The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-21

q as /, < 2
AS vet there liz no open revolt, only L. 2
subtle alienation OF mild, governed ny
sclfishness and covctotisness. Rellsio " .
services are still attended; the fathers
God Ia still held III reverence. but III MS Ills
Heart tho voting inan Graves a supposed
liberty, Hid wishes to cast off all re-
straint.. Companions hlnt that he ie tied
ITO HIS mothers apron strings, and TINS MS ne ne
cannot stand. lilo never Intends 70 Spend
his substance III riotots LIVING. put lie
Wishes to spend II as no likes. lie uoes
4 not mean Slc# be ~ prodlEal, but'h lie @1 Is g
man now, and lie desires to be Ills own
master. n
III The next stage comes all too quickly.
( TTe has received his goods, not wa ting
E for the death OF Ills father. ana now
what shall he do7 Anywhere near that
loving father there is ali unseen g check 70.
tipon glliin; lie cannot but still feel the IN
fluence OF home. IF ls
n IIe gathers his all together and goes
out into u far country. where there are
none. alas! to help or hinder. Nov there
is all the Wild 1clirium Of acknowledgements.
Now It is nil {snpposed) gayety--"a,5 short
life ana d merry one" forgetting tho
long eternity and the woful one. Now
tho Cup Is full, and as yet II has not
bitten like the serpent. It VIII do 1T al!
top soon as
Ere long there comes a third stage to
has i"spentsall." For VIC have only q GER
tain amount OF spending money after
ALL He who8llas gold without limit may
not have health; or If health. yet desire
fails and safety comes in ms 1t did with
Solomon, when lie tried this way Of seek
Ing happiness. At last there Is no honey
left, only. the sting OF the bee. There is
nothing lie ft--chnrncter, health, strength,
hope, uprightness, manhood---all are gone !!
He hos spent all'' truly.
tits IL dreadful state to be In. l3u
even here the grace OF God may step IN
and lend the poor boy home; for this Is
the point reached by him when he he
cnmo to himself
( y Hcshad been beside himself while living
In his SIM There is nothing more like
madness than sin. Every sinner Is NOR.
ally and responsibly insane. Ills judy
ment, is out Of order lie makes fatal
mistakes about all important matters
He rcckons few hours III this morta:
life to be worth all his thought and time,
and puts eternity into the background.
He considers 1t possible for q creature TO
be at enmity against the Creator and
yet be happy-to have interests apar'
from Him who made mo and keeps me
allve;s who so loved me that lie died
to save me. Why, must be mad, in
deed!
He left his own home though 1t was the
best homo in all the world We can judge
what It was by the exceeding tenderness
and generosity on the father at the head
OF It; the wonderful sympathy existing
among the servants. 1t was a happy,
peaceful home. we'll stored with all tina,
the son could need. But he quits itsto
90, he knows not whither-among stran-
gers who did.not care one straw for him
and who, when they had drained his
purse, would mot give him a penny. He
must have been mad toaact like that.
You can tell he Is out Of his mind, be
cause when he goessinto the far countrj
he spends his money riotously-he spends
|it all. He did not stop half way III
| spent it for that which satisfieth not
and he spent it all. There is no limit
to those who have started on cours.
of sin. You begin SHINING, and oh! HOY
one sin draws on another. 1t acts as !
| dccoy or magnet for another, and on,
| can never tell when he begins the slip
perry slide how quickly or how far A'
may CO.
"When he came to himself" This Il
| the first mark Of grace working IN tn,
| sinner, and It was the first sign of hops
( for the poor prodignl. The climax wa
this: IIe was very hungry, in great SCR
| row. and he was alone. No one was nea
! this poor man: no sound except tn
! gruntng Of the hogs and the munchint
Of those hllsks.
1t is good thing for a man some
/ times to be alone. The prodlgal had n
one to drink with him, none to sport Wit
him; not rag had he to pawn for anothe
i pint; he was too far gone for that. n
man gave to him. He was ready to dig
Then it was she came to himself" an
i when he came to himself he came to hi
father. Ills momorys reused him, as h
recalled his home and his shame. III
misery stirred him; the want. the degra
dalton, with only the swine for com
pany, made him long 'lfor his fathers 10y
4 and projections. ills fears whipped hin
1 for he feared to perish with hunger al
his hope drew him back by a gentle cor
TO the fathers home
Poor sinner! This lis what God can an
Will do5for you to-day &c you Will let lin
How happy He will make you! TO
peaceful. how blessed! Let your hope al
your need draw you to Him.
The prodigal came to himself; his mar
Il nj Sp III II WILL