Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-08-16

having put the property in shape so that it
is ready to bring good return he rents il
to some laborer who is to return 10 the
owner a given share of the products.
This is a primitive and simple kind of
tenantry which has, in one form or another,
been practlced all the world over. from
the earliest times. 1t is case where the
rights of tbs parties are clearly understood,
The owner is entitled to n certain share of
the products since he has provided the
capital for the business, and the laborer
to his share, since the toll of securing the
product has been his. 1t was only natural
that when tho wine making season was
over the owner of the vineyard should
send his agent for the share of the product
belonging to him.
The fact that the owner is represented
as sending again and again may not be en-
tirely consistent with the general conduct
of men when their rights are refused them,
but it shows the mercy and long suffering
of the Divine proprietor of all things, The
abuse offered to those who came in the
husbandman's name was really offered to
him, and the spirit prompting it was one
of want on opposition 10 that which is ac
knowledged to bo right and just. The
picture is vivid one; it holds up the his
tory of the past faithfully representing
the conduct of the Jewish people under
the old prophetic dispensation; it also
holds the mirror to the present, showing
the Scribes ard rulers themselves the ma
lignant and murdorous disposition which
controlled them. 1t also. drew a side the
curtain from the future, and showed the
awful doom awaiting the favored but re-
belious people of Israel. What more viv
id portraiture of the secret plottings Of
the Jews against Christ could be given,
than that which the 7th., verso affords !,
They said "among themselves" This is
the heir, come let us kill him and the in
inheritance shall be ours" The applica-
ton of the parable was perceived and
only the crowds that favored Christ kept
the Jews from ending the life Of the son
of man at once. The eighth verse contains
a manifest prophesy concerning the man.
ner of christ's death. Matthew reverses
the clauses, and says. "They cast him
out of the vineyard and slew him." This
exactly fits the action of the Jews, who
not only denied to Christ the place that
was his by right, but cast him out from
among his people turning him over to the
Romans, and leading him out of the holy
city to put him to death. To the question
of the 9th verse; "What therefore will
the lord of the vineyard do?' Matthew
makes the Jews themselves answer, say
inc, "He will miserably destroy those
wicked men and will let out his vineyard
to other husbandmeu. This would be
only natural answer for all right think
ing men. But it is more natural to think
that Mark and Luke are in the right when
| thev put the answer in the mouth Of our
Lord. The Jews would hardly have con-
demned themselves, in language which re-
fers to them. The. answer, he will miser
ably destroy those wicked men, would
hardly have been given by those who saw
that he spake against them. Christ next
asks them a question concerning particu-
lar prophesy of their scriptures, saying,
have ye never read itP By this he meant,
have ye seen its meaning, or thought of
its possible application to your rejection
of the Son of man. He would not suppose
that any Jew of learning had failed to
read this passage from the 1l8th Psalm :;
but many, then as now, read without see
ing the force of what they perused. The
Jewish leaders built, in sense, the form
of belief accepted by their people, and
held until the present time; but in this
structure they refused to give Jesus OF
Nazareth place. How true it is, that
while they have gone on refusing him, he
has become the great factor, the chief cor
ner stone in all the vital religious move
ments on earth.
Thus Gods ways are not Our ways
So he brings to nanght the wisdom of the
prudent, and evcrmoro his doings arr
marvellous in our eyes. This parable has
I very pertinent application to men in all
times, to us in our time. To every peOpl,
where Christ is known he presents himself
as he did to the Jews. They receive o.
reject him just as did the people of hi!
own time. Indeed we have scripture
warrant in saying that Christ is rejected
spurned and cruciied at the present as
we'll as in the time of his abode iu the
flesh. We are every one in the position
of tenants, occupying property, time
talents and opportunities that have been
secured to us by another. God sends tt
each of us his claim upon the products We
have secured, while occupying his posses
sons. Every time we refuse or neglec
to make just return, we expose ourselves
to meritcd wrath Every time we spur
the gospel invitation, we really spnrn hin
who brought it, and in rejecting Christ w
really manifest the same spirit as thos
who crucified him, and the fate the,
,u Aarod NOV well ha a most 1o1am,