The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-08-18

4
- you.
0 Jesus spoke the
Ss parallels in this
9 chapter in answer
to the Pharisees and scribes who
murmured and said. This man re-
ceiveth sinners and eateth with
them" Yes, he did, and he does;
that is our encouragement and our
hope. Let US use the story by way.
of application.
Rejection.
Nothing the father had was good
enough for the younger son. The IA
Tiers will was too strict. his ways
too>serious, his home too solemn. This
is not life-I will not abide here, but
will use my personal liberty and
be man. What a weakling is he
who cannot endure or enjoy the will
of him whose chief concern is about
the welfare of his son. God pity the
man who spurns his fathers love,
turns his back upon home, and goes
into the far country. He may go
only around the corner, but away from
the fathers love and care is indeed
the far country. Knowing the end of
that man, If he persists in his wilful
waywardness and wickedness, it ia
easy to write his epitaph: He went
out. and it was night" and for such
an one there is the blackness of dark
ness forever. Beware of the first will
full rejection of your father, and the
first step away from home. The
news from the far country may be al
Turing. but you are on the down-grade,
Reflection.
The fascination of the far coun-
try faded away upon close contact
with it; the music which charmed
the youth soon turned into discord:
the mirage which lured him from
home disappears and leaves only the
desert; for this prosperous young
man, with many friends while he had
money, but now bankrupt and bereft,
there is not even the shadow of a
great rock in a weary land. And
when he had spent all. there arose a
mighty famine, in that land; and he
began to be in want. And he would
fain have filed his belly with the
husks that the swine did eat: and no
man gave unto him" One Of the aw.
full pangs of sin is this recollection
of better days, when we come to our
selves.
Il perish with hunger" And no
man gave unto him." he was denied
the very husks that the swine did
eat. Could any Jew come to greater
degradation than feeding swine? And
then find no profit, not even support,
in his service. Does not sin pay?
Is there pleasure in "life?" May we
not sow wild oats? Yes, sin pays
but in it's own coin: the wages of sin
is death. Whatsoever man soweth
that shall he also reap.
Resolution.
Thank God there is way back
home!
a. In the heart. Il will arise and
CO." Dissatisfied, disappointed. de
spairing, near to death, perhaps, the
vision glorious of what he has missed
by his own wilful rejection now fills
his mind and stirs his heart Even
servants in the fathers house have
more than have, and / perish with
hunger. These dead sea apples were
beautiful to the eye but ashes to the
taste. 81 will arise and go, and say
But, further, resolution also.
b. In the habit: And he arose anC
came" Resolution of heart is mo-
enough. Many a prodigal has beer
sorry for his sinful condition, bu
has died amid his sinful surroundings
You may be sorry when wealth anc
health and hope are gone and still
die in that far country. Il will arise
and go. and he arose anl
came That was his salvation from
the human standpoint; and it will b,
yours. Resolution of heart must pas!
into revolution of habit; the emotions
of the heart must pass into the mo
ton of the feet
Reception.
when he was yet great way of
4 his father saw him." You have neve
been as homesick as the father ha
i, been son-sick And now, at last W,
see the wistful look upon the face
we can hear the welcome loving il
the voice, we can see the tears in tn,
eyes. we can feel the very throbbin,
of the heart of God. Dear friend
this is not story to be told; it is al
experience of the soul to be realize,
by every one who comes to Coo
through faith in Jesus Christ. 70,
may have been wilful. wasteful an,
i wretched; but God loves you; h.
j woos you by the Holy Spirit; he call
YOU in tender tones that sound GU
above the din Of the far country-"Oh
| prodigal child, come home" Com
now, and find the reality and the in
comparable bliss of the fathers we
come, the kiss, the robe, the ring, tn
shoes, the feast. For this my sol
was dead, and is alive again; he va
lost. and is found
/ 1t is beautiful and blessed worl
we live in, and whilst that life lasts
70 lose the enjoyment of it is sir
j - Chambers