The New York herald., 1876-09-18
The Rev. Father Farley on the Value Of
Prayers for the Dead.
DR.. DEEMS DISCOURSE
Charity the Greatest OF Spiritual
Gifts.
The Christians Personal Relations to
the Saviour.
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.
SOWING THE SEED by THE wAYsIDE-sKnMor


BY REV. Mr.. HEPwORTH.
The attendance not largo nt the Church Of tho
Disciples yesterday, owing to tho inclemency OF tho
weather. Mr. Hepworth selected his text from St
Matthew. xiii, 4-''And when he sowed some seed fell
by the way side" The moro think of 1t the more
am convinced that there such things tril,cs
In the economy Of God said Mr.. Hepworth. That
which appears to be insignificant only because
We are shortsgnted. Our scales wrong, that
which is really weightcst frequently appears
10 us TO be very light II quite worthless.
youth lays ont his plans OF life; but he does II from
the standpoint OF Imagination not OF experience Ho
dreams OF accomplishments and the with which
Ihcy be achieved drawn OF tho Deep rich
we'll Of his fancy. Nevertheless he applies himself to
sturdy preparation for the work ne has given bis
hands, and perhaps in tho midst it a single word is
dropped and changes The whole character Of
his life; hitherto no has seen through
glass darkly, no secs face TO face.
What regard as trilIes have immense Importance
of their own No Is insignifcant; nothing in
Gods providence rs TO be laid aside worthless Tho
preacher said that he once knew man who was
ncd with doubts about Christian lifo his desire
10 believe the Lord Jesus his heart achcd accept
the Bible rs spiritual authority, and yet there was
MICH MYSTERY
about it that he rcpeed no laid 1t down o
rule that would accept nothing he could not demon
strate One day he sat under the ministry OF
preacher and in the providence OF God that thought
tame up Tor discussion, and the minister used this
Iimlc. He said:-"Wc know nothing about The mag
act II always points To the north STAR find
he attractions; no ono can explain It. No per
luasion OF yours induce 1t to be
to that stnr which attracts 1t TO itself"
was only an ordinary statement, only q waysido
seed and that sccd dropped not by chance but by the
providence OF God, into human heart, and II had It's
effect, and to-day that member OF your
church, honored, loved and trusted He found his
way out OF darkness into tho inh and love OF Jesus
Christ. Drop stonc INTO the middle Of Lake Superior
ond tue ripple remains and spreads ,ill it touches the
bank on either side. SO a bitter word hard piece
OF granite dropped into human lie will produce
ripple unmoasrrrd in It's power How often word Of
anger tho heart and strs thc deepest feelings
in the experience aud nature Of those VIC love- We
would take them back II could but, alas! no
power can cali it back 1t Is only waysde seed that
all apparently worthless uernncc, yet somehow
tho whole nature is changed. Again, the falling OF The
waysde seed accident, 1t intention
without doubt, and from II the lesson that
II is our duty 10 SOW seeds as 20 onward,
though they do TALL in thorny places, and although
they do produce little fruit at all yet is
blessed privilege 70 drop the seed. II is duty
wherever go to carry chccrfuness and gentlcncss
ana charity and brothcry love- We ought never 10
60 with shut up hearts. We ought to remember that
every little incident Is golden opportunity given by
God. II is not simply accident career, but It
is M opportunity which God opens for aud which,
rightly used may give pleasure and happiness What
q JOY comes To the heart when NC have done good
deed and put ourselves little way out to do 1t is
duty the seeds along thc waysidc and
way 10 let our smile be felt, 10 heal every wourd
% dry every tear ana leave a blessing in every life.