and beggar, desolate widow, weary
warrior, childless mother, "Come unto Me, all ye that are weary and
heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

My brothers, this life is a pilgrimage through the vale of tears, a
journey along the robber-haunted road. Everywhere we see the traveller
of the parable who has fallen among thieves. Some have fallen among
Satan and his followers, thieves and murderers of souls. I see young
men who have thus fallen. My brothers, where is the white robe of your
Baptism, the shining armour of your Confirmation? Is that troubled
face of yours the same over which a pure mother wept and prayed, and
which she sanctified with holy kisses? Can you recall a time when you
went through the world "wearing the white flower of a blameless life?"
And now, your white robe is stripped off from you, your armour is
broken and cast aside, there are ghastly wounds upon you. Your
conscience is wounded, your good name is wounded, your purity is all
stained and foul, you have trampled on the white snow of some innocent
life. You have wandered out of the right way, and strayed into bad
company, into the drunkard's haunt, or the gambler's den, or the house
of shame. You have fallen among thieves, and they have stripped you,
and wounded you, and left you half dead.

Young men, is not this too true of some of those who hear me now? What
will you do? Will you lie there in the dangerous path, and die, die in
your sins? No, look for help--but where? The world cannot aid you.
The world is selfish, the world is hard upon those who have fallen, the
world will pass by on the other side. Money will not help you, it
cannot purchase clothing for you, or procure medicine for your disease.
Your clothing must be bought without money and without price. Turn to
Jesus, the Good Samaritan, He alone has medicine to heal your sickness.
Turn to Him in weeping, in praying, and He will give you wine, which
maketh glad the heart of man, even the wine of pardon; and oil to make
you a cheerful countenance, even the oil of comfort to your wounded
spirit. He will clothe you once again, and make you in your right
mind. O wounded wayfarer on the road of life, cry out to Jesus, the
good Samaritan. Some have fallen among the thieves of bereavement and
loss. As they lie there in their sorrow, they tell us how their money
was lost in the bank, or their savings swallowed up in bad times of
trade. There are poor widows lying there, who