the Bible - the parable of the prodigal son

	Luke 15: 11-32	the Bible the parable of the prodigal son
And he spake this parable unto them, saying:	Luke 15: 11-32	the Bible the parable of the prodigal son

	A certain man had two sons.
Though the magic lanternin its first two centuries does not seem to have been widely used in a religious context - the real expansion came just in the second half of the 19th century – it appears to have been one of the few practices which continued for any length of time into the 20th century. Evangelical religious societies and temperance groups like the Salvation Army and the Band of Hope, recognised the magic lantern as an useful instrument to illustrate children’s Sunday school stories, a lecture in the church hall, or a prayer meeting held in a public venue. In England even a centre of operations for the sale and hire of lanterns and sacred slides was founded: The Church Army Lantern Department. This organisation stocked several kinds of magic lanterns together with all the auxiliary equipment and produced slides at a rate of 1, 000 a week. This resulted in 175,000 slides of sacred subjects alone, and a separate catalogue of secular subjects. The range of religious subjects available as magic lantern slides was almost unlimited: Old and New Testament stories, scenes from the life of Jesus and other biblical figures, typical Sunday school stories like parables, illustrated hymns, allegorical narratives and much more. A number of organisations made eager use of the magic lantern for missionary purposes. David Livingstone, the well known explorer and missionary, described the magic lantern as his ‘most valuable travelling friend’. Once the images he showed the local people of Africa, evoked unexpected emotions: a scene of Abraham about to slaughter his son caused the audience to run in panic. A complementary aspect to missionary use of the lantern was showing images of the mission’s work back home in lecturers, advocating their necessity.
		And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
	And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
		And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
	And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I 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.
		And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was 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 unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
The accompanying Scripture texts are derived from the King James Bible. This version of the Bible (known in England as the Authorized Version), was prepared by 54 scholars appointed by King James I, June 1604. Extant records show that 47 scholars actually participated. They were organized into six companies, two each working separately at three locations for seven years on sections of the Bible assigned to them. The resulting translation was published in 1611 and was generally accepted as the standard English Bible, used by English-speaking Protestants for more than three centuries.		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 unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed 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 intreated him.
		And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: 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.