Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-05-15

know how your children spend their
money. 1t Is your duty to know where
your younger son passes his nights.
A Hosnely Iliustrctio,.
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
well met. He was as much intoxicated
with hattery as with wine. The gold
which he held in his opened hand was
just as yellow and hard as If he was
living of 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 prodgal son then tells us that
there was famine in that land. AS
soon as n 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
fat upon his back in the lowest pit Of
despair
An aristocratic lady living in London
had 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.. Hill's audience to listen to the
greatest preacher Of his day. Row.
land Hill arose gave out n text and be-
gan sermon upon the prodigal son
in this way: THE other day l saw
farmer coaxing some swine TO
slaughter house. The farmer had
bag Of corn in his hand. Every few
steps the man would drop 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 illustration about
tile swine awful? Think of q minis
, ter's using such figure in the Chris
tan pulpit" Mother" answered the
young man, ~ do not know whether
Mr.. Hill had right to use that illus
tration or not in a church. l do know
what Mr.. Hill meant. He meant that
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 find
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 that
not one of his old companions would
speak to him, when he would feign
; have filled his belly with the husks
t that the swine did eat, then he thought
of his fathers past love. Surely" said
he. father will give me enough to eat.
, He will care for me as much as he
would for one Of his hired servants,
, even though l have done wrong" But
, the good father was ready to do more
than that. No sooner did the younger
son come within sight of the old home
stead than the father ran to meet him.
He fell on his sons neck and kissed
, him. He kissed him in the same man.
her the Divine Father is ready to greet
every one Of his Maynard children. He
) gave loving kiss of eternal pardon
! He kissed him. as God will kiss us If
! We will only come back to Jesus side
, and stand under the shadow of the
! atoninG cross.
t One moonlight night at Asbury Park
? q party Of young people were gathered
r Oh the beach. AS the waves came roll
I Ing up the sands the conversation drag
r ged. Then young girl with a voice as
l sweet rs birds began to sing. Her
+ many friends Joined in and made a
large chorus. After awhile this young
girl started the tender home melody Of
3 Robert Laurie:
r Oh. could see you now. my boy,
U AZ fair as in olden time
When prattle and smile made home a
y Joy
= And life was q merry chime!
e When the last notes Of this song died
away, an old man came toward the
a group and said to the young people
e "Wlli you please sing that song again
My wife and ! have a hayward boy
a We do not know where he Ia tonight
e He ran away from home. We dc
g want him to come back before we die .
= God, the Divine Father, is waiting
d He is waiting for some Of hts way
e ward children to come tonight to the
It | QOaDAl nrpajda