yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his : neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said, thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed for him the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry and would not go in; therefore came his father out and entreated him. And he, answering, said to his father, Lo these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time H thy commandments; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends; but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found."" Luke xv. 11-32. MRS. M. 'You may remark, the two former parables depict the loving-kindness of God in seeking lost sinners in this one we have strikingly described the state of the sinner.' GEORGE. : But, mamma, I do not think any son could have the boldness to demand of his father to give him his fortune as if he had a right to it.' MRS. M. I do not wonder that this should seem strange to you; but in the east it has been a custom from time immemorial, for children to make such a demand upon their father, when they come to man's estate. Dr. Clark says it is to be found among the Gentoo laws; but this is not a matter of any consequence to our present subject. Let us first enquire what is meant by the "certain man who had two sons.' GEORGE. That means God, mamma ; He is the Father of both Jews and Gentiles.' MRS. M. 'Even so, George. What do you think the conduct of the younger son, in demanding his portion, may represent ? 'I think it might mean the folly of young men who think only of having their portion at once, and do not look to the future.' GEORGE. MRS. M. Yes, their portion in this life;' and it may also pourtray the character of men who, taking the gifts of God not as gifts but inheritances, think they have a right to dispose of them as they please. "He divided unto them his living; " God bestows upon man various gifts; health, strength, understanding, &c. What use did the young man make of his portion when he had received it?' GEORGE. • “He went into a far country, and wasted his substance with riotous liv MRS. M. 'So does every man who departs from God; who imagines himself capable of guiding his own conduct without the help of the Holy Spirit; he wastes the gifts and blessings which have been bestowed upon him by a beneficent Father, and, like this young man, finds at length his folly. "When he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he began to be in want; so must there arise a spiritual famine in the heart of every one who seeks for happiness in vain pleasures and sensual enjoyments: sooner or later he will find that they are unsatisfying, destructive; he will feel an aching void in his heart. But he has become the slave of these debasing gratifications; he knows not how to extricate himself; "Being in want, he joined himself to a citizen of that country, who sent him into the fields to feed swine." He plunges deeper and deeper into sin, becomes the servant of the devil ; a feeder of swine among the Jews, was considered as you know, the most debasing of all employments. So do we find this poor sinner going downward step by step, till he comes to the lowest pitch of degradation; finding himself utterly without food, and all the means he had tried, incapable of procuring him comfort," he fain would fill his belly with the husks which the swine did eat;" all his thoughts, all his cares had been for the perishing body; yet still he is unsatisfied. "No man gave unto him: " at last this poor deluded, helpless being "came to himself;" his eyes are opened; he remembers the happiness of his father's house, recollects there is plenty there," bread enough and to spare,”—and yet he perishes with hunger. He says, " I will arise and go to my father." EMILY. 'How kind and forgiving he must have thought his father when he could have courage to think of going to him after all he had done.' MRS. M. But mark, Emily, in what an humbled spirit he thought of approaching |