Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-03-12
SOIL FOR SPIRITUAL SOWING.
BY Rev Ralph DaVy.

SOIL FOR SPIRITUAL SOWING.
BY Rev Ralph Dapy.
The farmer who desires Il good har
vest as result of his lahOrs does not
consider the time spent in preparing
the seed bed as lost. No pains are
spared that the soil may be pulverized
and enriched until the seed has every
possible chance that 1t may spring up
quickly and be helped rapidly Oh to
maturity. To the novice as he watches
the laborious method of preparation
and the apparent waste of grain when
it is scattered upon the ground, 1t
would appear as if the farmer We're
wasting both time and seed. But the
initiated understand that all this is nee
essary to produce the new crop. No
man who has the slightest degree OF
knowledge of agriculture expects to
sow grain upon the hard ground of the
highway and have it bear fruit.
Neither does he expect to plant corn i'll
an unbroken pasture field and receive
any fruit for his labor. The soil Is first
thoroughly prepared-the more thor
oughly the better yield-and then the
seed is sown with expectation of the
harvest. Without preparation of the
soil there Is no expectation Of harvest.
Now to us it seems that the same law
ought to hold good in spiritual seed
sowing. Jesus taught as much in the
Parable of the Sewer. In the explana-
ton which the Master gave for this
parable four classes of hearers of the
Word were pointed out Only one class
was profited permanently by what was
heard. The different kinds Of soil rep
resent different conditions of heart and
soul. But it was only where the ground
was thoroughly prepared and ready to
receive the seed that the abundant har-
vest was realized. Thus we are brought
to the conclusion that the Word of Life
can only spring UP and bear fruit in the
heart that is thoroughly prepared to
receive the Word.
While we would i'll no wise excuse
the preacher from careful preparation
upon his sermon, and while we also
know that the preacher must do great
amount of preaching that is only pre-
pairing the soil for the reception of the
seed, yet in our humble Judgment it is
Just as essential that the nearer pre-
pare carefully that he may properly
hear the sermon as it is essential that
the preacher prepare carefully that he
may properly preach the sermon. The
hearers work is not done when he has
presented himself in the house of God.
There is yet a part for him in the SER
vice. How often have we seen people
come into the church and sit down with
an air that seemed to say, well, now l
am here, and here to be entertained,
and if | am not entertained-well l
shall not come again." Gospel truth
falls fruitlessly upon such hearts. They
are as stony ground.
Again we often find another class who
are continually complaining that they
cannot get anything out of the sermons
that they hear. We were greatly eXer-
cised the first time that criticism of our
sermons was brought to our ears, but
when the same people offer the same
complaint when they have been listen
ing to the very best that our church
| affords, then the criticism loses force
and we conclude that the trouble is
with the one offering complaint, and
not so much the fault of the sermons
as it might be. Spiritual truths are dis
cerned by the spiritual-minded. If ev-
cry protested child of God would kneel
in his secret place of prayer Qf he has
one before starting to the services of
Gods house, and there from full, low
ing heart ask for Gods special blessing
and glory and power to be Hpon the
preacher and congregation, and espe-
cially upon himself in the services,
cause for complaint would soon disap-
pear If the rank and file of our Chris
tian hearers could only be brought to
realize the responsibility resting upon
them for their part in the service, we
would have fewer dry sermons and no
complaints. When the heart and soul
is attuned to the prSper pitch it is easy
to understand the language of Gods
people. But the richest and most glo-
riouS truths of the gospel must fall
fruitless upon the unprepared heart.
1 ii' NiNNl VI many an ONutI w lSe pow
erful sermon has been destroyed by the
listleSS inattention of hearers who have
been so occupied all the week with the
affairs of this life that they have not
taken the time to prepare by prayer
and meditation for the services of Gods
house. Only as the Word falls into ten
der Holy Ghost prepared hearts can it
spring up and bear fruit. This is the
only class of hearers to whom the Cos
pei comes with any degree of fruitful.
ness. This is the kind of soil that
preachers need for the reception of
their teaching. Shall we not one and
all work and pay to this end2
FUTURE OF THE SOUL.
BY Rev. joseph 4. NiIburu.
| No belief has greater fascination for