ad, and prepared to cast it at the
sinner. Jesus protected her with His hand, and exclaimed; "Do not
touch her. Which of you is without sin? Let him come and cast the
first stone."

Unwillingly they let their arms fall, and those who already held stones
in their hands dropped them quietly on to the ground. But Jesus turned
to the persecuted woman and said: "They shall not harm you. Tell me
what has happened."

"Lord!" she whimpered, and clasped His feet afresh, "I have sinned! I
have sinned!" and she sobbed and wept so that His feet were damp with
her tears.

"You have sinned!" He said in a voice, the gentle sound of which went
to many a heart--"sinned. And now you are sorry. And you do not try
to vindicate yourself. Get up, get up! Your sins will be forgiven."

"How? What?" grumbled the people. "What's this we hear? He speaks
kindly to the adulteress. He pardons her sin. This prophet will
indeed find followers."

When Jesus heard their grumbling He said aloud: "I tell you I am like a
shepherd. He goes out to search for a lost lamb. He does not fling it
to the wolves, but takes it home to the fold that it may be saved. I
do not rejoice over the proud, but over the repentant. The former sink
down; the latter rise up. Listen to what I tell you. A certain man
had two sons. One was of good disposition and took care of his
property. The other was disobedient, and one day said to his father:
'Give me my share of the substance; I wish to go to a far country.'
The father was sorry, but as the young man insisted he gave him his
share, and he went away. So while one brother worked and gained and
saved at home, the other lived in pleasure and luxury, and squandered
his property out in the world, and became so poor that he had to be a
swineherd and eat husks with the sows. He got ill and wretched, and
was despised by every one. Then he remembered his father, whose
meanest servant lived in plenty. Utterly downcast and destitute, he
returned home, knelt before his father, and said: 'Father, I have
sinned deeply! I am no longer worthy to be your son; let me be your
meanest servant.' Then his father lifted him up, pressed him to his
heart, had him robed in costly garments, ordered a calf to be
slaughtered and the wineskins to be filled in readiness for a banquet,
and invited all his family to it that they might rejoice with him. All
came except his other son. He sent a message to say that he had
fa