Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-02-24
Calr>,ase
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmage, d. ID.

t1c preacher takes Tor 1S lIttlle III tllls
sermon, the text chosen being Luke XIV.
H. with the husks that the swine did
eat"
What an epitome of pathos IL con-
dcIiScd within these eight small words.
Never was gaunt and hidcOus visaged
want more dramatically depicted than
in this tragic climax of the prodigal
sons misery He was In almost ex-
acty the same ptiablc condition as
the only son Of one OF New lOrk's mil
lionalrcs and most hunored citizens
was few years ago. His father for
years and years had been the cOmpan-
lon and the associate OF the greatest
leaders of thought both trans aud els
ntlnntic. Ia wealth and honor he re-
tired TO his palatial metropolitan home
to pass his life amid refined associa
lions Not only was he great himself.
but hC had three great brothers, all OF
whom had made noted successes in
other lines of work than his own. Pure
was the blood OF that genealogical
family from which they sprang. But
amid all his fame and wealth and bril-
liant family connections there was one
startling weakness The father could
not see the faults of his maynard son.
His love for his only boy blinded his
common sense. In his old age he let
his only son control his money. This
son not only mor,gaged his fathers
property. but upon his fathers name
borrowed right and left Then by
pronigacy and dissipation and reckless
wildcat speculations he squandered his
fathers an 4 few months before the
fathers death came the financial crash.
He awokc rs from II horrible dream.
He was practically bankrupt. Then
came the death and the funeral. Then
this only son sank lower and lower in
10 the qlagmirc of dIbauchcry: lower
and lower until he used TO tramp the
streets of New York city with the sign
board Of n cheap restaurant strapped
10 his back He sank lower and lower
in the social scale until one day he
was found digging for food in the ref
use barrel before the very palace In
which he and his father once lived.
Al. could any condition IN life be sad
der than that? And yet this son was
In no lower condition. socially or NOR
ally. than WAS the young Hebrew Of
my text. caring for Il herd Cf swine
and fighting with these four legged
beasts for their meals OF dried. unpnla-
table husks.
But rs we see this social Outcast OF
my text chewing the huSks which had
been thrown To the swine this thought
comes to me: How similar Is the CON
dition of some of us In mental and
spiritual sense who have not yet sur
rendered our hearts to Jesus Christi
Sin has come into our lives and taken
away the sweet hopes which our ia
Tiers and mothers had In the pardoning
love and protecting care of their Saw
Jour In place OF these sustaining
hopes sin has come and given TO us
lot of husks dried. unnutrtous and
unpalatable huSks Then sin has said,
Now Try TO masticate and digest the
teachings OF the doctrines of atheism,
agnosticism. skepticiSm, and all Will be
we'll" All. some of us have been trying
to live upon these spiritual husks too
long. Like the poor prodigal. we have
been sinking lower and lower in the
quagmirc of despair Therefore | am
going To try to analyze for you some
of the substances and ingredients of
the false hopes which sin Is offering
and AT the same time by the help of the
Holy Spirit 10 break unto. you the
bread of life. of which If one eats he
shall never be a-hungered again.