Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-04-30

Father, have slnned against neaVeh' anu
In thy sight" Luke 1918.
The parallels of Jesus are maryeis
of unity and condensation, yet no nee
essary detail is omitted. This, per-
haps his most famous, is no excep-
ton even though it does carry don
Bile lesson. Who thinks of the older
brother when this story is mentioned?
Though designated the STORY Of the
Prodigal," we need to remind our
selves that the word 'prodigap' never
once occurs in the story. The open
ing sentence speaks Of father and
OF two sons. 1t is really the parable
of a perfect father, the unwilling OF
the true heart of God. Against that
background is set off a self-centered
son lacking in natural affection. Also
alongside the hayward son is the mis-
erly, selfish one who lacked all the
good qualities Of his brother, but who
was truly a wanderer and out of har-
mony with God the Father. In the
background we see the citizens OF
the far country who helped this young
Jew to his place of want, famine and
degradation. Remember, it Is our
Lord speaking to Jews. When the
Gentiles Of the far country sent him
to feed swine they insulted him by
compelling him to get his living
through an occupation instinctiyely
repulsiye.
Eiref Er,ri+ If Sin
The father makes equal' partition
divided unto them" ~. 12) though
neither son had right to demand
partition OF his estate. At the bot
tom of the sons request was a desire
to have his own way-to be independ-
ent of God. He did not go away from
home at once, though his heart was
already in the far country"
|. Into the Far Country, w. 1915.
Fun is the first fruit of sin, and that
the son readily found SO long as his
money lasted Heb. 11:25). But the
consequences followed closely on it's
trail, for when he had spent all he
began to be in want" There are
many attractive things about this
young man, but those qualities were
perverted, they lacked control, they
were good servants but bad task
masters. 1t is not always physical,
temporal want that comes to the sim
tense longings- want and soul
hunger These always come to the
soul away from God. Being in want
does not mean that a mans will has
been subdued. Some prodigals in the
most abject temporal need are as
proud as Lucifer, and boast of their
rebellion. So he coined himself to a
citizen of the country" He did not
belong there-the citizen did He was
set to the most degrading task inn
aginable for a Jew-feeding swine.
Like Lost Sheep.
IL. The Home Coming, w. 1924.
The first step was for the son to stop
and really think That is where sal
walton always begins-in thinking He
knew he was lost, e. g., out of adjust
nlent, in the wrong place, out of his
element and like the lost sheep,
sready to die" He saw his condi-
ton, money gone, friends gone, hogs
for companions, no food for his sus-
tenance. He saw his value He was
more important than the servants of
his fathers home He saw his faith
er's love, already manifested in what
had been given him and we fain would
believe that when he left home he
had the fathers urgent plea to re-
turn. He saw way to escape from
his present position. All Of this after
he "came to himself" Before that,
impenitent, he was morally insane,
now he has reasoned, lisa. 1:1S. With
his reasoning also came the deter
mination to make a full confession
Il will say unto him." not alone con-
fess his need but the fact that he had
sinned. This is the only way for a
sinner to come to God, Ps. 80: 3-5;
/ John 1:9; Luke 1S:11-14. He did
not stop with resolving but "he arose
and came to his father v. 20. He ex-
pected to apply for servants posi-
ton, but never had the opportunity
for the father saw him "a great way
off" and ran and fell on his neck and
kissed him." Notice the kiss of recon-
ciliatioa was given before he even had
chance to confess. In his confes-
sion his first thought is that he had
sinned against God and then against
his earthly father. The father had
! not once forgotten him; ne had com
passion" even though the son WAS un-
merciful to himself and to all OF his
loved ones. The father kissed him
before he was washed or otherwise
made presentable.
/ Neither of the sons are perfect but
he who uttered the parable was him
self the true son OF the father. He
! never departed from his father.
wasted his fathers substance, nor
brought discredit upon his name.
Jesus was in full sympathv with his
fathers heart for he welcomed the
wandering publicans and sinners to
himself, took the journey into the far
country to find the wanderers and to
/ bring them home. Christie ,niee;op