The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-07-24

NIilt III Giltcf Encouragement 81 Il'n
declaring thai he had no sense Of
justice and TRUTH that they are con
trollcd by political a~utagonism ana
literary hostility and blindness.
If you would read 4 fins interpreta-
tive essay on him. read Peter Baync's
discussion in his Essays in biography
and Criticism" (seCOEd scries) pub
lishcd in 1883. lie was Il very gifted
Scotch author. He says. while Brit
ain lasts, English history Will b. bet
ter known than heretofore: for while
Britain lasts. Macauiay's ESSAYS Ii
Macau!ay's History Of England Will be
I read"
If a reflective preacher of the Gospel
were in search &c good themes for the
pulpit. he could find not only one ser
mon, but many sermons. in the para
bic of the Sewer. 1t is permissible for
a laynlan to touch upon me OF two
points suggested by it, for he Wouid
do good and cdify as wei as the
faithful c~Xpou7dcr of Gods uncrrinG
truth. This story, drawn from nature
and a common life Of toll, contains.
like all the Masters marvellous par
able$, profound spiritual truth. Their
were four kinds of ground upon which
the seeds of truth 1t Waysiie
stony places, among thorns and on
good ground. The first was a beaten
pathway, the second where the soil
was very. very thin; the third where
the ground Wa covered With thOrnS;
the last was upon soil duly prepared
for secd-SoWing. The Saviour explains
Ills parable. Attend! The Wayside
hearcr did not have the seed in his
heart. His inattention. his ~prcjudlce.
his self-righteouSncss, his folly, his foi
gctfuinCsS-cauSed by the wicked one
working upon an evil and receptive ms
ture-cauSCd him to lose the seeds "
truth and the consequent harvest Of
blessings. The S~tony-ground hearers
has no root and the first interest and
joyous emotions soon disappear, and
then instability returns and falling
away they droOp and die. There IS IN
them no lasting principle Of life
they are emotional, quickly receptive.
impresS:onable. but they have no pro-
found convictions no deep cOmpunc-
tons fcr sin, no abiding principle 1t
is quite easy for such persons to turn
back to the "bcggarly element I'M
der the first stress OF persecution n
disappointment and temptation. These
are StonN-grOund hearers, and 1t Is
lamentable To say there are many
such. The thorny-Sround hearers are
those who make 4 god of this perish
ing world, make riches and pleasure
the true end of being, live only for
This life, II try to satisfy the inn
mortal soul and its vast lon&in&s with
huskS and n~OthinGnesS with the
tia1lSlIpIN JOYS Oh lllIo lp'pl, tltiiS 4
that die in the using. They are un-
faithful. die ana are lost. THE soul
that sinncth. it shall die 1t IS in
powerful contrast to al this. that it is
only those who receive the seed n
honest. faithful, abiding, trusting
s%aVingIy converted to God-Who have
been born Of the Holy Spirit and
washed in the blood of the Lamb-
Who have sure foundations, basic
principles. and q profound love of
God, sure and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. faith
centers in the Cross. who ave faith
that works by love" and 'puriies
the heart."-Who have a true, abiding
confidence, With faith deep and pure
and earnest love. that bind them to
Christ-these, and these only, are
the fruitful hearers, whose life Is hid
with Christ in Cod" who grow i'll
grace and the love and knowledge Of
God, and who "lorifN and serve thelr
Maker until the end Of the Daortal
pilgrimage and the earthly conflict.
There is nothing trucr than that God
Will save the soul that leans upon the
promises of Christ and is governed by
religious principle. 1t is equally true
that those who are worldly and carnal-
iy-mindcd, and whose religion IS an
impulse, an emotion, Il sentiment, q
form, will drOOD and perish because
it is an inflcXiblc principle and law OF
God that 'WOrldiy cares and worldly
riches make souls poor in spiritual
fruits May God in mercy help as to
receive the good seeds of His eternal
truth into hearts prepared by the
| Holy Spirit. that they may bring
forth the p%eaceaIle fruits Of righte-
0usness.' May this brief discussion be
as good seed in zones hearts and
prove a blessing to some aching heart.
to some inquiring soul.
TbiDkiu0 9hOuf the eminent authors
born in the greatest city in all the
world. and by far the greatest that has
ever been in all time, London, | was
rather surprised that | found but 50
few from the time of William Cowper
to the time of A. G. ~SWinburnc. the
greatest poet in the world at this time.
The period Covered is probably some
one un1red and twenty years. The
number is really small, but important.
If get them correctly they are Lord
Byron. Leigh Hunt. Thomas Hood
charles Lamb. Robert Browning. Eliz-
abeth Barrett Browning, Dante Gabriel
Rossetti. as he is generally known. his
yerv gifted sister. Christina RoSetti, in
all probability the foremost female
| poet in all English literature except
Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett browning,
Holm Henry Newman, and Frederick
Robertson. There are probably some
other poets and many Of distinction Of
that special era. but they have es-
capped me. But the poets named were
of high rank and splendid gifts. There
We're five distinguished Ehsllsh auth
ors born very close Observation-Disclosures
Reade. in 1914: Anthony TrOllope. III
1915. Emily Bronte. in 1916: Charles
Kingsley. in 1917; and Mary
Ann Evans C"George Elliott }, in 1919.
Mrs. Gaskill. author of two remark
| able works, was born lnlo'o. Her