178. REPENTANCE.

wished now that he had never left his father’s house. At
last, in his hunger and distress, he said, “I will arise and
go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, 1 have
sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more
worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired
servants.”

You see he-was very sorry for what he had done.
and longed to get back to his pleasant home again. Do
you think his father received him after such a life?. Yes,
he saw him coming, and while the boy was a great way
off, he ran to meet him, and fell on his neck and kissed
him, as we see in the picture. This showed that he for-
gave him all. —% :

To prove his love, he told the servant to “bring forth
the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his
hand, and shoes on his feet.” He told him, too, to kill
the fatted calf, that they might make merry over the long
lost boy. This beautiful Bible story is given us to teach
the great love and mercy of God toward the penitent
sinner. We, in our sins, are like the boy who is far away
from father’s house, without home, or friends, or food.
But Jesus is waiting to welcome us back, and will freely
forgive all our sins.