HE WENT WRONG, BUT HE FOUND MERCY.
On Sunday afternoon, August 26th, 1888, Mr. Carr, of Leicester, gave an interesting address to the scholars attending the Zion Sunday School, Trowbridge. After singing and prayer, Mr. Carr took "The Prodigal Son" as his subject, which he explained in a most interesting manner. He said:—
"Once upon a time there were two brothers. One of them ran away, but he got into no end of trouble. But while he was so wretched, something occurred with him, and by-and-bye he was brought back in peace to his father's house, and was happy for ever afterward.
"Most of you know that this is the outline of the parable of 'The Prodigal Son,' and I am going to try and tell you the details of it. I shall divide it into four parts. The first one is Ruin; the second, Repentance; the third, Return; the fourth, Reception. He was ruined. By grace he repented, returned to his father, and was joyfully received by him.
"First, then, Ruin. Now, there are steps leading to ruin. You find the prodigal was happy at home at first. Like Adam, in the garden of Eden, God gave him a great many good gifts, as He has given you. He has given us life, hearing, eyesight, and intellect. The prodigal had a large portion of good gifts, but what did he do? He wandered away from his father, and went into a far country. Do you like to be away from home? Remember this—if you do, it is the first step to your ruin, as it was with the prodigal. He took his journey into a far country, where he was far away from his father; and so we, in our natural state, are far away from God. Do you ever think what a dreadful thing it is to be far away from God? The prodigal wanted to be far from Him. But when there, at a distance from his father, he had no God to go to in his troubles. He doubtless did not like the text, 'Thou God seest me.' If you are like this, remember that every sin you commit is written in His remembrance book. But the prodigal made up his mind not to trouble about that. Have you thus done so? If so, you will have to trouble about it some day. There is a day coming when we shall all have to stand before God, and it is a dreadful subject for those to think of who, like the prodigal, are now at a distance from God. Therefore, we see that Distance is the first step.
"The next one is Dissipation. He wasted his substance—put his gifts to a wrong use. Have we wasted the good things which God has given us? If so, it is the road to ruin.
"After he had thus wasted his substance by riotous living and falling into bad company, there came another step, namely, Destitution, which we all have come to spiritually, and ere long we who have life, health, bright eyes, rosy cheeks, and busy hands, shall be going to the grave. By-and-bye we shall have spent it all, and we shall be nothing but a heap of dust and ashes.
"But you find that, when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine, and he began to be in want. He then fell into disgrace, and went to a citizen of that country to see if he could help him. He went into the fields to feed swine, and he had not a friend to speak to—none to help him. The hand of God had gone out against him, and all his friends forsook him.
"That is just the state of the ungodly. But when he was in the very heat of this ruin, something happened to him. He was brought to Repentance. What was his first step to repentance? He was brought to himself—that is, a right understanding was given to him. What had the prodigal a right understanding about? About himself. Sin had made a madman of him, but now he began to consider the extent of his misery. How many of you have considered what you are in the sight of God? You may be dead before next Sunday. Where would you be? In heaven or in hell? The prodigal began to consider what his sin had done for him. He said, 'How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!' He knew he was perishing; and we are, if Christ has not saved us.
"The first step was, a right understanding. Now comes the second step, knowledge of the extent of his misery, thirdly, a felt sense that he was perishing; then, fourthly, a wise resolution—'I will arise, and go to my father.' He had been trying to make himself more respectable, but found he could not, but that he must go to his father just as he was. Thus he was brought to himself. Grace did this, and if grace works in us there will be a willingness to go to God. Either you want to be near to God, or, like the prodigal, you want to shun the very thoughts of God. We are either on the road to ruin or salvation. What did the prodigal say to his father? 'Father, I have sinned.' He knew he was a sinner, and that he had sinned, and he confessed his unworthiness. He said, 'I am no more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants.' He was brought to repentance, and he made up his mind to return to his father. But his father was a long way off—too far for him to see him. But his father saw him while he was yet a great way off, and had compassion on him. He did not say, 'I see that naughty boy that wandered from me, and got into so much trouble and sin, and now I will punish him.' But he had compassion on him, and did not say a word about his wicked ways. 'He ran.' Now, look, here was the prodigal creeping to his father, but the father 'ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.' No doubt he had a dirty face, but the father did not wait till his face was clean. Just as we are as sinners, so the prodigal here was in all his rags. He said to his father, 'But, father, I am a vile sinner. I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight.' Thus he told his father just what he was.