Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-10
THE ELDER BROTHER
ALESSoN FROM THE PARABLE OF THE
PRODlGAL SON.

Rev. DR.. Tnimagc's Dcnuncintion OF
Self righteousness and the Lack of
sympathy For the Fallen and In-
fortunate.
WAsmNGToN. May En- this discourse
Or Talmdge pleads for a hearty rccep-
ton to all those who have done wrong
and want to get back, while the unsym-
pathetic and self righteous are eNcoriat-
ed; text, Luke XIV, -, And he was an
CRY and would not 20 in"
Many times have | been asked to-
preach a sermon about the elder brother
of the parable. | received Il letter from
Canada saying, as the elder son of the
parable unsympathctiC and so cold
hat he is aot worthy OF rccognitionE'
The fact is shat we ministers pursue the
younger son. You can hear the Tapping
Of his rags in many scrm mic hrco2c
and the branching of the pods for which
he was IN unsuccessful contestant. |
confess that it has been difficult TOR me
TO train the camera obscura upon the
elder son of the parable | could not get
a negative for photograph. There was
not enough light in the gallery, or the
chemicals were too poor, or the sitter
moved in the picture. But now | think
7 have him, not Il side face or three
quarters or the nero bust, but full
length portrait rs he appears to mo.
The father in the parable OF the prodigal
had nothing to brag Of in his two SONS.
The one was n rake and the other a
churl. ! find nothing admirable i'm tie
disSolutcncsS OF the one, and ! find moth
ing attractive in the aCrid sObriety OF
the other. The one goes down over the
larboard side, and the other goes down
over the starbonrd side but they both g
down.
From all the windows Of the old home
stead bursts the minStrcsy. The floor
Quakes with the feet of the rusticS, whose
dance is always vigorous and rcsounding
lrhe neighbors have heard Of the return
of the younger son from his wanderingN,
and they have gathered together. The
house Is full of congratulatorS. | sap
pose the tables are loaded with Injuries,
not only the one Kind OF meat mentioned,
hut its concomitants. CLAP" go the Gym
balls. "Thrum" 60 the harps, "Click"
60 the chalices. up and down 90 the feet
inside, while outside is most sorry spec
tacle.
The Senior Sons Anger.
The senior son stands Mt the corner ot
the house, n frgid phlcgmatic. He has
just come in from the fields in very sub
Ntantial apparel. Seeing some wild OK
hilarations around the old mansion, he
nsks of a servant passing by with goat
skin Of wine on his shoulder what all the
fuss is about One would have thought
that, on hearing that his younger brother
Lad got back, he would have gone into
tho house and rejoiced, and, if hc were
lot conscientiously opposed TO dancing,
that he would have Joined the oriental
acLottish. NO there he stands. His
brow lowers; his face darkens; his lip
curls with contempt. He stamps the
ground with Indignation; he sees nothing
at ali TO attract. The odors of the feast,
coming out on the air, do not sharpen his
appetite. The lively music does not put
any spring into his step. He is in terri
bic pout. He crticises the expense, the
injustice and the morals of the entertain
ment. The father PUSHES out bareheaded
and coaxes him to come in. He will not
go In. He scolds the father. He goes
into a pasQuinade against the younger
brother. and he makes the most uncomely
scene He says: Father, you put
premium on vagahondism. | staid at
home and worked on the farm. You new
cr made a party for me; you didn't so
much as kill kid. That wouldn't have
cost half as much as a calf; but thia
scapcgrace went of in fine clothes, ano
he comes back not ht TO be seen, and
what time you make over him. lie
breaks your heart, and you pay him for
IT, That calf, TO which we have been
giving extra feed during all these weeks,
wouldn't be so fat and sleek II had
known to what use you were going to put
it, That vagabond deserves 10 be cow
hided instead of banqueted. Veal Is too
good for him. That evening, while the
younger son sat telling his father about
lis adventures and asking about what
had occurred on the place since his de
parture the senior brother goes to bed
disgusted and slams the door after him.
That senior brother still lives. You can
see him any Sunday, any day Of the
week. At a meeting of ministers in Ger
many some one asked the question, who
j. that elder sonW and Krummachcr an
ewered, Il know him; | saw him yestcr-
day" And when they insisted upon
knowing whom he meant he said, My
self; when | saw the account of the COP
version of a most obnoxious man | was
irritated.'
First, this senior brother Of the text
stands for the self congratulatory, self
satisfied, self worshipful man. With the
same breath in which he yituperates