The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1900-05-12
THE PR0DIGAL SON.
Dr.. Talmsge breaches a Sermon
About the Elder Brother.
Lesson OF the Parable-He DeAOunees
self-RIghteOasHe@s and Lack OF
sympathy for h Fallen
AID -nfOrtanate.
Copyright 1900 by Louis Klopsch-l
N---EA..... A..

ICopyright, lNe by LOUIS hlopSchl
Washington, May &
In this discourse nr. Talmage
pleads for a hearty reception to all
those who have done wrong and want
TO get back. while the unsympathetic
and self-righteous are excoriated;
text, Luke 1873, And he was angry
and would not 20 in"
Many times have / been asked TO
preach a sermon about the elder
brother OF the parable. | received a
letter from Canada saying: "Is the
elder son of the parable so unsympa-
thetic and so cold that he is not
worthy OF recognition" The fact is
that we ministers pursue the young
er son. You can hear the tapping of
his rags in many q sermonic breeze
and the branching Of the pods for
which he was an unsuccessful con
testant. ! confess that it has been
difficult for me to train the camera
obscura upon the elder son Of the par
able. l could not get a negative for
a photograph. There was not enough
light in the gallery, or the chemicals
were too poor, or the sitter moved
in the picture. But now 1 think l
have him. not a side face or a three
quarters or the mere bust, but a full
length portrait as he appears to me.
The father in the parable Of the prod
igal had nothing to brag Of in his two
sons. The one was a rake and the
other . churl. 1 find nothing admira-
Bile in the d~issoluteness of the one,
and I find nothing attractive in the
acrid sobriety of the other. The one
goes down over the larboard side, and
the other goes down over the star
board side, but they both go down.
From all the windows Of the old
homestead bursts the minstrelsy. The
floor quakes with the feet Of the rus
tics. whose dance is always vigorous
and resembling. The neighbors have
heard Of the return Of the younger
son from his wanderings, and they
have gathered together. The house
is full OF congratulators. suppose
the tables are loaded with luxuries,
not only the one kind Of meat men
toned, but its concomitants. CLAP"
20 the cymbals, "Thruml" go the
harps. "Ciickl" go the chalices, up
and down go the feet inside, while
outside is a O sorry spectacle.
The senior son stands at the corner
of the house, a frigid phlegmatic. He
has just come in from the fields in
very substantial apparel. Seeing som
wild exhilarations around the old
mansion. he asks Of a servant passing
by with a goatskin Of wine on his
shoulder what all the fuss is about.
One would have thought that, on
hearing that his younger brother had
got back, he would have gone into the
house and rejoieed, and, IL he were
not conscientiously opposed to dane
ing. that he would have joined the ORR
entail schottish. 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 all TO attract. The
odors of the feast, coming out on the
air, do o sharpen his appetite.
The lively music does not put any
spring into his step. He is in a ter
rible pout. He criticises the expense,
the injustice and the morals of the
entertainment. The father rushes out
b~areheaded 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 a premium
on yagabondism. l staid at home and
worked on the farm. You never made
a party for me; you didn't so much
as kill a kid. That wouldn't have cost
half as much as calf; but this scape-
grace went of In fine clothes, and he
comes back not fit to be seen, and
what a time you make over him! He
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 IL I had known to what use you
were going to put it. That vagabond
deserves 10 be cowhided instead OF
banqueted. Veal is too good for
him" That evening, while the young.
er son sat telling his father about his
adventures and asking about what
had occurred on the place since his
departure. the senior brother goes tC
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 Germany some on'
asked the question: "Who ia tina
elder SOM" and Krummacher an
swered: II know him; saw him yes
terday." And when they insisted
upon knowing whom | meant he said
Myself; when | saw tue account o.
the conversion Of a most obnoxioui
man / was irritated."
First, this senior brother Of th'
/ text stands for the self-congratula
tory, self-satisfed, self-worshipfu
man With the same breath in which
he vituperates against his youngeI
brother he utters a panegyric TO
himself. The seli-righteous man o
my text, like every other self-righteou
man, was full OF faults. He was al
migrate. for he did not appreciate III
home blessings which he had all thos,
years. lie was disobedient, for whel
the father told him 20 come IN h.
staid out. He was a liar, for he sal
that the recreant son had deyourei
his fathers living. when the father, -
. far from being reduced to penury
I had a homestead left, had instrument
OF music. had Jewels. had a mansion
and instead OF being a pauper, was
prince. This senior brother, with $
many faults Of his own, wac mercile'
10 his criticism Of the younger brotl
er. The only perfect people that
70 have ever known were utterly obnO'
ious. was never so badly cheated !
ny Hfe as by q perfect man. He &c
so far up In bis deyotions that he wa
clear up above all the rules Of con
mon honesty. These men that 3
about prowling among prayer NEE
ings and in places Of business. telliD
how good they are-look out fc
them; keep your hand on your pocI
eibooki ! have noticed that just |
proportion as a man gets good he gel
humble. Thk deep Mississippi doe
not make as much poise as the Draw
? ing mountain rivulet. There bs
been many a store that has had Ior
goods in the show window than n
side on ths shelves.
This selt-righieous man Of the te'
stood Of the corner 81 the house hui
ging himself IN admiration We hea
a great deal in our day about ID
higher life. Now. there are two Kind