Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-05-02
c AN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
BEGINNING May g.

BY REV. S. II. DOYLE.
Topic.-Among the wheat or the tares-
where am I?--Matt. xiii, 1890 (Consecra-
tion meeting9
The parable of the tares is one that
Is easily understood and also easy of
Interpretation 1t is one of the sad
parallels of Christ. 1t sets forth the
fact that God has an enemy and the
further fact that man has an enemy
willing and desiring TO destroy his soul.
An enemy of the body is bad enough,
but an adversary of the soul is infinite
" worse. God sows wheat. but amid
this very wheat sown by God Satan
sows tares, and tares are not only
worthless in themselves, but also in
furious 10 the best development of the
wheat. But to bodily uproot the tares
endangers the very life of the wheat,
and hence Christ declares that wheat
and tarcs are to be allowed to grow
until the harvest, when they can safely
be separated.
The parable of the tareS seems to
declare against all discipline in the
church. But this cannot be its signifi-
canoe Discipline is clearly taught in
other portions of the Scriptures, and
Scripture cannot contradict Scripture,
for that would be God contradicting
Himself. which is an utter impossible
fly. 1t must mean, therefore, that
there must be a patient tolerant spirit
In the church of Christ because of the
impossibility of having perfectly pure
church in this world and because ex-
IRENE intolerance always does more
harm than good. Not every trivial of
Tense must be made q subject of dis
cipline by the church. No standard
of perfection is to be set up or de-
manded. II so the church would soon
have no members and no adherents,
for no one lives a perfect life.
The weakness of human nature is to
be taken into consideration and instead
OF the church being in continual agi-
tation by the disciplinement of its mem
bers it is to be cautious and eonserva-
tive, forbearing and long suffering try
ing to win back by ''the spirit Of meek
ness" all who have gone astray. The
church is not infallible. What seems
to 1t to be tares may be wheat, and
what seems to be wheat is very often
found TO be but tares. The apostles
may have been suspicious of Judas,
but they waited for God to expel him
from their fellowship. The early
church may have had some doubts as
to the character of Ananias and Sap
phira, but it waited for God to expose
them and to punish them
The topic puts the question Of wheat
and tares where it should be put. There
always have been and are today in our
churches and Endeavor societies two
classes of MEMBERSHIP good and the
bad. And each one should answer for
himself the question as to which class
he belongs. We ourselves know or can
know by self examination whether we
are wheat or tares. We know our mo-
tives in confessing Christ. We know
why we are members OF Christ's
church. We know the kind of lives
that We are living and whether our
hearts are really right with God or not.
Let us search ourselves deeply and
pass judgment only upon ourselves and
leave the Judgment of others where it
belongs-with God. Ask yourself the
question in the most searching way
possible, Am / wheat or tares? If
wheat, thank God and do more for
Him. If tares. do not even pull your
self out of Gods vineyard God can
transform tares into wheat In any
field he could make the stubbles and
thistles good grain. Desire that He
transform you. ASK Him to do so, and
He will do it, and you'll be no longer
hindrance to the growth Of others.
but help to them. Do it, and do il
now.
BIBLE READINGS.
Job Xxx, 40; Dan. xii, 2. 8; Matt. vi.
III; vii, 1-e; XIV, 31-46: John V, IS, 20;
Acts V, Ill; l Tim. iv, Is; Pet il,
1-3; Rev. iii, /.