The Washington herald., 1914-05-02

CID And He said. A certain man had
two sons.
Q9 And the younger of them said to
his father. Father. give me the portion Of
thy substance that falleth to me. And
he divided unto them his living.
O9 And not many days after the
younger son gathered all together. and
took his journey into a far country; and
there he wasted his substance with riot
Gus living.
90 And when he had spent all there
arose a mighty famine in that country:
and he began to be in want.
U5D And he went and Joined himself to
one of the citizens of that country; and
he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
GsD And he would fain have been filled
with the husks that the swine did eat;
and no man gave unto him.
40 But when he came to himself he
said How many hired servants of my
fathers have bread enough and to spare.
and l perish here with hunger
QsD ! will arise and go to my father.
and will say unto him. Father. have
sinned against heaven. and in thy sigh.
u9) ] am no more worthy to be called
thy son: make me as one OF thy hired
servants.
CeO And he arose and came to his faith
er. But while he was yet afar of. his
father saw him. and was moved with
compassion. and ran. and fell on his neck,
and kissed him.
C2D And the son said unto him. Father.
| have sinned against heaven. and in thy
sight: am no more worthy to be called
thy son.
(29 But the father said to his ser
wants. Bring forth quickly the best robe.
and put it on him; and put a ring on his
hand. and shoes on his feet.
C23D And bring the fatted calf. and kill
IT, and let us eat. and make merry.
62D For this my son was dead. and is
alive again: he was lost. and is found.
And they began to be merry.
Cg0 Now his elder son was in the field:
and as he came and drew night to the
house, he heard music and dancing.
go And he called to him one Of the
servants. and inquired what these things
might be.
ca And he said unto him. Thy brother
is come: and thy father hath killed the
fatted calf. because he hath received him
safe and sound.
Ce9 But he was angry, and would not
go in; and his father came out, and in
treated him.
C29 But he answered and said to his
father. I.oi these many years do ! serve
L
mandment of thine; and yet thou never
gavest me a kid. that might make mer-
ry with my friends.
C3O But when this thy son came. which
hath devoured thy living with harlOts,
thou killedst for him the fatted calf.
C3D And he said unto him. Son. thou
art ever with me, and all that Is mine is
thine.
CS9 But it was meet to make merry
and be glad; for this thy brother was
dead, and is alive again; and was lost.
and Is found.
The Narrative.
Our lesson today completes the teach
ing of our Lord for the comfort of publi-
cans and sinners, and for the rebuke of
Pharisees and scribes.
We have so long described this story
as the parable of the prodigal son that We
may never hope to change the title. and
perhaps 1t would be unwise to attempt to
do so. We may nevertheless remind our
selves with some profit that the word
"'prodigal' does not occur in the story;
and moreover. that its opening sentence
draws attention first to the father. and
then to the sons. 1t is an unveiling of the
heart of God.
All this is flung up into clear relief
by the background. In that background
We IESl sec lIc Sun.
without natural affection. No man who
had a proper love for his father could
have acted as this man did. All that fol- |
lowed was the result of this condition. |
The waywardness that took him away
from his home, the waste of the sub |
stance which his father had bestowed
upon him, the wickedness of the life in
the far country, and the awful want in ]
which he at last found himself were the |
Inevitable consequences of his condition /
Of heart. In the background also we see !
the citizens of the far country. and per- |
haps the whole story concerning them In |
their relationship to this young man may |
be told by saying that they helped the |
waste and neglected the want. When he |
had spent all. and became conscious of |
the famine, they further degraded him 1
by sending him into their fields to feed 4
swine. This degradation Is seen when we
that our Lord was speaking to /
the Jews. The picture is that of young /
Jew who had crossed over into Gentle 4
territory. When these men of the far .
sent him to feed swine, they did .
what Gentiles, also. have too persistently .
lone; they insulted him by compelling |