, 1896-12-01
PARALLELS OF LIFE.
AN ELOQUENT SERMON BY DIR. n,
S. SAGE AT THE PRES
BYTERIAN CHURCH.
After a Most Able Discussion. the
Learned Divine Arrives ait the
Logical Conclusion That Christi
anity is the Key to the Parable OF
the Great Unknown.

And he said unto them. know we
not this parable? And how then will
ye know all parallels mark Alb.
On the occasion to which this text
alludes, Jesus sat in a ship and taught
the multitudes which had followed
him to the seaside. His instruction
was given in the parab0lic form, as it
is written, with such parallels spoke
he the word Into them, as they were
able to hear it." Some of these para
bles, as a matter of special request.
were explained. This is the case with
the parable Of the sower to which the
ext refers. The explanation given
shows that all these parallels, eXplain-
ed or unexplained, were intended SIM
ply as different illustrations of that
system of divine truth-the class OF
spiritual facts composing the king
dom of heaven"-the reign of Christ
over the hearts Of men until He sur
renders his authority to God from
whom it anne
Jesus says in the text. Know We
not this parable?"-must this be ex>
planned? Then how will We know the
others? The idea is, although differ
ent. yet each is an illustration Of the
same system of truth. A true and cor
rect understanding of one is a key to
the essential meaning of all. Hence.
in the right Interpretation Of this one
parable of the sower, they possessed a
clue to all that class of teachings. On
the other hand. if they could not COM
prehend the meaning of so plain a
symbol, there was little hope Of their
understanding any other. Know we
no. this parable? How then will We
know all parallels?
Unlike Christ's immediate disciples,
we know the meaning of this particu-
lar parable: for Christ has given the
meaning; and from his explanation we
may gather the spiritual Significance
Of the other parallels of the New Tes.
lament. A school-boy today. knows
NUT dbObl udlult llldl SOptTllCuS OF
Newton, and yet no one thinks the
modern school-boy the equal OF Copper,
nicus or Newton. Fol a similar rea,
son, possessing the aggregate teach
ings of Jesus and His disciples. we I'M
d%erstand the sayings Of our Savior bet.
ter than those primitive hearers did.
But it is the intention to consider some
special suggestions of the subject
rather than the general. observe.
then. in the first place, hat we need a
leading principle Of Interpretations
key-not simply to the parallels Of the
New Testament, but to life itself-the
greatest Parable of Providence. Thus
applying my thought, l only intensity
it when l say that, If a man gets a cor,
rect view OF one fact of life, he has a
clue to the entire system of things-l
mean he has a clue so far as he is
practically concerned-in his present
condition.
This analogy holds good in almost
every instance. See the application OF
it to the department OF science. Deny
the truth of this analogy and you SIM
ply leave science without a basis for
its classitications. For | affirm that
the great marvel OF science is not in
any given result, but in the process
the method of pursuit. The naturalist,
from a single fact, following what in
the end. ven to you or me, is seen to
be a clearly defined method, constructs
an entire organism. or a complete
series. Give him the fragment Of a
skeleton-give him some fossil bone,
dug from the earth-and he builds up
the colossal mammoth, or the mega
therium. Newton beheld the fall OF
an apple-a simple fact--but to his
mind the fact suggested something far
more wonderful, viz.-the process
and following this process, he dis
cerned the law by which a rain-drop
descends to the ocean. and the planets
swing round the sun. 1t Is thus that
induction raises its ladder from the
earth to he skies; and with one true
principle the philosopher unlocks the
wards OF the universe.
The same thing is evident in the
science Of mind. Here. metaphysi-
clans and psychologists are not agreed
as to what the one master principle Is.
but their controversies all spring out
of the attempt to settle upon some
primal fact that shall lead to the pro-
cess ~predicte Of the various psychic
and mental phenomena
So In the field Of morals. Every fact
suggests a course of inquiry for the
leading principle. Perhaps the world
is wiser here than any where else, be>
cause here. daily experience. has been
our daily teacher, and from the cradle
to the grave, it is impossible for any
one to escape the discipline OF this
school. Because OF the rigor of the dis
cipline which rules in this school OF
actual life, neither martyr-stakes nor
battle-ields are needed to show the
true man. His little acts. his habftual
conduct, will reveal his secret motives
THE underlying principle on which
the superstructure of his moral char
acter is based. One flash reveals the
diamond. One instance Of positive
temptation makes known the atmos-
\ phere in which he lives. and the Law