The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1888-05-12
THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
An Essay read by Miss Rhoda Hodges,
before the Sunday School Convention,
which convened at Magnolia, on
April 29th, 1888.

Christ often used parallels, al
legories and similitudes. Indeed,
this was custom common among
the Jews, who readily perceived
the meaning aud force of
Christ's parallels. Generally He
rebuked By them, some sin or sins,
of which they were especially
guilty. In the previous chapter,
the disciples are asking privately
Of Christ, for some sign that should
precede His second coming.
Christ, after warning them of the
necessity OF always being ready
and watching, gives this parable
of the talents:
"For it is as when man, 60
ing into a far country, called mis-
own servants and delivered unto
them his goods" That is, the
Son of Man will do as a man who
is about to leave home ard travel
into distant country. The man
would naturally, give orders to
his servants how to act during his
absence, and then commit his
property to :heir management.
"To one ho gave FIVE talents, to
another two, to another one; to
each according to his several nbIl-
tiles, and went on his journey"
The two former doubled their
money by the masters return,
but he who had received the one
talent, hid his in the earth, and
when called upon, delivered the
same talent which he had received.
A talent of gold was worth about
twelve thousand dollars, no small
amount to hide away.
Christ, having set up his king
dom ON earth, provides for its
subjects, ordinances, governments
and perpetuity, has gone home to
heaven, but, like the man in the
parable, has left the interests of
His kingdom in the charge of His
people, with the instruction "Oc-
cupy till cone"
God varied His gifts of all
kinds; varies tie capacities of all
men, and His requirements COR
respond to the gifts bestowed.
LII the parable. the word talents
represents intellectual endow-
ments, as reason, understanding,
knowledge, acquired learning, re-
finement, wealth, influence, posi-
ton, ower,-capabilitles of every
kind. 1t includes, also, the means
of grace, as The Bible, the Sab
bath, the preaching of the gospel,
prayer, praise, such as prayer
meeting, Sunday School lnstruc,
ton, and all other religious privi-
leges.
Like opportunities are not
offered all. Some-- enjoy i've OPP
portunities to another's two, OF
to another's one. God requires
IN proportion to what He gives.
The more we use property, the
more skillful we become in Its
management, and the more We
accumulate. As our means in
crease we enlarge the sphere OF
our operations, until the whole
world is made to lay its treasures
at our feet. No mountain is toe
high for us to scale, no ocean toe
wide for US to span in quest OF
wealth and TO crafty our ambi.
ton. So with religion, the more
we exercise its duties and cult
vate its spirit, the more we grow
in grace The more we acquire oI
love to Christ, the more We shall
seek to gIorlfy Him, not only in
our own bodies and spirits, but II
efforts in the salvation of others
till in orr enlarged zeal-in a:,
cordance with enlarged knowledge
Our sympathies will be limited
only by the family OF man.
All we have, and are, and are
capable of, belong to Christ. Il
is the Lord's money, not ours
entrusted, and it must be account.
ed for. But all have not the same
gifts, they differing according ts
the grace that is gwen us. Som,
have the gift of prophecy, som,
of ministry, some of teaching
some of lullng, but be the gif'
what it may, DLet every soul b,
subject unto the higher power
lie who had received one talen
went aud hid 1t in the earth; sucI
ale they who make no effort, la,
up no property, attain to no posi-
tion, but from negligence anc
slothfulness, become less capable
and finally sink to poverty an,
distress. So those who neyIec