The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-04-24
PARABLE OF THE SOWER.
International Sunday School Lesson for
April ~. 1890.

GOLDEN TExT--Take heed, therefore, how ye
hear.-Luke 6.18
PLAcE-On the shore Of the Sea Of Galilee,
near Capernaum. Parallel accounts Of the
whole parable Matt 1919; Mark 4:1-2o).
Jesus, ,nearly thirty-two years old near the close
Of the second year Of His public ministry.
INTERVENING HIsToRY--After the amounting
Of Jesus feet and the parable at the Phariseo's
house, Jesus made another tour of Galilee (S:1
81, accompanied by His disciples and somo
noble women who were His helpers. Return.
ing to Capernaum, He healed blind and dumb
demoniao (Matt. 12: 22-37), and answered the
accusations Of the Phar.sees in reference to IL.
Then His mother and brethren came to inter.
fore with him mark 3:3icb; Matt. 19:4eto).
Inter the same day (Matt. ~ He went out Of
the city to the seashore and began to teach in
parallels. Our lesson to-day is the first OF the
eight parallels then spoken. The day on which
this parable was spoken was one Of the most
busy and eventful recorded in tho life Of Jesus.
G) He saved o demoniac. C) He answered the
insulting scribes from Jerusalem. (3) He re-
ccivcd the interruption OF His family whilo
teaching. az He left the city and went to the
senshore (5) He began anew method Of teaching
ty parallels, and spoke eight Of them. @ He
went on vessel across the Sen Of Galilee and
encountered terrible tempest which He
Gained with word.
EXPLANAToRY-The Circumstances in
Which the Parable Was Spoken a.
Matt. 1872. And WAcn much people aoere
gathered together. Jesus had gone out of
tho city of Capernaum, probably toward
tho plain of Genne ,areth, on the south,
and was walking on tho shore of the
sea OF Galilee. He would escape from
tho nindrances Of enemies, and Of mis-
taken friends, and the narrow limits Of
the city, and come out into broader
fields, and purer air, aud larger freedom
by the sea. But multitudes followed
Him. and crowded SO closely to hear
Him that He stepped into flshing-boat
and put of q short distance from the
land, while tho multitudes stood upon
the circular shores of the bay, which
rise up as they recede from the water,
thus forming great amphiteater
crowded with people, Of which Jesus in
the Ashing-boat was the center.-P.
WcrecS to Him out Of erery city. The
interest in Jesus and His teaching, and
the hope of the Inauguration Of the new
Kingdom by wondrous works, attracted
great crowds from all directions.
/. The Sower.--Ver. 8. A soccer scent
out to soao. Whosoever soweth the word
Of God In the hearts Of tho people is
represented by the sower in the parable.
Hence the sower designates (D Jesus
Christ, who came forth from the Father
and from Heaven to SOW the good seed
IN this evil world. (2) The apostles
who, taught by Jesus and under the in.
huence of the Spirit, scattered over the
.hen known world the truth of the
Kingdom Of God. (3) All who 60 forth
20 preach or to teach, in public or in
private, the truths of the word of God.
II. The Seed.-Vers. 8. 12. 8. To sow
His seed. That is, the word of God
luke s:11), the spiritual truths which
Sod has revealed to men in various
ways, but especially by His Son Jesus
Christ.-P. All spiritual life depends
on Divine seed sown in the heart by
the pivine Sower.-Abbott.
III. The Soil.-The soil for the good
seed is the heart Of man, including his
memory, mind and will. The seed can
not grow without soil; but the life is in
me seed, not in the soil. The results
depend largely on the kind Of soil in
which the seed is sown and the prepare.
lion made for receiving the seed.
Nv. The Care.-Fora a good harvest it is
absolutely necessary to have three
things-thc best seed, the best soil and
the best care. If any one of these fail
.he harvest is lessened or destroyed.
God furnishes the good seed without
measure. The question of the harvest,
therefore, depends on us, as to the kind
Of hearts that receive the good seed and
the care we bestow upon it.
The Wayside Hearers. s, 12.
Those in whom is no result from the
sowing. 8. And as he soned some. fell by
tho wayside. The grain fields are rarely
fenced, though the landmarks are def.
mite and plain. There are little paths
leading through hither and thither,
some being the highways along which
the horsemen ride and asses carry their
burdens. 1t was along such q way as
this-a foot or SO in width-that the
seed fell which the birds of the air i'm
mediately devoured.-Prof. Hall. 10.
Those By the aoayside arc they that lear,
but "understandeth it not" Matt.
1919. They do not take 1t into their
heart and life, because they are preoc.
cupied with other things. Sin has SO
hardened the heart, worldliness has SO
deadened the feelings, sinful pleasures
and desires have SO dulled the con-
science, that Gods truth makes no i'm
preston, more than passing dream or
a pleasant song, to be heard and forgot
temp.
The Rocky-Groun6 Hearers. @,
l3. Those in whom at first there
is promise of harveso, bril-
liant, but shOrt-lived. 6. and some
ftH gpon rock. Covered with
thin, superficial coating Of mold.
The rocks of Palestine and Syria are
mostly limestone, with many fiat
stretches covered with an inch or SO of
Hoil.-Prof. Isaac Hall. Seed on such
soil sprang up sooner than the rest, be-
cause the dry, underlying rock drew the
heat of the sun, and warmed the seed
into earlier life. As soon az IL soas sprung
nD ii uSthered Qaodu lS. Ara fhsu ssA;cK