Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-04-30
First Fruit Of Sin.

The father makes equal partition
divided unto them" ". 12) though
neither son had a right to demand a
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"
l.. Into the Far Country, w. 1916.
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 its
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 we're
perverted, they lacked control, they
we're good servants but bad task
masters. 1t is not always physical,
temporal want that comes to the sim
ner, there are deeper and more In
tense longings-soul 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 Joined himself to a
citizen of the country" He did not
belong there-the citizen did. He was
set to the most degrading task im=
aginable for a Jew-feeding swine.
Like a Lost Sheep.
~. 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, g. g., out of adjust
ment, in the wrong place, out Of his
element and like the lost sheep,
"ready 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 a way to escape from
his present position. All of this after
he came to himself" Before that,
impenitent, he was morally insane,
no,, he ho, roocopod leo 1.lS With
his reasoning also came the deter
mination to make a full confession.
81 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. 1885;
l John 10; 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 a 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-
Citation was given before he even had
a chance to confess. In his comics.
sion his first thought is that he had
sinned against God and then against
his earthly father. The father had
not once forgotten him: he had COM
passion" even though the son was UNI
merciful to himself and to all Of his
loved ones. The father kissed him
before he was washed or otherwise
made presentable. His real need was
paramount to that evidenced by his
hunger, or the ravages OF his
dissipation. When he did make his
confession wv. 20, 21), we note no
reference to the matter OF his be
a servant. 1t is doubtful II
the father gave him IN opportunity
to state that part OF his resolve. Then
there came forth the best robe" lisa.
Phil. $40 R. W. And a ring"
the pledge OF his sonship, Eph. 1913.
"a: Gal. 40. and shoes also, Eph.
6:15. Then there al the fatted calf.
feasting and merriment, OF which
there was no end. or his temporal
blessings there was an end. not so Of
the spiritual blessings Of reconcilia-
ton and communion with his father.
We see that 1t is the father whose
character is emphasized. This is
great word picture Of the
his father. 1t explains, so
far as 1t is possible for us, all the
suffering he endured, the compass
sion of his heart and the resolute.
yet profuse, manner wherein he gave
TO those who were most In
need.