Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-05-11

ousy coming down through the ages,
Cain and Abel. ESau and Jacob. Saul
and David, Hannah and Mordecai.
Othello and Iago. Orlando and Angeli-
ca. Caligula and Torquatus. Cesar and
Pompey, Columbus and the Spanish
courtierS. CambyseS aud the brother
he slew because he was better marks
man. Dionysus and Philoxenius. whom
he slew because he was better singer.
Jealousy among NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
and Godfrey Kneller. Hudson and
Reynolds. Francia. anxious TO see 4
picture OF Raphael. Raphael sends him
. picture. Francia. seeing it. falls in a
fit of jealousy from which be dies.
Jealousy among authors. How seldom
contemporaries speak of each other
Xenophon and Plato living at the same
time. but from their writings you new
er would suppose they heard OF each
other. Religious jealousies. The Mo-
hammedans praying for rain during a
drought; no rain coming. Then the
Christians begin TO pray for rain. and
the rain comes. Then the Mohamme-
dams met together TO account for this.
and they resolved that God was so well
pleased with their prayers he kept the
drought on SO as 90 keep them praying.
but that the Christians began 10 pray
and the Lord was so diSgusted with
their prayers that he sent rain right
away so he would not hear any more.
of their supplications. Oh. this occurs
ed spirit of envy and jealousyi Let us
stamp il out from all our hearts.
Sti1e jealousy.
y wrestler was SO envious of Theog-
eneS. the prince OF wrestlers. that he
gould not be eorsoled in any way. and
after Theogenes died and statue was
lifted to him in public place his envi-
Gus antagonist went out every night
and wreStled with the statue until one
night he threw il. and it fell on him
and crushed him to death. SO jealousy
is not only absurd. but 1t is killing TO
the body. and il is killing 20 the solii.
How seldom ii is you find one mer-
chant speaking well of n merchant in
the same line of business. How sell
dom it is you hear a physician sneak
ing well Of physician on the same
block On. my friends. the world is
large enough for all OF us, Let us re-
Joice at the success of others. The
next best thing TO owning n garden
ourselves is to look over the fence and
admire the flowers. The next best
thing TO riding in fine eQuipage is to
stand on the streets and admire the
prancing span. The next best thing to
having banquet given to ourselves
is having banquet given to our
prodigal brother that has come home
TO his fathers house.
Besides that, IL we DO not get as
much honor and as much attention as
others we ought TO congratulate our
selves on what we escape in the way OF
assault. The French general riding
on horseback ut the head of his troops
heard soldier complain and say, 1T
is very easy for the general to COM
mand us forward while he rides and
we walk" Then the general dismount-
ed and compelled the complaining sol
der TO get on the horse. Coming
through ravinc, a-bullet from a
sharpshootcr struck the rider. and he
fell dead. Then the general said. How
much safer it is to walk than TO ride"
Once more l have to tell you that
this senior brother of my text stands
for the pouting Christian. While there
is so much congratulation within doors
the hero of my text stands outside. the
corners Of his mouth drawn down,
looking as he felt-misernble. am
glad his luguhrious physiognomy did
not spoil the fcstivity within. How
many pouting Christians there are i'm
| our day-Christians who do not like
the music OF the churches. Christians
who do not like the hilaritics of the
young-pouting. pouting. pouting NJ
society. pouting at the fashions. pout-
Ing ut the newspapers. poutinG ut the
church, pouting at the government.
pouting Mt high heaven. Their spleen
is too large, their liver does not work.
their digestion Is broken down. There
are two cruets in their caster always
sure TO he well supplied-vinegar and
red pepper. oh, come away from that
mood, Stir a little saccharipe into
your disposition. While you avoid the
dissoluteness OF the younger son avoid
also the Feasibility and the pctu,ancc
and the pouting spirit OF the elder son
and initiate the father. who had en-
braces for the returning prodIgal and
coaxing words for the Splenetic NAL
content.
Faces Contrastcd.
All, the face OF this pouting elder
son is put before us In order teat we
might better see the radiant and for
giving face ofNthe Father. Contrasts
are mighty. The artist in sketching
the field of Waterloo years after the
battle put n dove in the mouth OF the
cannon Raphael In one OF his car
toons beside the face OF n wretch put
the face OF n happy and innocent child.
And so the sour face OF this irascible
and disgusted elder brother is brought
out in order that in the contrast we
might better understand the fo-giving
and radiant face OF God. That Is the
meaning OF it-that God is ready TO
take back anybody that is sorry. TO
take him clear back. TO take him back
forever and forever and forever, TO
take him back with loving hug. 10
put n kiss on his parched lip. ring on
his bloated hand. an easy shoe on his
chafed foot. a garland on his bleeding
temples and heaven in his soul. oh,
fall fiat on that mercy! Come. my
brother. and let us get down into the
dust. resolved never TO rise until the
Fathers forgiving hand shall lift us.
oh, what God we have, Bring
your doxologies. Come. earth and
heaven. and join in the worship. Cry
aloud. Lift the palm branches. Do
you not feel the Fathers arm around
your neck? Do you not feel the warm
breath of your Father against your
cheek? Surrender. younger son. Sur
render, elder son. Surrender, ALL Go
in today and sit down at the banquet.
Take slice OF the fatted calf. and
after&ard. when you are seated. with
one hand in the hand of the returned
brother and the other hand in the hand
Of the rejoicing father. let your heart
beat time to the clappipg of the cymbal
and the mellow voice of the flute. Ii
is meet that we should make merry
nd 10 ,rln L. {.