The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-02-02
PARABLE OF THE SOWsR.
International Sunday school Lesson fof
February 3. 1889.

hear let him hear,-Mark AS
CENTRAL TRUru-We should receive the
good seed OF Gods word in honest and
good hearts, and bring forth much fruit.
TIME-Aatumn, A. ID. -. Several weeks
after the last lesson.
PLACE-On the shore of the Sea Of Cali
lee, near Capernaum.
PARALLEL ACCOUNTS Of the whole parable,
Matt. 1919, N23 Luke s;il5, Jesus,
thir,y-two years old, near the close OF the
second wear of His ministry
INTERVENING HISTORY Many important
events in the life of Christ occur during
the intervening weeks; as the call OF
Matthew; the choosing of the apostles; the
sermon on the mount; healing the ceuturi-
on's servant.
ISTEonUCTIoN-Jesu now enters upon
new method of teaching. Great numbers
crowd to hear Him, but the opposition also
is increasing. One day in Capernaum
Jesus is charged with biasphcmy, and His
family came to Him, probably to ask Him
to at in u different way (see Matt. I'd
Then He goes out of the city TO the lake
shore, and getting into boat, He teaches
the multitude who are on the shore, and
speaks eight parallels The parable of the
sower is told in tue previous verses. Prob
ably they could see at that time all the
kinds of soil and the results, pictured be-
fore their eyes.
| HELPS OVER HARD PLACES--lO ASKED If
Hin. tie parable: the Interpretation of the
parable He had ju.t spoken, II. The myS-
try: the things hitherto hidden, but now re-
vealed by Christ. The disciples were obe-
dent and teachabe, ami therefore could
learn more Unto heH, hat are WtM0h"
without the circle Of Christ's followers, out
side of the number who obeyed Gou. l2.
Seetng mug zee and not DeT.stue: the truth
could not be given to them clearly because
they would have made Il bad use of II, to the
injury of themselves and others. Even III
this case God wanted them TO see and be-
lieve and be saved. Lest Hcy should be can-
uered. not that Christ taught in parallels
for this end; but they would not hear
and understand, lest they should be con-
yerted. II. TIE Ssoer: Jesus, the apostles
and all who teach ana preach Gods Word.
1heAs,d. Gods Word of truth The soil was
the hearts of men. l5 l'aySids: the trodden
paths or roads which ran near or through the
grain fields. There were no fences or hedges.
These hearers are those whose hearts are
hardened by neglect and sin, so that truth
makes no impression, and the wicked one,
represented by the fowls, pluGks away the
good seed. Note that the wicked one can
not take way the good seed unless we let
him. He can not destroy the seed if the
soil is good. 10 stony ground! rocky; not
fields full of stones, but thin layer Of soil
over Hat rocks The soil is warm in the
sun, and the seeds spring up very soon, but
the soil soon becomes dry. RCee.re At NTH
gladHeSs: these hearers are those easily
moved by excitement, and the feelings Of
~ lint hnN 4,
Christians at heart. Their principles and
character are not changed. II. PeIyec~tion
| for the Uorid'S SAKE: as soon as any trials
some which test their principles, they fail.
+ IS. 1hou~: growing by the hedges of the
. fields These grow up faster than the grain,
| and shut off the sun and absorb the richness
of the ground 49, Cares Of tbs U0r!d; anx-
ieties about earthly things, too absorbing in
/ terest in them Deceufutte,S Of riches! riches
! deceive, in making people expect more from
! them than they can give; IN GLIDING pur-
! suit, disappointing people continually CnOhe
/ the UO.d d: these things take up so much
time and attention that people neglect re-
I hgion and goodness and Heaven.
COMMENTS BY the Sea Of Galilee great
mulutudcs gathered to hear Jesus preach.
/ As they pressed close upon Him, He got into
| a boat, and, pushing a little way out, used
! the boat as pulpit, From there He taught
them about the word of God, and the vari-
Gus ways in which men receive the truths
I of God. In the parable of the sower the
! seed stands for the word of God; the vari-
! Gus kinds of soil represent human hearts in
/ various degrees of receptivity, and the fruit
| represents the results of that which was
! sOWn The seed. This is the word of God.
! Every time That we hear sermon preached
! that Is based on the word of God, seed has
/ been sown III our hearts. Every reading of
! the Bible and every studying OF the lesson
! in the class is a sowing of the seed. Does
| all seed sowu bear fruit; Alas! no. Why
| not. Because of the soil i'll which it is
sown. In our parable there are four kinds
of soil spoken of. Look at them in their or
der. % Rdrd dOwg-tr0dden SOL The hur-
/ ryng feet of thousand worldly thoughts
and evil practices have trodden the tender
soil into hardness. On this the fall Of the
seed makes no impression. 1t merely falls
on to, not into the heart. The truth is lis
tened to in lstless way. A sentence here
and there is caught, but swiftly the rush of
thievug thoughts catches away the truth,
and leaves no trace of il behind Every
nearer has at some time been ''wayside
hearer." GU Stony sol Not bare rock,
but earth with much stone intermingled.
| This kind of soil represents persons OF
"goOd impulses" but whose impulses never
carry them very far They hear, and think
they will obey the truth They perhaps
give good promise OF amounting to some
thing. They may go so far as to join the
church, and even for awhile become work
ers in the church But presently they prove
to have no deep roots. Troub c may arise
which daunts them, and by and by they give
up their professions and go back 10 where
they were before. Promise there was for
time III their lives, but 1t was followed by
no fulhlment. (3) 7horny soA In this case
there is plenty of soil but the thorns have
got the star. of the good seed. Mammon
has already been busy in these hearts. Now
canes the spirit and sows seed in that heart.
II springs up, and promises well But all
the time, care, and lust for wealth. and de-
sore for pleasure are there and grow apace.
By and by they outgrOw the good seed, and
occupy more and more of the ground, until
at last the seed is choked and dies away,
leaving the heart with rank growth of
worldly desires aud deeds Money making,
theater- gong, the dance hail-hOw many
heart have these filed, to the exclusion Of
Gods truth and of fruitage unto life ever