The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-04-10

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 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 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
er: "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,
lyon are my brother. - "No, I am not.
I am brute. Have you seen anything
of my wife and children? Are they
dead? / drove them out last night in
the storm. I am brute John, do you
think there is any help for me? Do you
think will ever get over this life of dis
sipation?' He said, John, there is one
thing that will stop this. " The prod
igal ran his fingers across his throat
and said: "That will stop it, and will
stop it before night Oh, my brainl |
can stand it no longer That prodigal
never got home. But will tell you of
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 not 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 go
and see my two sons. They have arrived
in Portsmouth, and they are going to
take ship and going away from home.
I wish you would persuade them back. "
Mr.. Griffin went and tried to per-
suade them back. He persuaded one to
go. He went with very easy persuasion,
because he was very homesick already
The other young man said: II will not
60 l have had enough of home I'll
never 60 home. ~ "Well," said Mr..
Griffin, then if you won t go home, I'll
get you respectable position on a re-
spectacle ship" 'No, you won IT," said
the prodigal "No You won't. l am 60
ing as 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 young
man in irons on 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,"
he said, II don't know you. " "Why, |
don't you remember that young man you
tried to persuade to 60 home and he
wouldn't go?" 'Oh, yes" said Mr.
Griffin. Are you that MANI" Eyes,
am that man, said the other. II would
like to have you pray for me. l have
murder, and l must die.
But don t want to 20 out of this world
until some one prays 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 man : 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 Oh 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
crime and was going to be
put to death. So Mr.. Griffin and the IA
5her went on 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, / have done
very wrong, and 1 am very sorry.
wish / had never broken your heart.
I'm very sorry ~ ooh" said the father,
don't mention it, 1t won't make any
Inference now. 1t is all over. forgive
7ou, my SOD. And he kissed him and
Kissed him and kissed him. Today l
,ffer you the pardon of the gospel-full
pardon, free pardon. do not care what
,our crime has been. Though you say
,ou have committed crime against
iod, against your own soul, against
our fellow man, against your family,
gainst the day of Judgment, against
he cross of Christ-whateve your crime
las been, here is pardon, full pardon,
md the very moment you take that
'ardon your Heavenly Father throws his
rms round about you and says: my
on, l forgive you. 1t is all right. You
re as much i'll my favor now as if you
ad never sinned." Oh, there is joy on
arth and joy in heaven. Who will take
be Father embrace?