The Penn's Grove record., 1903-02-06
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED
THE PRoDIcAIs FATHER"

AN Uplifting Talk on h Famous Bibli.
cal Story by the Bey. DIR. J. Wilbur
Chapman-How 1t Reveals One Part
of Gods Nature.
NEW YORK CITY.-The following sermon
ensatied -Ihe ProdigaPs Father" is one of
q series prepared for the press by the dis
Ilngulshed evangelist, the Rev. DR.. j. VII
Dur Chapman. 1t was preached from the
oa put when he was yet a great way
on his father saw him \ = and had
compassion and ran = = . and kissed
plm and said to his servants.
Pprlng forth the best robe and put il on
nlm, n put a ring on his hand and shoes
on ms feet. and bring hither the fatted
cali and kill it." Luke XIV: 2O-23.
VI making many sermons on the prodiQal
son tnere seems to have been no end
YET l was In the ministry fifteen wears be.
Tore preached from any part of the para
pie. mere may be many reasons why, as
q rue, we turn away from it. 1t NAV be
mat the picture is too realistic.
Joliet, Illinois. when a request was made
mat l should conduct a service for the con-
vicls. just as | was leaving the building
tne officer said to me, by the way. If Won
should come do not preach upon any mart
OF tne prodigal., We have had twenty-four
ministers here by actual count, and every
una OF them gave us the prodigal son, and
these poor fellows have had about az much
prodlgal as they can stand"
LII may also be that we have turned AWAY
from 1T because it is such familiar ground
mat 1T has lost its charm for ms was
sweeping through the magnificent Rocky
N1ountaln scenery some time ago. and when |
we mao plunged into the Royal Gorge. and |
later swung into the Grand Canon Il |
seemed TO me that scenery more sublime
T ToL Lal not De found IN all the world, and if |
1 nad never been impressed before with
tne existence of God I should have cried
OUT unto him IN the midst of those mount |
am peaks. l noticed that every one in the
eaf, WIN one single exception, was pazino
IN rapt admiration. This one woman was
reading a book, and to nv GER
tam knowledge she did not lift her ewes
o =; from the printed page while we were
~ tnat wonderful scenery. When we had
heard her say to a friend, .This is the thir.
1 ne Time l have crossed the mountains.
Inc nrst time | could not keep the tears
rom roillng down my cheeks, so impressed
l, but now" she said. II know Il 50
ven that | frequently go through the whole
'ange with scarcely a glance cast out of
ne window" 1t is thus. alas! that we
eao uo9 word, and that which fills
heaven with wonder, and furnishes the an
UIdlS6- W. i
cad with indifference or fail to read At ali
ana yet my own confession is that I never
ave mad until recently the best of this
tory of the prodigal.
l thought it was to give us a vision of the
son, and as such it would be q
Message to backsliders. and while this is
Le part OF the Interpretation it is not by
means the best part. Then it occurred
Q me the story might have been given us
Ia5ns we should 81 take warning from the sci
s snnsss on the elder brother, but / con-
elved such a dislike for this Character
l never cared to consider him even for ,
moment. But it has in these later DAYS !
sc9me TO me one of the sweetest portions !
all the New Testament because 1 believe !
ne parable was written that we might fas- !
"a our eyes upon the father of the parable !
az IN that father get a glimpse of God. !
Did It ever occur to you that in the MIC !
res OF the fathers of the Bible you were :
ways gwen ! vision of one part of the :
AZURE OF God? Jacob crying out, ME Ye {
ave bereft of my children; Joseph Is NOT s
neon IS not. and now Won will 4oLa D. 5