Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-03-18
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
An Interesting Discourse on Well
Worn Subject.
In the Story OF the Prodigars Return the
Preacher Finds Bright Examples
Of the Joys and Delights
OF Religion.

80 NAiN ANAASNAAAS ~ sA-N-A AZ - -
Dewitt Talmage the gladness of the
religion of Jesus is set forth, The
well-worn story of the prodigaFS re-
turn is used as the basis of the dis
course, the text being
bring hither the fatted calf and kin it,
Luke Nv. %
In all ages OF the world it has been
customary to celebrate joyful events
by festivity. The signing of treaties,
the proclamation of peace, the inau-
guration of presidents. the coronation
OF kings, the Christmas, the marriage.
However much on other days of the
year our table may have stinted sup
ply, on Thanksgiving day there must
be something bounteous. And all the
comfortable homes of Christeudom
have at some time celebrated joyful
events by banquet and festivity.
Something has happened ON the old
homestead greater than anything that
has ever happened before. A favorite
SON whom the world supposed would
become vagabond and outlaw forever
has got tired of sightseeing and has
returned to his fathers house. The
NOIltl SdlNl llC ItNtl NNllltI CplllS htiSh'
The old man always said his son would
come back. He had been looking for
him day after day and year after
wear 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 ca
pacity, 50 as to be ready for some occa-
sion of JOY that might come along. All.
there never would be a grander day on
the old homestead than this day. Let
the butchers do their work, and the
houseleepers bring i'll 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
missed him, how glad they are to have
him back.
One brother stands pouting at the
back door and says: "This is great
ado about nothing; this bad boy should
have been chastised instead of greeted;
zeal is too good for him." But the ia
ther says: Nothing is too good, moth
lug is good enough There sits the
young man, glad at the hearty recep-
ton but shadow OF sorrow Hitting
across his brow at the remembrance of
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 inn
gerry does the Bible set forth the mer-
V-making when a soul comes home to
Iod.
First of all, there is the new converts
10Y. 1t is no tame thing to become
Christian. The most tremendous mo
ment in mans life is when he surren-
ders himself to tod. The grandest
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
young man who next morning rang
my door bcll and said: Sir, l can not
contain myself with the joy feel:
came h,rr this morning to express it:
have found more JOY in five minutes
in serving tod than i'll all the years of
my prodigality. and came to say So"
lon have seen, L,rhaps. man run
ming for his temporal liberty and the
ot..,crs OF the law after him. and you
saw him escape, or you afterward hear
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 is his
great story tells how the pilgrim put
his fingers to his ears, and ran, crying:
Life. life, eternal life" A poor car
driver some time ago, after years hav-
ing had to struggle to support his fam
lily, suddenly was informed that 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 to the joys, the
raptures.. the splendors of Heaven. and
he can truly say: Its mansions are
mine. its temples are mine, its songs
are mine, its God is mine Oh, it is no
tame thing to become a Christian. 1t
IL a merry making. it Is the killing OF
the fatted calf. 1t is a jubilee. You
know the Bible never compares ii to
funeral, but always compares it to
something delightful. II is more apt
to be compared to lanquet than
anything else. 1t is compared in
the Bible to water. bright,
flashing water, to the morning, roseate,
freworked, mountain TRANSPORTED
morning wish | could to-day take
all tie Eible expressions about pardon.
and peace. and l'fc, and twist them into
one garland and nj il on the brow Of
the huublest ehild Of God in this as
semblage and cry: Wear it, wear il
now. wear it forever son of God.
daughter of the Lord God Almighty
Oh. the joy of the new convert. oh,
the gladness Of the Christian service.
You have seen sometimes man in re-
ligious assembly get up and give his
experience. Well, Paul gave his expe-