The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-03-06

their vision they add Oh the number of
lenses, and sometimes our falling tears are
like the lenses in the telescope They
bring objects far removed nigh unto ua.
but what O comfort it Is 90 know that
the Great Father of us AN looks after us
with pity that is infinite and with a SYM
pathy that Is beyond conception. The
vision Of the father Of the pfodigal was
limited, but Gods eye sweeps through an
space, and lie sees us wherever we are.
lie can even behold our thoughts and
when you bowed four head and said, ~
ought TO come" and partly lifted your
hand as an expression OF your intention,
or started 10 rise that you might make pub
lle your confession, He saw you and was
ready 10 run 90 meet you, This Is all that
Jie requires on your part. lie b. ready TO
do all the rest.
It Is said that DR.. Rainsford, Of Eng
land, in one of the Mortified conferences
mo one time related the story of an old
friend of his. a German professor. who
was an anostic, and as YOU know the
creed of the agnostic Is simply, 81 do not
know" This old professor came 10 visit
DIR. Rainsford and went with him 10 all the
services of his church. When the day was
ended the rector said 20 him, Professor
tell me what YOU think of it ALL" His an
swer was, 1T is beautiful, but that is all I
can say" Then DR.. Ra.nslord put to him
these questions:
First, do you not think that it is pos
-ible that there may be q Gody" and the
old professor said, "Yes possible"
Second Then do you not think that it
is probable that God has made revelation
of Himself to His creatures and his
| friend answered, Yes, probable"
Third, "Well. do you not think" said he,
chat He would make that revelation plain
il we were to ask Him." and the old pro,
| iessor answered, u should think He would
be obliged to-"
We'll" said Dr. Rainsford, "have you
ever asked Him" and the old man an
sWered, ono"
"For my sake" said he, "will you ask
/ Him now" and they fell upon their knees
/ in the study, and the old minister said,
| "Iord Cod reveal Thyself unto my dear
| friend" When his prayer was ended he
| said, Now, Professor, you pray, and the
/ old man lifted up his eyes and said, "Oh,
/ God" and Aen as IL he felt he had gone
too far, he t3anged his petition, and said,
/ ooh. God. if there be a God. show me the
/ light and / will" and he was just going
on to say, 81 will walk in IT," when sud
| denly he sprang to bis feet With his face
radiant and shouted ffWhT see it, ! see
| It, and it is gorloG r. % omostlclsm
/ took wings and depal 49, gu. 18th
/ filed his heart and ioN@ III.
/ He has from that time% N ID
disciple of Jesus Christ. OF
all this / make the p!eaNRkRH Bage
your least desire, and you'gNh Isl to
in0" Him whom to IN know i'(lsD4
CHE HAD COMPASSION a - RAN"
1 never knew until recently what that
word compassion" meant. I know now
that it indicates ones suffering with an
other. 1t is this that makes the story OF a
mans transgresslon so pathetic Other
hearts are made to ache and almost break.
Other ewes are filled with tears and other
lives made desolate. l can see this old
father going up to the outlook from his
home, gazing off in the direction which his
bow had taken, coming down the steps
again like David of old crying out, Oh
my son, nv son, would God l had died Tor
you" He had compassion
We had in our city young man VINO
was more than ordinarily prosperous IN
his business, and his prosperity seemed to
be the cause of his downfall. 1t became
so marked that his partners called him
into their office to say that he must either
mend his ways or dispose of his interests
in the concern. His promises were good
and all went well for a little season, ano
then when the failure was worse than ever
they insisted that he should dispose or HI:
interests to them, and with a great sun
of money he began to sink rapidly. H'
had gone from bad to worse until not Ions
ago they found him floating in the river
for he had taken his own life. The story
is sad in the extreme but the saddest por
ton of it is found in the fact that there i
an old man to-day going about the street.
of the city mourning for his son. H'
scarcely lifts his eyes from the ground a
he walks. Sometimes you behold hin
with the tears rolling down his checks. Ill
has compassion. And it is fact that on
never sins, breaking even the least
Gods commandments, that the heart
the great and loving Father does not Year,
over him and long for his return.
".
WHAT DID HE DO?
We all know this story so thorough
well that it would seem almost unneces
, sary to emphasize things the father. di
when the meeting between himself and hi
son occurred, but for the sake of the stor
let me say:
First, "he kissed him" You will notic
that he did not wait until the boys gal
ments had been changed, or the signs {
! his wanderings removed. There woul
have been no grace in this But clad in a
, his rags he threw his arms about him an
drew him close against his heart, and CAV