The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-06
NO PRODIGAL DAUGHTER.
Two Standards of Purity and She
is Not Allowed to Return.

is mot Allowed TO #NetuI II.
The morning and evening services Mt
Monumental Church were attended by the
usual large congregations. AT the FORMER
1t being tho first Sunday In the month,
large number of people stayed for tho
administration of Holy Communion ar
ter tho service. Preaching at tho morn
ing service, the Rev Or. lIavns hit hard
at glaring social error, holding his
audience with wrapt attention from start
to finish.
The text was taken from Matthew VI.
the eighth verse: blessed arc the pure
in heart, for they shall see God The
word pure. rs generally understood
meaning something unadultcratcd BY
any clement that does not belong TO the
souls composition, ono hears OF pure
metals, drugs and suchlke, knowing theS
have no foreign matter in their conpo-
sition, so Is no foreign matter part Q.
the essential heart or soul. 1t would
show lack OF Intelligence on the part Of
tho maker should 1t he otherwise, ana
that would be too mnstrous charge TO
make to God. Sin is deforinllS OF
character and finds no room In Il pure
heart; an impure heart finds pleasure
III certain forms Of evil and rcveis III
them. Tho Lord llltcned certain men
to "whited sepulchres," whitening sep
ulchre being sufficient for It's OUTSIDE
appearance to countenct the action .,
the atmosphere, but not an csseii.i',
part of the interior decoration. oul"hIu
show, however, was not sutiicich' 'o
us mortnls. 1t was essential to nave
Wilderness interviewer In the whole tex
ture a stream was pure IN It's NlrGi"
state. and If the conditions remained the
same; so did the stream, but II foul mat
ter was allowed to flow Into me stream
it became contaminated.
Gods standard for purity was estao-
lished for us all.
Here one standard of purity IS maize
for men and one for women. should =
woman sin. she is ostrncizcd and exiieu
from society, but a man, be he leprods
with sin, is pandered to and run atter,
admitted into circles of purity. allowed
to grasp the hand of innocence; in fact,
treated we'll everywhere.
The preacher went on: Are there two
standards of purity? Yes. but we've
made them, not God; more's the pity"
1t was so in social life and so in the
church. a short while ago. in house.
where he was calling, he saw a large
and beautifully coored picture, depict
ing a gorgeous Eastern scene, feasting,
luXuriousness and happiness at the prod
igal sons return. and was tempted to
LOOK around for the companion picture
The Return of the Prodigal Daughter
but, Of course, 1t was not there. He
looked on two pictures ir his heart. In
the one everything was sunshine and
rejoicing. but the other was hung about
with dreariness and cold. as the prodigal
daughter was spurned from the door,
but this was only a. social distinction;
there were no two standards Of purity
with God.
We have mental conceptions. said the
minister, in addition to spiritual but tha
latter is not active in the unrenewed. but
born from above. With purity one may
see God. not only In the hereafter but
in this life, and this purity Is to be
acquired; simple simile could be taken
from a hot, sultry summer day; the
trees, flowers and grass are dropping;
you yourself hot and painting. the sun
is setting, and everything has a parched
appearance; the night is like an inferno:
you can't sleep Then, In the stiffness
Of the night, is heard the pattering OF
raindrops: a ralnstorm comes up, cooling
and clearing the atmosphere. Waking
up In the morning everything Is fresh
and bright; the dust washed from the
| foliage: in fact, everything is refreshed
| ard renewed.
The Saviour was like that rain, filling
| life with sweetness and purity, and so
every one by becoming pure in heart,
| will see God.