The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-08-26
PLEA FOR RETURN
Invitation of the Gospel Is to All
Wandering Sheep to Come
Home.


key. a snake or monkey is to in
suit him. You may call him lion oifan
eagle and he win feel complimented.
because these creatures are accepted
eIf1blems of strength, courage and dig
nifty.
In the scriptures the sheep is chosen
oftener than any other animal to sym
bolize 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
back, to the bad or the good, with
facility and unanimity that is
perpetual puzzle.
When men break away from God
and 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 trustfuI and teachable,
they are like sheep. So Jesus says,
My sheep hear my voice, and 1
know them and they follow me"
Sheep are both good and bad, and SO
are men. In one place we are eau
toned, Beware of men," for men win
oppose Righteousness. In another
place We are counseled. Quit you like
men," for manhood means strength,
enterprise and achievement.
Go Astray Like Sheep.
In well-known text both qualities
are represented. "Ye were going
astray like sheep-heedless. willful
disobedient. But are now returned
to the shepherd" submits
sive, amiable. Once you were scam
pering 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 godiiness it may be de-
scribed as return. How so? That's
cestors came from England, but who
| himself was born in America, to say,
Il hope some time to return to the
old home in England" How could he
speak of returning" to 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
their descendant there is return.
If We go back far enough we can
find our ancestors in the fold of Christ,
living in 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.
Call to Come Home.
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 poetic fancy.
There is a sense in which the faith
full Christian is often returning to his
Shepherd. The ideal life, the life al
which he aims, is a life of unbrokeI
fidelity to his lord. But he is aware
that he comes far short of that pur
pose every day. His confession O
defect and his prayer for pardon art
a return. 1t is plainly written in tn,
experience of many of us. We know
that after wandering of heart in respec
: of faith and duty, when he say, II vii
arise and go to my father he will Sc,
us from afar and hasten to welcom,
u.s.
Let me tell you a little. true stor:
which is also parable that require
no interpreter A romantic New Eng
land boy stole away from his widowe
mothers house one night and went t
sea. Three years later he came bacl
1t was late evening when he reache
the house. He tried the door and i
opened for him. His mother, .sittin
in the dimly lighted room. gave hi1
welcoming embraces. Later he aske
her why she left the door unlocked
Her answer was, THAT door has neve
been locked since you left me for
said he will come back some day an
when he comes, at any hour, he mus
find the door unlocked"