Eastern Colorado times., 1913-02-28

nor canst thou say, have at any
time departed from my. duty, or diso-
beyed thy command; and yet thou
hast never given me so much as q kid,
that might make an entertainment
with few of my select friends; but as
soon as ever this thy favorite son was
come, who has as much as in him lay
devoured thy substance with harlots
abroad, in a course of scandalous de-
baucheries, to his own ruin and the
infamy of the family, thou hast killed
for him the fatted calf, and made him
as welcome as If he had been the most
dutiful child upon earth" And, tho
his father might have Justly taken
ofense at his unbecoming reply, yet,
with great gentleness, he said to him,
"Son, thou art always with me, and
you are every day receiving some TO-
ken of my kindness; and all that
have is in a manner thine, as you are
the heir to the bulk of my estate; but
surely, NV son, on further considera-
ton, you must acknowledge it was fit
we should feast and rejoice today, for
this thy poor brother, who was but
lately looked upon as dead, is, as it
We're, miraculously made alive again;
and it will much better become thee to
join with us in joy for his return,
than to take exception to my indul-
gence to him."
Sensual pleasures are eagerly
sought; and perhaps all earthly pos
sessions and hopes are quickly paid.
as the price of them. While the
means of obtaining these pleasures
continue, not serious thought OF
God can find place in their minds,
and then perhaps, Affections, heavy
and complicated, come upon them;
yet even under that pressure they will
often make very hard shifts before
they will be persuaded to make re-
turn, till at length divine grace,
working in concurrence with provi-
dence, brings them to better temper.
When they see themselves, naked
and INDECENT, enslaved and undone,
when they come to themselves, and re-
cover the exercise of their reason, i'm
proving it to the only purpose for
which it would have been worth while
to receive it; then they feel the pangs
OF penitential remorse; tnen they re-
member the blessings they have lost,
and attend to the misery they hnvc
incurred. And here they are humbly
disposed to confess their folly, aud
to PROSTATE themselves in the preseuee
of their heavenly father; they put
the resolution Immediately into prac-
tice; they. arise, and go unto him.
But let us behold with wonder and
pleasure the gracious reception they
find from divine injured goodness,
He sees them when they are far off,
he pities, he meets and embraces then,
acknowledgements with tokens of his re-
turning favor. Now listen to Jer: 81:
20, Is Ephriam my dear son? is he
pleasant child? for since spoke
against him, l do earnestly remember
him still; therefore my bowels are
troubled for him; will surely have
mercy upon him saith the Lord. 1t is
in this manner that God welcomes the
humble penitent; and opens his arms
of love to embrace him, and the
treasures of his bounty to enrich him,
lie arrays him with robe of re-
deemer's righteousness, dresses him
in the ornaments of sanctifying grace
honors him with the tokens of adopt
ing love, and invests him with the
glorious privileges and immunities of
his children. And all this he does
with unutterable delight. He rejoices
over him with joy; he rests in his love
and, us it were, rejoices over him
with singing, Zeph. 3: II, and this is
the joyful language of the song; my
children that were dead are alive
again; and though they were lost,
they are now found.
Let heaven and earth unite in the
JOY, and echo back the song. Let no
elder brother murmur ut the indul-
gcnce with which these prodigals are
treated; but rather welcome them back
into the family, and even encourage
everything that looks like DISPOSE
tion to return to 1t. And let those
who have been SO received, wonder no