The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-09-23
THE BARREN FIG TREE.
A Sermon by Rev. Mr. HllIcock, of
Sumter.
Ne,us and Courier, dug. 3lst.

yesterday morning and afternoon.
At the morning service Mr.. Hillaock's
subject was "The Barren Fig Tree and
bis reference Luke, 10, 6 to 9, "He spake
also this PARABLE" etc.,
The New Testament is wonderfully
stored with beautiful word sketches taken
from the different forms and phases Of
life and its surroundings. said the min
lister. But they 90 beyond the conven-
tional, and are something more than
sketches. They are pictures paintings,
if you will-paintings that are perfect in
every detail What wonderful produc-
tions of wisdom and art! Hang them up
where the Divine light may fall upon
them, and then stand back and gaze.
Now give full sway to your powers Of
criticism; look for defects. All! You
find none; they ars perfectly true to the
original. The wonderful thing for con-
sideration Is, that, on going through the
New Testament picture gallery, you are
sure to find an exact type. az we'll as pro-
totype, of yourself. But this is easily ex
planned when we understand that they
were executed by master hand. whose
touch was infinitely delicate as well as
indEitely bold and strong. One that
knew every phase of human character,
and never displayed 'trem mbliDg Of nerves
nor awk wardnoss of haste in depicting it.
Like all good pictures they tell the story
that words are powerless to express, for
they are voices that speak through ex-
allied beauty. Voices of love, of mercy, Of
Judgment and of pending wrath. They
are tones Of divine harmony uttered by
Christ, who in speaking illustrated all 81
sayings 80 as to adapt them to the minds
of those whom He addressed. Ifsmong
philosophers and statesmen He drew His
material from that with which they were
familiar. If by the roadside the traveller
and the beast of burden served His pur-
pose. Was it on the shore of the Galilean
lake or the green slopfs of its farming
districts, then 1t was the "pearl of great
price," the "drag-net," the 'lilies OF the
field" the "fowls of the air." the "vine-
yard" and husbandman," the "sheep and
the goats," and even the little mustard
seed with the sower and the reaper. These
all served His purpose as did the "fg
tree"
"He spake also this parable" The pic
ture set before US is that oi garden or
vineyard, with its trees and shrubbery
and fruit bearing vines. 1t seems that in
one part of it the owner had planted q
fig tree. and, although there were many
others there, it appears that the lord of
the vineyard was extremely anxious about
this particular one. He sta ands there eI-
aminirg it, and look of disappointment
clouds his face when he finds that it has
no fruit. But as the fruit Of the fig tree
always grows underneath the leaves he
steps to the tree and lifts the branches 80
as to be sure before passing judgment,
but there ls nothing but leaves, therefore
he turns and addresses the keeper in the
following words: Behold these three
years I have come seeking fruit on this
fig tree and find none; cut it down, why
cum bereth it the ground?" The keeper
Of the vineyard replies to his lord with
words Of petition, saying: "Lord let it
alone this year. also till T shall work
about it; then, fit bear not, after that
thou shalt cut it down"
The teaching of the parable is this:
i. The world is the Lords vineyard. In
it there is the good soil 10 which Chris
tians are firmly planted, and the poor soil
of the heathen world and Of wicked habi-
tatlons which needs constant cultivation
and much Of the Gospel nutriment to
make it productive. But the gond soil Of
the Christian Church also needs constant
care and working to preserve it from be-
coming Impoverished.
This fig tree is represented as growing
in good soil, and the lesson it bears to US
is that we who profess to be doing Cbrist's
work may be likened to it, irasmuch as
we have been placed in the cultivated
vineyard of our Lord, His holy church.
1t does not mean some other church, or
our neighbour 1t means us. We have not
been set out in tho barren waste of wick
edness, nor left to grow in the wilderness
of heathendom; but we have been placed
in the condition to enjoy all the privileges
that com mbine 10 make us bring forth fruit.
Let us draw the picture of that condi.
ton. The leaves Of the tree have been
refreshed by the atmosphere Of Gods
presence Heavens own dew drops of
blessing have been hanging like glistening
pearls all over and around it. The roots
have been washed and fertlized by
streams of "living waters" that flow from
the "City of God" showers of love and
grace have passed and will repass. Wha'
fortunate tree! That tree means each
one Of US. How happy we should be! The
cross OF Christ has been placed before our
eyes; healing balm is offered for every
wound; the coil OF joy" is poured out to
"the nourner" and he receives the "gar-
ment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."
0 yes, we have all been told about the
plan Of our wonderful salvation, with it's
efficacy of prayer, its condition of pardon
and its reality Of an everlasting life.
WY have we been given this informs-
ton ? Simply that We might bring forth
good fruit. "Fruits meet for repentance
is what is required of US, the principal one
of which is faith. God desires that we
produce this fruit, for "faith puriies the
heart" it 'justiies" us and gives us the
''rnind of Christ" Though our "sins be
as scarlet" and as many as the sands OF
the seashore, implicit faith in risen
Christ will wash them away, and we shall
ba made "w hitter than snow." Then comes
the product, "works," for the fruit OF
faith is good deeds; according to the faith
will works manifest themselves, and iu
the same measure will they be known and
re:eived.
III The Lord of this vineyard watches
for the fruit-bearing trees. He desires to
SEQ them at their work OF bringing forth
blossoms. and the blossoms their fruit,
and He is anxious that the fruit be not
killed in the blossom, for it is by the fruit
that He knows the value of each tree.
"a good tree" He says, "cannot bring
forth evil fruit; neither can corrupt tree