The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-11
In the Religious World
What the Church Folks Are Thinking
4ABout and Doing. Religious News
From Everywhere.

From EVeRYWheFe.

learned what 1t is to be a man. He
came to himself' he had been beside
himself before. And when any man
comes to himself he comes to God. Lord,
show me myself: Lord, show me thy
SELF was a childhood prayer which
some men have not outgrown. In the
light of a true revelation Of his own
character he sees the real nature of
his father; nowhere is the beauty of
the old home more truly understood
than by the prodigals in the far country
A Fathers Heart.
In the long run, home folks are best
friends. Sentimental youth thinks that
some new-found (and quickly losD
affinity" appreciates him more truly
than the members Of his own family
As the years pass, he learns better; no
one is quite so interested in him. or so
true to him. as his own blood kin.
After the ProdigaIs boon companions,
upon whom he had wasted his fortune,
had cast him off, his father waited for
his return. Out in Colorado a few
days ago I met a youth, still Semi
Intoxicated, who had been up in Lead
vile, where in a saloon he had been
cheated of a large roll of money and
even his watch, which was an heir
loom. When I saw him he was on his
way home, to tell it all to his father.
The stupendous, revolutionary and
almost incomprehe nsible truth which
JESUS cams 10 LSdEn Is Ll1dL NTO1 - q
father. All his attributes are those of
a good father. AS President James D
Moffatt recently said, 1.-The church has
long emphasized the sovereignty OF the
Father; now we are emphasizing the
fatherhood of the Sovereign.
The wise father grants his son lib
erty. Compulsory virtue is no
virtue" It breaks the fathers heart
and how many fathers hearts are
breaking today from this cause-to see
his boy going into the far country of
sin; but he is a son and not a slave,
so he must let him go. The liberty
which God allows to man is essential
to mans manliness; God seeks US for
sons, not puppet; and without free will
character is impossible.
The picture of this father. who IS
God, patiently waiting, day after day,
week after week. month after month.
year after year, is unspeakably touch
ing. He knew the son would come
back some day, even though It might
not be until his garish world had cast
him out. All, the homes that wait and
watch; the windows where the light
burns all the night through and the
doors that are never locked They
may have the comfort that God Un-
derstands all about it, for he too is de-
ing this.
This father saw his son afar off;
much watching had made his vision
keen. On the instant he was up and
running, with no thought of stiff
knees or the burden of years; his eager
heart lent speed to his feet. Then h6
fell on his sons neck. breaking down
in 4 tumult of joy, and kissed him
kissed him again apd again''--Isot
giving the embarrassed and over
whelmed young man opportunity to
utter his carefully prepared speech Of
hideous past was over; a new day of
happiness had dawned for both.
There is a place in heaven for the
forgiven; God takes back wanderers.
He gives another chance. He does not
hold old scores, or nag about long
gone and once-forgiven offenses, as
some earthly families do. He rejoices
that he has back a son. Transgressions
are blotted out all things are made
new The whole gospel is summed
up in Personal that is sometimes
seen in the daily papers: "All for
given. Come home
A Brothers Priggishness.
Here enters the Jealous elder broth
er. self satisfied consciously virtuous
and in pet because of all this ado
which was made over the returned
prodigal. His was a small self cen
tered soul He represented that Puri-
tanism which is willing to let the sin
ner rot in his sins so long as it is safe
and comfortable itself.
A prig and q Pharisee was this older
biON4AClf 4dCkt4Sr the VIAL OF true
religion, which is brotherliness. He
wanted to know why a fuss had not
been made over his Immaculate self.
instead Of over this soiled and SCARED
penitent- The elder brothers right
eousness has apparently done little
for him. If a mans religion does not
make him kind and charitable it may
be doubted whether it viii eventually
open the door for him into any region
of bliss Small wonder the father
| spent his days in looking for the
wastrel boy instead of asso ting
! with this older son.
When the Music Plays.
The eventful experiences of heaven
are not caused by the formations of
new worlds out of chaos; nor by great
works of creation in the unimagined
/ borders of limitless space; nor by the
production of new symphonies of
praise by the celestial choir about the
| throne of God. The greatest gladness
| Of glory is over the finding of the lost,
the return of the wanderer, the peni-
tence of the erring.