The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-12
Matt. XIII; 24-3O, 36-43.

this ugly growth negatived the SUPPOSE
ton of an accident. The householder in
ferred that an enemy had done the work.
Some evil intelligence lies back of every
planned wrong But what shall be done?
Is there any remedy? 1t was proposed
that the tares should be gathered (verse
2S), a method generally followed when the
number of weeds is less. Thompson in his
Land and Book" says that women aud
children engage i'm the work in the orient,
as in this country they pull weeds in the
garden. But the man in the parable saw
this was impracticable. The tares were
so numerous they grew in such close re-
lation with the wheat, that to pull up one
was to destroy the other. Let both grow
together" Two crops in the same field
the one valuable, the other pernicious
the latter spared for the sake of the
other. This was the wisest policy under
the circumstances.
HARVESTING.--The time will come,
however, when the wheat and the tares
will be separated. They grow together
but for distinctly opposite purposes.
When the harvest Is gathered the former
alone is valuable, and is stored carefully
in barns for use Matt. iii, 1O. That
wheat may be converted into -four and of
that bread may be made for the support
of mankind. See what multitudes live
upon the millions of bushels of grain
raised in the western states of this coun-
try 1t was for the wheat that the far
mer sowed his field. But the tares are
worthless, and worse than worthless No
use can be made of them. They are an
injury as well as an incumbrance. They
must therefore be burned (verse 30). So
the farmer instructed his servants who
were required to wait until the appointed
time. Looking out over the field one may
see stalks growing and support what will
yield life and strength, and the other
stalks growing only to become fuel All
shall be gathered into its appropriate
place, the storehouse or the flames.
INQUIRING.--W does all this
mean? 1t was evident that Jesus would
not relate an incident like this merely
to make known what mieut happen any
time in the history Of Palestine. lie in
tended to teach rather than to gossip.
His words were always SD serious that
all who heard knew that they carried
some important lesson. The disciples
most of all knew this, but they did not
Immediately ask him to explain. Not un-
til Jesus had sent the multitude away,
and He had gone with His followers
into the house did they approach Him
(verse 36). There was much wisdom and
delicacy in their method. They rightly
assumed that He did not propose to un-
fold mysteries in the presence of men
who cared not for them (Matt. Xi, 20.
They understood that private intimacy
and personal contact, as well as re-
sultant affection between the teacher and
the pupil. are needed in order to the re-
ception of the higher truths psalm XIV
1D. The little group, gathered in the
home of Peter requested Declare unto
us" with the emphasis on the pronoun
An eager select, retired class of pupils
may learn.
EXPLAINING.-1t must have been
with much satisfaction John xvi. 12)
that the Great Teacher explained His
the enemy represented the Son of Man
and the devil, two persons, the latter as
truly as the former having q real exist
| ence. the one benevolent, the other malic-
| ious. The field was the world which be-