The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1896-01-06
THE SEAL IS SET
Dr.. Talmage'S Subject Yesterday Vas
the Return Of the pf0di6al,
PUT A RING ON HIS HAND"
uo Saws Of Religion, Her Ways Are
Ways OF Pleasantness ana Al
Her Paths Are Peace"

WASHINGTON, January 5.-(srecialD-in his
sermon today Rev. Or. Taimase loon ~
his subject the return of the pf'a'-.t '''''
Tine text chosen Was Luke ~, =. 4uI i
ring on his hand"
I win not rehearse the famAar Story %
tbs fast young man of the parable. You
lno,, y,hat a snlendid home me left. You
know what a hard time he "ad. ana W"
remember how after that season OF N@6"-
bondage aad prodiG&lity he resolved 70 ~
ana va,.o out his sorrows on the bosom oI
parental forgiveness. Well there y 5i''c
excitement one day in front OF tAe Hoot "a
the old farmhouse The servants 'Oi''g
rushing up and say: whats the matter.
arrive tie old man cries out. Put ring
on his hand" what a seeming apSurdly
What can such a wretched mendicant AS
this fellow that is tramping on toward the
house want with a ring; On, me is the
prOdgal son. No more tending OF iee
swine trough 10 more longing fer the
pods of the carob tree. No more hiistered
feet. OF with the ragsi On with the robe.
out with the ringl Even SO does cod re-
ceive every one of us when we come back
There are gold rings, and pearl rings, and
emerald rings, and diamond rings; but the
richest ring that ever flashed on the Vi
sion is that which our Father puts upon
forgiven soul.
know that the impression is abroad
among some people that religion bemeans
and belitties man: that it takes all the
sparkle out OF his soul; that he has TO eX-
change a roistering independence for an &C.
cleslastical straltJaclSet. Not SO. When
man becomes a Christian he does not 20
down. he starts upward. Religion multi
plies one by ten thousand. Nay, the mui-
tipIier is in inhnity. II is not bi3,uns
Quit IS a polishing; it Is an arberesCence,
il is an etiiOrescence, it is an irradiation.
When man comes into the kingdom of
God he is not sent into~a mental service.
but the Lord God Almighty from the pal
aces of heaven calls upon the messenger
angels that wait upon the throne TO lily and
put ring on his hand In Christ are
the largest liberty and brightest joy, and
highest honor and richest adjournment Put
i ring on his hand"
1 remark, in the first place, that when
Christ receives a soul into his love- he puts
upon him the ring OF adoption. While in
my church in Philadelphia there came the
representative Of the Howard mission. of
New York re brought with him eight
or ten children Of the street that he had
picked up, and he was trying 10 find for
them Christian homes, and as the little
ones stood on the pulpit and sang, our
hearts melted within ~ At rho a.nSe of
the services gre1t-hearted, wealthy man
came up and said, I'm take this little
bright-eyed girl and III adopt her as one
of my own children" and he took her by
the hand, lifted her into his carriage and
went away.
The next day. while we were in the
church gathering up garments for the poor
Of New York, this little child came back
with a bundle under her arm, and she
said: There's my old dress; perhaps some
OF the poor children would like TO nave it,
while she herself was in bright and beaU-
tfuI array. and those who more 1mmedi-
dtely examined her said she had ring on
her hand. 1t was a ring of adoption.
There are a great many persons who
pride themselves on their ancestry and
q Ha hot
through their arteries in their line there
was lord. or duke. or prime minister,
or a king. But when the Lord. our Father.
puts upon us the ring Of ms adoption We
become the children Of the Ruler of all
nations 'Rehold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us that we
should be called the sons Of God" 1t mat
ters not how poor orr garments may be in
this world, or how scant our bread. or now
mean the hut we live in, if we have that
W. are assured o. eternal detenses
Adopted Why then, we are brothers and
sisters TO all the good Of earth ana heaven.
We have the family name. the family dress.
the family KEYS the family wardrobe. The
Father looks after us. robes MS, defends us.
blesses us. We have royal blood in our
veins, and there are crowns in our line.
If we are His children, then princes and
Processes. II is only a question of time
when we get our coronet Adopted. Then
W have the family secrets. THE secret
Of the Lord IS with them that fear him"
Adopted, Then We have the family i'm
hertance. and in the day when our Father
shah divide the riches Of heaven we shah
take our share Of the mansions and pal
aces and temples.
fTeuccforth let us boast more Of an
earthly ancestry. THE insignia Of eternal
glory is our court Of arms. This ring of
adouti5u puts upon Us al honor ard all
privilege Now we can take the words Of
Charles Wesley, that prince OF hymn
makers. and sing:
Come let US join our friends above
who have Obtained the prize
And on the eagle wings OF love
To joy celestial rise
at all the saints terrestrial sing
With those 20 glory gone;
For al the servants Of our King,
In heaven and earth, are one.
have been told that when any OF the