The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-04-11
LESSON STORY.

LESSON STORY.
At this period in the ministry OF
Jesus he was being especially sought by
the churched common people. At
one place in Perea, during his sojourn
in that province, the detested publicans
and the outcast sinners were pressing
close to Jesus in public assembly,
eager to hear him. The publicans could
not be otherwise than interested in
religious teacher who had now in open
training for his apostleship man who
had been a publican. The sinners were
attracted to the religious teacher who
had charity large enough to regard
them as human beings and children OF
God.
Near by, in the open-air assembly,
stood a company of naughty Pharisees
and their spiritual advisers, the scribes.
When these critical beholders saw
Jesus manifesting RESP ectful friendll-
ness toward people they had felt it a
duty to scorn,., they we're indignant.
They gave their contempt expression:
This man receiveth sinners, and edteth
aUith them. They declared that he who
had been a short time before honored
by being invited to dine with chief
Pharisee was now making himself fellow
with men of evil repute and life.
Primarily to these Pharisees and
scribes, but also to the multitude and
the world, Jesus gave utterance to
long address. OF that address the para
BILE of the Prodigal Son is an important
section.
He first by the parable 80 of shep-
herd having ninety and nine sheep and
searching for one sheep lost in the will
dernees, taught that Love was searching
for every one of the despised publicans
and sinners.
He then, by the parable $40 of a
woman losing one of her ten pieces Of
silver and searching for it until che
finds it, taught that each one of the
publicans and sinners, as we'll as every
lost soul, is searched for by Divine
owner.
And then. by the parable which we
have for our lesson, he showed how each
one of the. publicans and sinners, by
being alienated from the Father, was
bereaving the Father Heart, and bring
ing spiritual poverty on himself; while,
in the character of the elder brother,
who complained that his father was
fatherly, he showed to the Pharisees
and scribes likeness of themselves.
1. A Maynard Boy, in Self
Confidence. Leaves his Father
and his hOme,-vs. lib.
A certain man had tao sons. This
father is not spoken of as Jew; he is a
human father. He was the possessor of
a large landed estate. He was rich and
prosperous.
His two sons, as is sometimes the case
with brothers, we're strikingly unlike
each other.
The older one was apparently all that
boy ought to be. He was contented in
a prosaic round of virtuous life. He
was born with predisposition to thrift.
He early became an overseer OF the SER
wants and hired men who worked in his
fathers fields. He guarded against
waste and practiced strict economy
He never caused his father anxiety. He
was never self-forgetful. He never
and this was bis one fault and it was a
great one.-for single moment lost the
thought of his personal interest in a
generous impulse.
The younger son, on the other hand,
had more disposition to spend money
than to save it. He was indulgent with
his fathers workmen. He did not treat
them as human machines. His free
fellowship with the servants interfered
with his brothers discipline. He had
every day in himself multitude of gen.
erous impulses. And he habitually gave
way to them. He was respected less
than his brother, but he was more ar
IDENTIFY loved. He was general favor
lite; he was even his fathers favorite.
While his father could in no essential
show Partially toward either son, he
was under natural necessity of loving
the lovable; and all could see, excepting
the older son, that the guileless, frank,
happy, unselfsh younger son was even
irresistibly loyable.
There came time when the younger
son grew disconnected with the quiet OF
his home. The work and the pleasures
OF the farm became alike irksome to
him. He fell to dreaming Of the great
world beyond the horizon of his expert