Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-03-13
THE SONER AND THE SEED. :
SERMON BY THE REV. T.
E. PETERS.
A Good Congregation Was In At
tendance AT Both Morn
ing And Evening

Yesterday morning the Rev. L. f..
Peters, pastor of Maryland Avenue
NJ K. Church, preached from the text
found in Matthew. 18th chapter and
18th verse, 4" Behold sower went
forth to SOW He said in part:
This parable rests, like all other
parallels OF. Christ, on the common
doings of life. Christ always took
something in life by which TO illus
trate His lessons TO men. In all cases
the sower is the same and the seed is
the same, while the results are entire
ly different. The general lesson is
that no matter how great and how
wonderful the preaching the result is
dependent on the hearts of the
hearers.
1.-The emphasis is not laid ON the
sower nor on his seed. but on the soil.
It is the duty of the preacher TO pre-
pare the sermon for the people, but it
is just as necessary for the hearers TO
prepare their hearts for the reception
of the word. Let us notice the differ
ent soils and the different results in
each case The first case is the way
side. Some fell by the wayside. In
this case the seed did not go into tn e
ground. 1t did not have a place TO
take root and, therefore, perished.
So it is with many people who come
TO church, but their hearts are in such
condition that the word does not
affect them.
The second case Some fell on
stony ground This does not mean
piece of ground with few stones
scattered through it, but a place
where the soil is only thin covering
TO hard rock bed beneath. The seed
fell upon this aud sprang mp, but hav-
ing no nourishment, it soon withered
away and died. This is an example of
so many people who are superficial.
Their emotions are aroused for at ime,
but there is no sturdlness in them.
They soon forget and fall back. 1t is
natural for a man to have his emo
tiOns aroused when he has been con-
verted, when so great a change has
been wrought in him, but it is not al
ways.a sign Of true repentance and
change of life. when a mans emo
tions are stirred.
1.-The third case. Some fell on
thorny ground. Here was soil enough
and may be very good soil, but in
time the thorns grew up and destroy
ed the plant. These thorns are the
cares of life. The little business affairs
little social demands which are al
lowed to interfere with our religious
life. We talk about these and always
use them as an excuse for neglecting
the right. We never make the excuse
that our church demands our time
and that we must make our business
secondary. 1t is nearly always the
other way. We give the best of our
life TO our business and social affairs
and if there is any time left we give
it to God. We give Him the dregs.
The fourth class. This is the good
ground. 1t is the heart of the believ-
er. He tunes his heart to receive
God S message. He goes to hear it
because it is the will of God toward
him. He wants to hear it and hearing
it, takes God at His word and obey
Him. The seed grows up in him and
yields good fruit. This is the part
that will be saved. They know God
as their Father and trust and obeys
Him, finding delight in His law.
''Our business in this world is to
sow. w need not worry about the
result, but leave that with God. We
get our pay for the sowing. Many
of US sow, some even plow. Spurgeon
once said; That many plow so well
that God keeps them plowing all the
time. Let us labor for our Father
and leave the result with Him.