Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-03-01
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
PERIODICAL sons" THE LATEST
SUBJECT DISCUSSED.

From Luke xy;I3 - Follows, Tho
Younger Bon Gathered All Together
and Took Hh Journey Into Far
Country
To-day the old homestead Is turned
upside down. One of the boys, the
younger, is about to leave the parental
roof. The eaglet Is tired OF being
warmed by the wings OF the old birds
and with ruffied feathers stands upon
the edge OF the eyrie ready to fly of.
1t Is sad sight to see home being
broken up. When the children are
about to say goodby the families laugh,
talk and joke up to the last moment,
but they are only trying to keep the
courage up. Even the wedding bells
weep as well as chime. The guests
may congratulate you upon having
gained son or q daughter, but you
know that It is mockery, though you
do smile through your tears. From
now on the daughter will never be the
same again. She has gone to make her
own home, to build her own nest, rear
her own young and live her own life.
Instead Of belonging to you she Is an
others. Instead Of you being first. now
you are last.
AFTER the wedding OF a very dear
friend and the worn slipper and the
rice had been thrown. and the bride
and bridegroom started, followed the
old gray-haired father down to the
garden gate, and there we stood alone
in the moonlight. Yes, Frank he
said, I know she has married a good
man. but she was my youngest, and
1t breaks the heart, 1t breaks the
heart Children are born, grow up
into young manhood and womanhood,
and Just when It seems the parents
cannot get along without them. OFF
they 60. Death knocks at the door and
carries away some. Love hovers about
the spring flowers and breathes
through the orange blossoms and woes
others. Business calls and duty beck
ons until the old nursery is silent and
there are rooms to let in the home
stead which once resounded with the
young peoples voices.
Mother Who Grieves.
Such is the sense OF my text The
mother did not sleep much last night.
Though she tries to look cheerful her
eyes are very red. Every little while
she disappears into the pantry or goes
upstairs. She makes an excuse as
though looking for something, but we
know It is only to have a good cry.
The father Is giving his last instruc-
lions and handing the young traveller
some letters Of introduction to prom
inent merchant with whom the son
will lodge in the next town. There Is
a noise at the gate. The servants are
bringing out the horses and strapping
the baggage upon the pack mules.
They talk in subdued whispers. Even
they feel sorry. The young 'massa'
was a happy. jolly, go-lucky boy, and
always had a cheerful and kind word
for the hostlers. The only creature
who seems to be merry-making this
morning is the yellow dog. He frisks
about. barking and yelping, thinking
he Is to follow the sportsman on a
weeks hunt But his hilarity Is
stopped when some one SHES a stone
at the brute and shouts: Go back to
the barn!' Slowly he crawls back with
tail and head lowered in abject woe.
He stops now and then as II expecting
to hear the familiar call. Perhaps he
realizes for the first time he Is taking
q last farewell. ! always did believe
a bright dog was smarter than a stu
pid man. But the farewell words are
now being said. The father has given
his benedictlon. We must turn aside q
little, while the mother has her last
convulsive clasp. These are the snap
ping Of heart strings. A mother can
never realize the baby she once rocked
In q cradle can grow to be a man.
People who have stood upon the
wharf at Queenstown and heard the
Irish peasants moan when the young
emigrant steps into the boat to take
steamer for America know what l
mean. There Is only one cry similar to
Il. That is. when a family draped In
heavy black push back the wells to take
q last lingering look at the silent form.
sleeping In the casket. when the IN
dertaker stands impatienuy behind.
Youth Rides Away.
but suddenly the young man breaks
away. He leaps into the saddle. The
spurs cut deep. The parents shout
their affectionate adieux to the horse
man dashing OF. Then they wave and
throw kisses. The old father nov
wipes his face vigorously with hand
! ksrchief and scolds the servants and
sends them OF. because he does not
want them to see him cry. AS the
horse disappears over the last hill the
old mother buries her head on her hus-
bands neck. and sobsl AZ II her heart
would break. He tenderly puts his
arm about her and draws her toward
the house. Slowly they walk up the
tree-arched path. They stop a moment
on the first step to glance for the last
time down the road. Slowly. with a
sigh. the father opens the door. The
men 60 back 10 the work. the women
back to the kitchen: the domestic ma
chipsry u started and the neishbors
I say It Is merely the natural order Of
things for the younger con to gather
all together and take his journey into
q far country
Lesson the frst: This Journey OF
the prodigal son into far country 10
q divine protest against making sin at
tractive. The far country was evil
IDENTIFY the land Of sin. BY this Jesus
docs not mean every young man who
starts away from home 10 bad. But II
we carefully study the parable we can