The Penn's Grove record., 1913-08-22
FOR RETURN
Invitation of the Gospel Is to All
Wandering Sheep to Come
Home.

ASA - oO6y q RL63 q 0OLA-
key, a snake or a monkey is to in
suit him. You may call him a lion or an
eagle and he will feel complimented,
because these creatures are accepted
emblems of strength, courage and dig
nifty.
In the scriptures the sheep is chosen
oftener than any other animal to sym
bol1ze the nature of mana very just
representation, for men and sheep are
much alike. They are alike in this
particular, that they move in masses.
Men and sheep go with the crowds
to the right or the left, forward or
PACK, to the bad or the good, with a
facility and a unanimity that is a
perpetual puzzle.
When men break away from God
n run into disobedient ways they
are like sheep. So the prophet con-
fesses. All we like sheep have gone
astray." Again, when men are loyal
to God, are trustful and teachable,
they are like sheep. So Jesus says,
My sheep hear my voice, and l
Know them and they follow me-"
Sheep are both good and bad, and so
are men. In n place we are eau
toned, Beware of men," for men will
oppose righteousness. In another
place we are c%ounseled, "Quit you like
men," for manhood means strength,
enterprise and achievement.
In a w~ell-known text both qualities
are represented. Eye were going
astray like sheep-heedless, willful,
d~isobedient. But are now returned
to the Shepherd"-confiding submis.
slye, amiable. Once you were scam
perlng away, breaking through the
hedge, leaping over the fence, running
from protection, food and safety into
forbidden places and places of peril.
But you have come back and are feed
Ing quietly within call of the Shep-
herds voice and contented under his
eye.
When a man is won from his sinful
courses to godliness it may be de-
scribed as a return. How so? That's
easy. have known a man whose an
cestors came from England, but who
himself was born in America, to say,
i hope some time to return to the
old home in England" How could he
speak Of returning to a place where
he had never been? There is a kind
OF unity in the family life. In his an
cestors he came to America, and in
thei descendant there is a return.
If we go back far enough we can
ind our ancestors in the fold of Christ.
living in a home he had prepared for
them. In Eden the family to which
we belong was happily shepherded by
the son of God. But they left the fold
and weakly followed, like sheep"
Therefore, whenever one seeks a re-
newal of the old happy relations it is a
return.
The invitation of the gospel is a
call to come back home. 1t is a mes
sage to prodigals, to which class we
all belong. Waste no time in lament
ing the lost Eden, but turn and see
that its gates are wide open and en-
trance is free to all. Paradise re-
gained is not a poetic fancy.
There is a sense in which the faith
ful Christian is often returning to his
Shepherd. The ideal life, the life at
which he aims, is a life of unbroken
fidelity to his Yord. But he is aware
that he m far short of that pur-
pose every day. His confession of
defect and his prayer for pardon are
a return. 1t is plSinly written In the
experience of many of us. We know
that after wandering of heart in respect
of faith and duty, when he say, 81 will
arise and go to my father" he will see
US from afar and hasten to welcome.
US.
Let me tell you a little, true story,
which is also a parable that requires
no Interpreter. A romantic New Eng
land boy stole away from his widowed
mothers house one night and went to-
sea. Three years later he came back.
1t was late evening when he reached
the house. He tried the door and it
opened for him. His mother, sitting
in the dimly lighted room, gave him
welcoming embraces. Later he asked
her why she left the door unlocked.
Her answer was, That door has V
been locked since you left me for 1
said he will come back some day and
when he comes, at any hour, he must
find the door unlocked"