Evening journal., 1916-01-22
by DIR. Lyon.

, coming back home today can
hear the mother draw a long sigh as
she says 81 hope So Then the faith
er goes up, as he was wont, upon that
fat rooted house TO look out over the
fields, seeking for his son. When he
was yet a long way OF the father sees
him and runs to meet him and clasps
him IN his arms.
friend told me that in a Wiscon-
sin town an aged man used to make
his way down to the station every
day when the train came I'm. No mat
ter how stormy the weather might be
the old man was always at his post
and he scanned eagerly the face of
each traveller that alighted from the
train. My friend said he inquired
why the man did this. They told him
that years ago his son had left home
and the aged father. in his grief and
expectancy. was waiting his return.
One day as he was wont, he was az
the station and when the train stop
ped there stepped of bronzed
bearded man. Ia spite Of his changed
appearance the father knew him. He
rushed forward and threw his arms
about him and said. Praise the Lord
it is my boy"
This story. In the fifteenth OF Luke
has been called the story of the
prodigal SON" u can more rightly
be called "The Story OF Fathers
Love God is much more anxious to
forgive you than you are to he for
given, but II YOU are to have that
pardon you must start back home AS
long as you remain In the far coun-
try. rebellious and proud. there is no
hope. Say tonight. II will arise and
go 10 my Father" and God will meet
you more than half way
Now the son begins his confession,
but the father stops him in the midst
Of IT, He tells the servants to bring
forth the shoes for his feet. the ring
for his finger. That ring denoted his
acceptance and restoration. lie tells
them to bring forth the best robe and
/ put on him. I was Interested in look
ing up that adjective best" II has
a meaning OF the former" or "the
accustomed" A good translation
there would be. Bring forth the robe
that he used TO wear
one day during series of meet
ings. lady came to the home where
! was staying and told me the expert
ence Of her life. She had been a Chris
tian. a Sunday school teacher. and
an active worker, but she had be-
come absorbed in society. with It's
/ fascinations and distractions. and be-
! fore she realized il she had drifted
far away from God She had lost all
hope and assurance OF salvation. I
read TO her this story from the if
teenth chapter OF Luke. and when /
came to this place remarked that
the meaning here was. Bring forth
the robe that he used to wear" She
sprang to her feet and came and
looked into my face. Her black eyes
glowed like Goals OF fire when she
said. 30 you mean. Mr.. Lyon. that /
can be what / once was?"
"No. said !. 81 did not say il. but
God does You may have the robe
that you used to wear" She drop
ped ON her knees in sobs and prayer.
There was no hesitancy with her
about coming TO the front that night
I And before that series OF meetings
closed she had brought many OF her
society friends definitely to Christ
A year afterwards | received q lettor
from her. She said, 81 am just going
10 the hospital for critical opera
tion. The doctors say there is not
one chance in ten of my recovery. but
/ / want TO tell you that have this
year been back in the prayer meeting
we have the family altar again in our
home. I have had again my Sunday
school class, and praise the Lord
have on the robe that ! used to wear.
There are many OF you here tonight
who in the days gone by tasted OF
! the joy of salvation You have lost
your vision Of God. You have lost ef-
feotiveness and power in Christian
service. You have been wandering in
the Far country.
My heart was touched in reading
the story Of a husband and wife who
2 had become estranged form each
} other Ten years before they started
, out ON the path of life together. with
} bright hopes and prospects. But
: through unfortunate business invest
: ments the husband had lost all OF his
d property, and to make a bad matter
worse, he had taken to drink He
! went down and down until he became
A a confirmed drunkard. The wife. hop
e ing against hope. had worked hard
. by taking In boarders and washings
1 20 pay the family expenses and keeI
5 up appearances. and al last Il seemed
. TO her that patience had ceased to b'
virtue and she decided They mus
separate The day for the partin.
had come. She spent the forenoon
mending his clothes and packing hil
satchel and getting things ready fol
him 10 go.
Late in the afternoon when the!
stood in the front hall. he with Mi
satchel in hand ready to start. in I
sort OF Indifferent way. he said "Hav'
got everything. Mary?" "Al bu
these. John" she said She held M
package OF love letters that he ha'
written 10 her before their marriage
tied with a faded ribbon OF blue. Al
but these. John. do you want these7
! Instinctively he took them from he
hand and stood there fumbling thi
ribbon u was not until then that tn
realization came over him as to wha
this separation was to mean. Tel
3 years before thcy started out on the
pathway Of life together. with brigh
prospects and now they were 4