Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-09-21

we nave peen cfoSe friendS Tor years.
Having a few weeks to rest up before
the January and February pruning"
you come to make me n visit. With
great pride I take you through my
vineyards, to show you their richness.
1 say: "Yes, those are fine vines. My
father planted them City years ago.
He lived here and died here. These
vines Were his one thought. He nut
his best lifeblood into their develop
ment." On the way back to the house
we climb bill and point out to you
the extent OF my property. do you
see all those vines at our feet? Well.
they are all mine. Do you see those
posts running down from yondcr hills
clear into the center of the valley by
those broad fields? Well, all that land
Is mine. Do you see those fields to the
east, and that juttlng OF rock yonder?
We'll. all that landis mine. There is
no soil In all this region which is richer
and better than those broad fields of
mine" "Oh," you say to me. then
your father only cultivated q small
part Of his ranch. The vines were only
planted in a small area OF the land
which he owned"
Yes" / reply. while father lived
the vineyard growers did not know "a
much about grape F1ising as we do
now. Our forefathers did not have the
system we have. Wire fences were
not invented at that time. They did
not know as much about pruning and
cultivating. Besides that, this country
was so sparsely settled fifty years ago
that 1t would have been impossible to
nave gathered enough workmen at
one time to have picked the grapes on
the vines when they we're ripe. That
work has to be done very quickly.
Then. IL my father had been able to
pick all these grapes there were SO few
people living In southern California at
that time that there would have been
no markets for the grapes after they
had been picked. Thus my father only
planted tenth part of his ranch into
Vineyards" Then you say: But con-
ditions have changed. Why do you not
change? Why do you continue TO let
all these fields lie idle because your
father did; He had a reason for this
faIlow land. You have none. Do you
not realize that God holds you to ac-
count not only for taking care OF your
fathers vineyards, but also for plant
ing new vineyards of your ownY' All.
you are right. You are right I am not
only to be held accountable to God for
carrying on the good work which INV
Christian father and mother did. but
l am also TO be held accountable to
him to do new work on my own &C.
count and to plant new vineyards.
IT Is OF infinite Importance not to
neglect the old gospel vines which have
been carefully cultivated by our Chris
tian ancestors. Butts that any reason
to neglect new fields OF gospel labor :?
John Knox led his gospel mission to
the court OF Mary. queen OF Scots, and
he did great and good work, but thai
other mighty Scotchman. Alexander
Dun. was not content with serving
his own country, but proceeded to cuI.
tivate new gospel vineyards and went
as foreign missionary TO India. The
Bedford allegorist, John Bunyan. was
willing TO anguish In Jail because they
would not let him preach as a noncon-
formist minister. but that other great
nonconformist English preacher, Will
liam Booth. resolves TO break away
from his Methodist brethren in order
to lead the Salvation Army In its Cos
pei mission among the slums and to
the outcasts OF the world. Abraham
Lincoln signed the emancipation proc
Iamation for the American slave
Booker T. Washington resolves to take
another step forward and lead his
negro compatriots into the higher
realms OF domestic purity and me.
chanicai aud agricultural usefulness
AID Christian citizenship. Our Chris
tisn mothers believed as Paul com.
manded the ancient disciples In his
Corinthian epistle. LET your women
keep silence In church, for 1t Is not per.
mitted unto them TO speak, but their
daughters will not be debarred from
service, so they find work for q
Frances e.. Willard and Frances
.Havergal and Susan b. Anthony and
"A Maud Booth and for thousn nds upon
thousands OF noble wJSnen a nd young
girls. who are pleading for Christ In
our midweek prayer meetings. and who
are working In our rescue missions.
and who are the leaders OF our social
settlements. our Christian Endeavor.
societies and our Epworth leagues.
oh, my dear friends, our Christian
fathers and mothers did mighty work
for Christ In the times In which they
lived. But what greater gospel work
are you doing? What further mission.
airy fields are you reaching? Is the so.
cial Outcast problem nearer being
solved than when your Christian ances.
tors died? Are the black man and the
yellow man and the red man and the
peasant and the saloon keeper nearer
to Christ than they were half a cen.
fury ago? What new vines OF gospel
usefulness have you planted for Christ
which are now bringing forth their
great clusters of Eshcol grapes for the
heavenly wine press? Are most of
your rich fields, rich In soils of gospel
opportunities. lying fallow and use
less?
Too Often Neglected.
Too often we have not only neglected
to care for the vines which we have
inherited from our Christian ancestors
and planted only here and there a stray
vine In the broad, empty fields OF
gospel opportunities, but our sins of
omission do not end here. After we
have neglected our gospel vineyards
We have been too Indifferent and lazy
to gather. the clusters OF grapes which
have grown upon. our, vines in spite
Of cur neglect. We seem to say to
our heavenly. Father: God, l care SO
little for thee and thy glory that l
would not even lift finger to do good
10 those who are by my aide. Nay, II
Will not speak even word to bring