St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-05-30

honesty. When I get over my psssent
hsbits, then I'll b . thorough Chris
tan" Ny brother, you win get worss
and worse, until Christ takes you in
hand. mot the righteous sinners
Jesus came to call" Oh, but you say,
II agree with you In all that. but I
must put it OF . little longer Do
you know there were many who
came just as near as You are to
tho Kingdom Of God and never
entered it7 I was at Easthampton,
and went into the cemetery to
look around, and In that cemetery
there arc I: graves side by side-the
graves of sailors. This crew, some
years ago, in ship went into the
breakers at Amagansett. about three
miles away. My brother, then preach.
ing at Easthampton, had been At
the burial These men Of the
crew came very near being
saved. The people from Amanaan.
'sett 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 mlghtily for
the shore, but just before they got to
the shore the rope snapped and the
boat capsized. and they were lost,
their bodies afterward washed upon
the beach! Oh! what solemn day It
wcs-I have been told OF it by my
brother-when these IL men lay at
the foot of the pulpit, and he read over
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 be
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 a very prosperous and beauti-
full home in many respects. A young
man wandered of 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 60 home. At tho door of
that beautiful home one night there
was great outcry. The young man
of the house ran down toopen 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 homo
and driven them out He said: ''Out
of this house. Away with these chill
dren; will dash their brains out. 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 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: "WhO
am /? Who do you take me to be?" He
said: "You are my brother" mo, I
am not. 1 am a brute. Have you seen
of my wife and children?
Are they dead? drove them out
last night in the storm. 1 am
brute. John, do You think there is
any help for me. Do You think I
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 lis throat
and said: ''That will stop it, and I
will stop it before night. Oh, my
brain; can stand it no long
err" That prodigal never got home.
But I will tell you Of q prod
igal that did get home. In
two young men started from
their fathers house and went down to
Portsmouth, have been there-a
seaport. Some of you have
been there. The father could not pur-
sue his children-for some reason he
could not leave home-and SO he wrote
} letter down to Mr.. Griffin, saying:
.Mr. Griffin, wish you would 60
and see my two sons. They have ar
rived in Portsmouth and they are go
ing to 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 on6
to 60. He went with very easy per.
suasion, because he was very homesick
The other young man said: |
Il will not 60. have had enough of
home. I'll never 60 home" swell" said
Mr.. Griffin. then if you won't go home.
I'll get you a respectable position on q
ship" mo, you
WON'T said the prodigal; no
vou won't. am going
IS 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 mcssen.
yer came to him, saying there was .
young man in irons on ship at the /
lock-a young man condemned to
wished to see this clergy |
nan. Mr.. Griffin went down to the /
lock and went on shipboard. The
,oung man said to him: "You don't /
xnow me, do you?" ''No," he said,
4 don't know you" .Why. don't
,ou remember that young man
1ou tried to persuade to 60
rome and he wouldn't Ro?" ''Oh,
yes," said Mr.. Griffin, ''are you thas
MANI" "Yes, am that man." said the
,ther. Il would like to have you pray
FOr me- have committed murder but /
must die: but don't want to 20 out
# this world until someone prays for
ne. You are my fathers friend, and
woRld like to have you pray for me.
Mr.. Griffin went from judicial au.
hority to judicial authority to get
hat young mans pardon. He slepo
lot night nor day. He went from ini