Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-09-19
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Topic For the Week Beginning Sept.
23-Comment by Rev. 8. II. Doyle.

ToPIc.-Tares in your feld.-Math. xiii. 2s-So,
se-4s.
THE PARABLE.
In the parable of the tares Christ
likened tho kingdom of heaven to n
man who planted good seed in his field.
but while he slept his enemy came and
sowed -taees among the wheat The
tares. or darnel seed. resembled the
wheat ana was closely intertwined
with it in growing, 1t was only when
the ripened grain appeared that they
could be easily distinguished the one
from the other. The fruit Of the tares
was injurious, producing vomiting. con-
Sulsions and even death. 1t was not an
uncommon thing for one in the east to
show his malice and hatred by sowing
tares in his enemy's field. When the
wheat sprang up. the tares appeared
also. The servants, with an unwise
zeal. wanted to uproot them. but the
owner. with greater wisdom. advised
then to wait until the harvest. lest
They should uproot the wheat also. Sep
aration was easier and accomplished
with less risk at the harvest.
THE INTERPRETATION.
Christ iuterprets this parable Him.
self. Tho sewer Is the Son Of Man;
the field, the world; the adversary is
satan; the harvest is the end of the
world. Two questions have been much
discussed in connection with this para
bile: % What does the world as the
field represent? and 90 Does Christ
mean to teach that there is to be no
discipline exercised In His church on
earth? The world must mean the visi-
bic church in the world. and Christ
cannot mean that the visible church is
to exercise no discipline He simply
lays down here the principle of caution
lin the exercise of discipline. He pre-
SCENTS the fact that both good and evil
will be found even in His church and
the serious danger of uuwise zeal In at
tempting to purify the church and fur
ther emphasizes the fact that at the
END of the world God win make the
just and final separation between the
two classes. The history of the Chris
tian church proves the Importance Of
Christ's caution. Excessive zeal in the
matter Of discipline has repeatedly
NOuc IQOTe IoTlU lLdu SOOO.
THE APPLICATION
This parable may be pressed home to
the heart Of every Christian Endeavor-
Ter with great practical force. 1t teach
es us several great and important
truths; but, passing these, NAV we not
apply 1t more personally? We are in
1.-The church. Are We whet or tares?
A ~
I'VE fulfilling the purT 0ses Of satan. the
adversary? To be with the wheat does
mot necessarily mean that we are
wheat. We u.ay resemble the wheat
we may be intimately associated with
the wheat, but If we are not wheat the
day IF separation will surely come.
Mn may never separate us. but God
surely will. In the last day the wheat
will be gathered into His gamers. but
the tares will be cast away. Cast away
from God! What an awful thought. 1t
need never be. Christ can turn tares
into wheat. He can cause good fruit
to grow where now there is only evil.
Let US accept Him and consecrate our
lives to Him. and in the day Of judg-
ment we shall be gathered with the
wheat into His heavenly gamers.
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Let the leader explain the parable
and then have voluntary participation
on the topic.
BIBLE READINGS.
Ps. cxix. GIG; Jer. viii. 1922; Joel Ill.
I11-16; Matt Ill. II. II; xiv. 14-31; XIV,
R1-1G. TT POT II Ia. Iobp III g. Rov
xiv, 1920; xxi. q.