Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-03-13

sounding heart OF Almighty God. For
ten years IL father went three times a
day to tic depot. lis son went off III
aggravating circumstances, but the IA
ther said, Gle will come back. The
strain was TOO much and his mind part
ed, and three times il day the father
went. III the early morning he watched
The train, its arrival, the stepping out
Of the passengers aud then the depar-
lure OF the train. at noon he was there
again Watching the advance of the train,
watching the departure. at night he
was there again, watching the coming,
watching the going, for ten years. lie
was sure his son would come buck God
has been watching and waiting for some
of you, my brothers, 10 years, 20 years,
80 years, 40 years, perhaps 90 years.
waiting, waiting watching, watching,
and if now the prodigal should come
home, what IL scene of gladncss and fes-
tivity, and how the great Fathers heart
would rejoice ut your coming home.
You will come, some of you, will you
not? You will, you will.
notice also that when Il prodigal
comes home there is the JOY of the mill
listers of religion. Oh, it is grand
thing to preach this gospel | know
there has been Il great deal said about
the trials and tho hardships of the Chris
tian ministry. wish somebody would
write good rousing book about the
joys of the Christian ministry. Since l
entered the profession have seen more
of the goodness of God than l will be
able to celebrate in all eternity know
some boast about their equilibrium, and
they do not rise into enthusiasm, and
they do not break down with emotion,
but confess to you plainly that when
| see Il man coming to God and giving
up his sin feel in body, mind and soul
a transport. When see a man bound
| hand and foot in evil habit emanicipat-
ed, rejoice over it as though it were
my own emancipation.
Why Clcrgymen Are Long Lived.
When in one communion service, such
throngs of young and old stood up and
in the presence of heaven and earth and
hell attested their allegiance to Jesus
Christ, l felt joy something akin to
that which the apostle describes when
he says, Whether i'll the body | cannot
tell, or out OF the body I cannot tell;
God knoweth Oh, have not ministers
a right to rejoice when aprodisal comes
home? They blew the trumpet, and
ought they not be glad of the gathering
of the host: They pointed to the full
supply, aud ought they not to rejoice
when thirsty souls plunge as the hart
for the water brooks? They came forth,
saying, All things are now ready y
ought they not to rejoice when the prod
val sits down at the banquet? Life in
rance men will al tell you that mill
listers of religion, as Il class, live longer
than any other. 1t is the statistics of
all those who calculate upon human
longevity that ministers Of religion, as Il
class, live longer than any other. Why
is it? There is moro draft upon the
nervous system than i'll any other pro-
fession, and their toll is most exhaust
ing. I have seen ministers kept on mis-
orable stipends by parsimonious congre-
cations who wondered at tho dizziness OF
the sermon when the men of God We're
perpleXcd almost to death by questions
Of livelihood and had not enough nutri-
tious food to keep amy fire i'll their tenn
pcram ent No fuel, no fire. have some
times seen the inside of the life of many
OF the American clergymen, never ac-
cepting their hospitality because they
cannot afford it, but have seen them
struggle on with salaries of $500 or 5000
Il yeur-the average less than that
their struggle well depicted by the west
ern missionary who says i'll q letter:
"Thanh you for the last remittance. Un-
til it came we had not any meat III our
house for one year, and all last winter,
although it was a severe winter, our
children wore their summer clothes. y
And these men of God find in differ
ent parts of the land struggling against
annoyance and eXasperations innumer-
able some OF them week after week en-
tertaining agents who have maps OF
lightning rods to sell and submitting
themselves to all styles Of annoyance,
md yet without complaint and cheerful
of soul How do you account for the
fact that these life insurance men tell
us that ministers Us Il class live .3nger
than any other? 1t is because of the JOY
of their work, the joy Of the harvest
field, the joy of greeting prodigals home
to their Fathers house Oh, we are i'll
sympathy with all innocent hilarities
We can enjoy hearty song and we can
be merry with the merriest, but those of
MS who have toiled in the service are
ready to testify that all these joys are
tame compared with the satisfaction of
seeing men enter the kingdom of God.
The great eras of every ministry are the
outpourings Of the Holy Ghost, and l
thank God l have seen 16 of them.
Thank God, thank God!
a Great Communion.
notice also when the prodigal comes
back all earnest Christians rejoice. If
you stood on Montauk point and there
was hurricane ut sea, and twas blow
ing toward the Shore and vessel
crashed into the rocks, and you saw peo-
pie get ashore in the lifeboats, and the
very last man got on the rocks i'll safety,
you could net control your JOY. And it
is glad time when the church of God
sees men who are tossed OH the ocean OF
their sins plant their feet on the rock
Christ Jesus. Oh, when prodigals como
home, Just hear the Christians sing
Just hear the Christians pray. 1t is not
stereotyped supplication we have
heard over and over again for 20 years,
but putting of the case in the hands of
God with an importunate pleading. NO
long prayers Men never pray at great
L.. l.a=-a 70 COZ.