The New York herald., 1871-01-09
BROOKLYN CHURCHES.
ELM PLACE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

The Parable OF the Sower-Sermou by Rev.
Henry Powers.
The attendance at this church yesterday morning
was comparatively small-a fact which was pro-
badly owing to the cold weather and the prospect of
o snow storm, which commenced before the SER
vices were concluded Those who did attend, how
ever, were amply repaid, for the pastor Rev. Henry
Powers. preached sermon based upon
THE PARABLE OF THE sowER
The occasion for the delivery of this parable was
when the multitude was gathered together to
listen unto the words Of Christ. His heart
nlled with sadness, no doubt. II we studied care
fully the history OF the life Of Christ we would
notice that when He came in contact with the masses
Of the people In Palestine IN those days He seemed
10 De nileu win sadness OF heart, because lie saw
what was the condition oi these multitudes-saw it
as they did not and understood the secret purpose
oi their souls. That was the occasion, and there
Of the words OF Christ Therefore lie resorted To
this parable, and ON most occasions spoke in para
bles, for the reason Mr. Powers supposed, which
actuaCed Nathan to speak In parable 90 David
David was practising
CERTAIN INIQUrTY,
and Nathan reproved him; but he knew that IL he
said directly, .Thou art the man" David would be
shut against that truth; It would be impossible to
and David saw the truth that Illustrated to him.
and condemned the wlckeGnesS OF which he himself
hearts Of those by the Ne made use 70 one ae
by the presentation of some third person continu-
ally until the neart was opened and the mind was
awake and the thought was lodged, and then sud-
denly he turned and spoke
The preacher then turned the attention Of the
congregation to the way In which the words OF
heavenly wisdom are received now, and asked them
to say whether these words were kept in the heart
ana brought forth fruit, or whether tney were sown
by the Sayside or In the stony paths. What was
THE TRUTH CONCERNING OURSELVES?
Were we ready TO honestly and devOtedy give
unto God the keeping Of our souls? There were
waysides-an outside religion. The truth was re-
ceved with the intellect and not transferred to the
heart. 1t engaged simply the outward conformity
and the conduct Of the lie and not the
affections OF the soul. Such q man might
be regular in his attendance at church and
very respectable in the eyes OF the world, but
the seeds OF truth were not lodged in good sOI-ln
the very bottom OF his SOUL 1nere was no lodg.
ment of the truth In such heart Then there were
some
STOEY GROUND HEARERS,
said the Master. 1t was not soil mixed with stones
but tnin soil, with no depth oil eartl- an overlynY
surface, but beneath 1t the rock hard and cold
III which there was no nOurshment in which TO
plant. They were surface hearers only, because
there was no depth OF earth. There were sunshine
Christians in this world-thOse who received the
Word OF God gladly until He demanded sacrifice,
and then these stony ground Christians were Of
Tended 1t was thin surface OF soil and then a
hard rock. The basis OF their character was rock,
and 1t was In these stony ground hearers that you
would find hardness OF heart-those who had no
depth OF character. In conclusion, the preacher
urged all to receive the Word OF God in their hearts
and keep 1t there until 1t brought forth fruit.