The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-03-18

SssNnyAeskhAa the proclamation
SyNAXSSAAASNkA of peace, the inaug-
<S5sNXSS&S uration Of Presi-
NJ o'SSW dents, the corona
~ ton Of kings, the
Christmas, the mar
fiage. However much on other days of
the year our table may have stinted
supply, on Thanksgiving Day there
must be something bounteous. And all
the comfortable homes of Christendom
have at some time celebrated joyful
events by banquet and festivity. Some
thing has happened on the old home
stead greater than anything that has
ever happened before. A fayorite son
whom the world supposed would be-
come vagabond and outlaw forever
has got tired of sightseeing and has re-
turned to his fathers house. The
world said he would never come back.
The old man always said his son would
come back He has been looking for
him day after day and year after year.
He knew he would come back. Now
having returned to his fathers house
the father proclaims celebration. There
is IN the paddock calf that has been
kept up and fed to utmost capacity, so
as to be ready for some occasion Of JOY
that might come along. All! there new
er would be a grander day on the old
homestead than this day. Let the
butchers do their work, and the house.
keepers bring to the table the smoking
meat. The musicians will take their
places, and the gay groups will move up
and down the floor. All the friends and
neighbors are gathered in and an extra
supply is sent out to the table of the
servants. The father presides at the
table and says grace, and thanks God
that his long-absent boy is home again.
oh! how they have missed him, how
glad they are to have him back.
One brother stands pointing at the
back door and says, "This is great ado
about nothing; this bad boy should
have been chastised instead of greeted;
veal is too good for him!' But the
father says, Nothing is too good, moth
ing is good enough" There sits the
young man, glad at the hearty recep-
ton, but shadow Of sorrow fitting
the trouble he had seen. All ready
now. Let the covers lift. Music. He
was dead and he is alive again! He
was lost and he is found! By such bold
Imagery does the Bible set forth the
merry-making when soul comes home
to God.
s First of all, there is the new CON
io TO- To- No
come Christian. The most tremen.
dous moment in a mans life is when he
surrenders himself to God. The grand
est time on the fathers homestead is
when the boy comes back. Among the
great throng who in the parlors of our
church professed Christ one night was
a young man who next morning rang
my doorbell and said: Sir, cannot
contain myself with the joy I feel;
came here this morning to express it,;
I have found more joy in five minutes
in serving God than in all the years of
my prodigalitv, and came to say So
You have seen, perhaps, a man run
ming for his temporal liberty and the
officers of the law after him, and you
saw him escape, or afterWard you heal
the judge had pardoned him, and how
great was the glee of that rescued man;
but it is very tame thing that COM
pared with the running for ones ever.
lasting life, the terrors of the law after
him, and Christ coming in to pardon
and bless and rescue and save.
You remember John Bunyan in his
great story tells how the pilgrim put
his fingers to his ears, and ran, cry
ing: Life, life, eternal life!'' "A poor
car driver some time ago, after years
having had to struggle to support his
family, suddenly was informed that q
large inheritance was his, and there
was a joy amounting to bewilderment
but that is a small thing compared
with the experience Of one when he
has put in his hands the title deed tc
the joys. the captures, the splendors o1
heaven, and he can truly say, cts man.
sions are mine, its temples are mine
a its songs are mine, its God is mine!
Oh, it is no tame thing to become
Christian. 1t is merry-making. L
is the killing of the fatted calf It is {
Jubilee. You know the Bible neve1
compares it to funeral, but Away!
compares it to something delightful. I
lis more apt to be compared to ban
quet titan anything else It is com
pared in the Bible to water, bright
flashing water, to the morning, roseate
freworked, mountain transiigurel
morning. ! wish could today take al
the Bible expressions about pardon
peace, and life, and comfort, and hope
and heaven and twist them into on
Il garland and put it on the brow Of tn
humblest child of God in this Assem-
Y blage, ard cry: Wear it, wear it nov
wear it forever; son Of God, daughter Q
the Lord God Almighty" Oh, the jo
of the new convert. Oh, the gladnes
of the Christian service. You hav
seen sometimes a man in a religion
assembly get up and give his expert
ence. Well, Paul gave his experienc,
He arose in the presence Of tw
h. Z, Iet u - ~ -, ~.