Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-05-12

possible But after awhile the father
got a foothold in a business or a pro-
fessional career. Then the money COM
meuked to flow into the family treas
ury. Then servants were able to be
and sisters. Then the younger son was
able to have his spending money and
drive a horse and go with the young
scions of the weather. families. Then
it was easy for him to buy a through
ticket and go by the fast express to
the far country of sin.
Mr.. Moody we'll said: "This father Of
the parable ought to be censured. We
cannot help but blame him. When
the son said, Father, divide and give
me my portion the father should have
said: You show a bad spirit / will
make you go without your share That
father could not have done a greater
unkindness to the boy than to give
him his goods and money and let him
go. A true father would have said to
such contemplate filial spirit, Go
and earn your own portion by the
sweat of your own brow"
Parents, your very kindnesses and
self sacrifices may be the cause of
your younger children's destruction.
You have no right to give your young
er son plenty of money and liberty to
do wrong. 1t is your business to
know how your children spend their
money. 1t is your duty to know where
your younger son passes his nights.
A HomeIy Illustration.
The far country is the place where
the younger son spent his ALL We can
readily picture this young man when
he first left home. He had plenty of
money. The tavern keepers bowed and
smiled at his approach. They regretted
when his party left. The gay young
folks Of the region to which he went
felt proud to be seen in public by his
side. His bachelor apartments were
furnished in the most expensive style.
The banks would honor any drafts he
made upon them. He was hale fellow
we'll met. He was as much intoxicated
with flattery as with wine. The gold
which he held in his opened hand was
just as yellow and hard as if he was
living off his interest instead of the
principal His health was robust and
strong. He had not yet undermined his
physical constitution by excuses. But
now the rosy cheek pales. The steady
nerve trembles. The mortgage is placed
upon the furniture. He sells some of
his diamonds. There are but two horses
now in his stable instead of ten. After
awhile he begins to run up bills Not
being able to pay his bills, as of yore,
the creditors become anxious and de-
mand payment and full payment at
once. What happens? Why, the story
of the prodigal son then tells us that
there was a famine in that land. As
soon as sinners money is gone his
sinful friends Immediately leave him.
The bright winged humming birds have
little use for the rosebush when the
flowers are gone. This younger son be-
gan to be in want He became helpless
and friendless. To earn food enough to
sustain life he tended herd of swine.
This social condition was the worst to
which Jew could ever sink. He was
fiat upon his back in the lowest pit OF
despair.
An aristocratic lady living in London
had a very dissipated son. A friend
said: "Why not take your son to hear
Rowland Hill preach? Perhaps he
can save him." The mother answered,
II WILL" Next Sunday night she sat
in Mr.. Hills audience to listen to the
greatest preacher of his day. Row.
land Hill arose, gave out a text and be-
gan a sermon upon the prodigal son
in this way: 1.-THE other day | saw a
| farmer coaXing some swine to a
slaughter house. The farmer had a
bag of corn in his hand. Every few
steps the man would drop a few
| grains. The swine would run after
him and greedily devour them. Poor
fools, said |. those swine do not know
the farmer is leading them into a
slaughter house. where they are to be
killed" After the benediction this
/ aristocratic lady turned to her son and
said: "Was not that illustrate about
the swine awful? Think of a minis
ter's using such a figure in the Chris
tan pulpit" Mother" answered the
young man, 81 do not know whether
Mr.. Hill had a right to use that illus
tratiOn or not in a church. l do know
what Mr.. Hill meant. He meant that
I was the prodigal son being led by
Satan into the far country of sin
where l would be destroyed as swine
are killed by the butchers knife in a
slaughter house."
Under the Shadow of the Cross.
The far country is never so far away
but that the penitent prodigal can fine
his way back from it to the heavenly
homestead. When the younger son be
came so poor that he had no decent
clothes for his back, so friendless tina
not one of his old compa Mons would
speak to him, when he would feigI
have filed his belly with the husk:
that the swine did eat then he though
of his fathers past love. Surely" sait
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