry ~ ooh, said the father,
"don't mention it. 1t won't make any
difference now. II is all over. forgive
you, my son. And he kissed him and
kissed him and kissed him. Today l
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 against
God, against your own soul, against
your fellow man, against your family,
against the day Of Judgment, against
the cross of Christ-whateve your crime
has been, here is pardon, full pardon,
and the very moment you take that
pardon your Heavenly Father throws his
arms round about you and says: my
son, forgive you. 1t is all right. You
are as much in my favor now as if you
had never sinned." Oh, there is joy ON
earth and JOY in heaven. Who will take
the Father embrace?
- III