It is our earnest prayer to the Father of all good, that this story of George Herr's redemption from the clutches of sin may, through his unfailing love for all suffering ones, carry its message of hope, its promise of salvation from eternal despair, into the hearts of many who are despondent, discouraged, despairing. May it instill into the hearts of the unfortunate a desire to come back into the fold of the Father's unending love, bringing with it the sweet conviction that no matter how far we have wandered from within the radius of his love, we are still his children, the erring ones for whose redemption he gave his Son to be offered upon the altar of human sacrifice that we, through the atonement of his innocent blood, should inherit the kingdom of heaven. -------- Hold up my goings in thy path, that my footsteps slip not.--Ps. 17:6. -------- [Illustration: THE LATE MR. GEORGE GAULBERT One of my best friends. Many heart-to-heart talks I have had with this grand and wealthy merchant] CHAPTER TWO "LOST AND IS FOUND" Jesus said, "A man had two sons; and the younger one of them said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the inheritance!' so the father divided the property between them. A few days later the younger son got together all that he had and went away into a distant land; and there he squandered his inheritance by leading a dissolute life. After he had spent all that he had, there was a severe famine through all that country, and he began to be in actual want. So he went and engaged himself to one of the people of that country, who sent him into his field to tend pigs. He even longed to satisfy his hunger with the bean pods on which the pigs were feeding; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more bread than they can eat, while here am I starving to death; I will get up and go to my father and say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you; I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me as one of your hired servants.' And he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was deeply moved; he ran and threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. 'Father,' the son said, 'I sinned against Heaven and against you; I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your hired servants.' But the father turned to his servants and said, 'Be quick and bring a robe, the very best, and put it on him; give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for here is my son who was dead, and is alive again, was lost and is found." -------- For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.--Isa. 9:6. --------