The Penn's Grove record., 1903-02-06
5 probable that God bas mads r.n.,.H.

IS probable that God has made a revelation
OF Himself to His creatures?" and his
friend answered, Eyes, probable"
Third, "Well, do you not think" said ne
tnat he would make that revelation plain
II we were to ask Him. % and the old pro-
be obliged to"
"Wel," said DE-. Rainsford, "have YOU
ever asked Him." and the old man an
For my sake" said he, "will you ask
Him nowT' and they fell upon their knees
IN the study, and the old minister said.
Lord God, reveal Thyself unto my dear
irlend;~ When his prayer was ended be
SAD, Now, Professor, you pray" and the
Cd man lifted up his eyes and said, "Ob,
God; and then as if he felt he had gone
too lar, he changed his petition, and said.
,.Oh, God. If there be a God, show me the
light and | will" and he was lust going
S on to s Say. = will walk in it, when sud,
radiant and shouted, why, / see it. | see
it, and it is glorious." His agnosticism
took; wings and departed from him. Faith
Piled his heart and Joy thrilled in his soul.
he has from that time to this been a rood
disciple OF Jesus Christ. In the light of
all this l make the plea, only encourage
your least desire, and you shall come to
know Him whom to know is life eternal.
III.
HE HAD COMPASSION AND RAM
l never knew until recently what that
word compassion" meant. 1 know now
That 1t indicates ones suffering with an
other. 1t Is this that makes the story of a
mans transgression so pathetic. Other
hearts are made to ache and almost break.
Other eyes are filed 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
boy had taken, coming down the steps
again like David of old crying out, "Oh,-
son, my son, would God | had died for
He had compassion.
We had in our city a young man who
was more than ordinarily prosperous in
ms business, and his prosperity seemed to
be the cause of his downfall. II 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. and
then when the failure was worse than ever
they insisted that he should dispose of his
interests to them, and with a great sum
money he began to sink rapidly. He
1ad gone from bad to worse until not long
igo they found him floating in the river.
or ne had taken his own life. The story
s sad IN the extreme, but the saddest por-
ION of it is found in the fact that there is
n old man to-day going about the streets
" the city mourning for his son. He
carcely lifts his eyes from the ground as
he walks. Sometimes you behold him
With the tears rolling down his cheeks. He
las compassion. And it is a fact that one
sins, breaking even the least of
iods commandments, that the heart of
ne great and loving Father does not yearn
yer him and long for his return.
".
WHAT DID HE DO?
We all know this story SO thoroughly
Tell that it would seem almost unneces-
airy to emphasize things the father did
hen the meeting between himself and his
IN occurred, but for the sake of the story
It me say:
First, "he kissed him." You will notice
hat he did not wait until the bows gar
rents had been changed, or the signs of
is wanderings removed. There would
ave been no grace In this. But clad in all
Is rags he threw his arms about him and
rev him close against his heart, and gave
i'm the kiss which was the sign of com
Iete reconciliation. This is what Jesus
hrist waits to give to every wandering
Jul. The old hymn says, NV God il
'conciled," and this is the teaching of the
eriptures. 1t is not necessary that
lould work myself up into a fever of ex-