Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-09-11
A Great Meetinq.

! The Y. NJ c. A. service Sunday
afternoon was the largest in history
! & the institution. Rev. j. S. Haw-
| l,ins, pastor Of the First Methodist
| church. who is delivering a series Of
| lectures to the Y. M. G. A. during the
| month Of September. spoke on "The
! Ninety and Nine having spoken on
! the Cone Lost Sheep the Sunday
| before. One unique feature week
| ago repeated yesterday, was the sing
ing of "The Ninety and Nine by
ninety-nine male voices
It was the purpose of the Y. NJ. c.
A. management to have a picture Of
days service, but as some of those
who had worked hard to secure this
great chorus were called away from
the service to attend the funeral of
Capt. Galbraith. one of the friends
and liberal contributors to the Y NJ.
G. A., Rev Hawkins announced that
he thought it fair to wait till another
day to have the picture when all
could be present as they were the
Sunday before. Possibly ninety of the
chorus were present anyway and they
made the old song ring in way to be
remembered.
Mr.. LeMaire had. as usual, his band
in perfect trim to lead the music
Miss LeMaire was present to give one
solo on her violin. but some of the
boys said, Call for two Miss All
manda Dye of the First Methodist
church choir, sang "The HCme of the
Soul Many compliments were heard
concerning the song and Miss Le-
Mares violin solos, The young men
are very appreciative of such inspir-
ing assistance.
Rev. Hawkins, for twenty-five min.
utes, made an argument in defense OF
the ninety and nine, insisting that
man, if he be prodigal, is prodigal
by choice. Though the afternoon was
very warm and the house very much
crowded, he held the rapt attention of
all.
He insisted that man was created
in saved state and placed between
good and evil with the power of
choice, and by choice he fell. That
every man has likewise been situated,
and becomes saint or sinner by
choice. The speaker said it was not
lis prerogative to take care of the
hair-splitting theologians who in theil
endeavors to get away from CATHOLIC
cism had, in many instances, gotten
equally as far from the Bible. He
said he would use only the language
and teaching of the one great Teach
er. the author of the parable.
The primary purpose of the para
BILE. as that of the other two in the
same chapter. is to teach the peculiar
interest the Savior had in sinners.
In fact, the parallels were given in an
swer to criticism on the part of
the Scribes and Pharisees because
Christ was eating and conversing with
sinners. But the Master did not mean
to teach that every child should be
taught to go off into prodigality, in
order that, perchance, at some future
time hQ cOu1d ho roscuod
Then he took the parallels them
selves and analyzed them. The nine
ty and nine, did each and every one
of these make mistake, to himself.
to the flock and to the shepherd. in
that he remained in the fold! Was
it the wise thing. the right thing, the
one sheep did in leaving the fold? The
next parable, the ten pieces of silver
When the one piece is found and re-
stored is it of any more value for hav-
ing been restored, or for having been
lost?
And in the case of the two sons.
When the prodigal has spent ALL"
come to himself and returned to his
father, is he any the better son. and
more eligible heir to his fathers es-
tate by having been away, and for
having wasted his entire half of that
estate? Certainly one would not
think so when he hears the father
Uuke 15:3D say to the boy who has
is thine" The prodigal was given a
welcome, fathers love and care. a