The Washington herald., 1908-03-08
A SUNDAY TALK.

And he said INTO him. SON thou art ever with
me, and al that I have is thine.
/ 10 vas meet tha. should make merry and Be
glad. Ter this thy brother was dead ard is alive
again. and was lost and is found.
-s, Luke. 1rSl-s2
Perhaps no parable spoken by Jesus
Christ during his ministratlon is better
known or more widely quoted than the
parable Of the prodigal son. which has so
large an appeal because OF its intensely
human quality. its naturalness and verify
And yet, while recognizing the force OF
the arguments used by the aged father
TO justify his extravagant rejoicing over
the recovery of his youngest son. who.
wild and waywsrd, had yet returned 10
the home roof. there are few Of US who
give the matter deep enough thought TO
follow the parable UP until we find in IL
the spiritual significance that Jesus Christ
intended 10 convey to his disciples.
This parable. II rightly considered. opens
up field of religious and metaphysical
speculation that is almost boundless. and
involves questions that have occupied
the wisest philosophers OF the ages. II
brings in, for instance. that most vital
question-vital because II appeals with
more or less force 10 the mind Of every
thinking man-as 10 the burden OF sin
that lays upon a man: the proportion Of
the weight of sin 10 the ability tc re-
sist temptation; one OF the most puzzling
questions involved in the Christian doc
trine-
Some men there are. of course. who are
born with tendencies away from the vices
that so easily assail others. II is not a
question Of training in youth, though that
often has a great deal TO do with IL; IL
is a question simply Of temperament.
To such one the taste OF LIQUOR has.
constitutionally. no appeal; the sins Of
gluttony have no fascination for him:
the wiles OF feminiRity dc not attract
him; he has no itch or envy for the
goods or property Of others-these things
are constitutional, and he cannot help
them any more than his weaker brother
can help the possession OF the appetites
whose indulgence is damnaiion. The case
is precisely Ike that Of the two broth
ers-one the prodigal. born with the spirit
Of adventure. the wanderlust. in his veins:
the other content 10 be a stay-at-home,
having no ambition that was not bounded
by his fathers farm.
| The great question is whether the stay
at-home brother, obeying the impulses of
his nature. is deserving OF any more
creolt-in the ultimate judgment of things
than the prodigal son, who. also obey
/ ing the impulses within him, went abroad
and unfortunately fell among thieves.
In snort. the picture Of these two broth
ers is the picture Of the brotherhood OF
mankind, and IL We realize this We can
come 10 realize how little fitted We are
/ TO judge each others sins. 10 measure
each others temptations. TO raise voices
| in praise over human virtues. or to con-
demn each others failures.
Those that are able 10 avoid tempta-
| ton should thank God hourly for the
strength with which they are endowed
strength which comes not from them
selves, but from the God who made them.
ard when they see a weaker brother
fallen by the wayside, fighting the great
I fight OF soul ard mind to get back TO
deccncy and honesty and within touch
OF God. il is for them 10 stretch out
/ hand from their abundance OF strength
and help their brother on the straight and
narrow path. And il Is fitting shat there
should be great Joy over the sinner that
repenteth. for the repentance, as well a.
the sin. are outward and visible signs
of the struggle that a human soul has
fought-fought against great odds, with
the powers OF evil. and by the grace OF
God has come on victorious. II IS in
deed meet that at such a time all Chris
tan men and women make merry and
be glad. for each such repentance is but
another striking evidence OF the eternal
power and saving grace OF the Lord Of
hosts who sent His only begotten Son 10
the sinful and suffering Of this earth that
We might not perish. but have ever
lasting life