Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-09-22

usefulness have you planted for Christ
which are now bringing forth their
great clusters Of Eshcol grapes for the
heavenly wine press? Are most OK
your rich fields, rich In soils OF gospei
onnortunities, lying fallow and use
less?
Too often Neglected.
Too often we have not only neglected
to care for the vines which we ha'e
inherited from our Christian ancestors
and planted only here and there stray
vine In the broad, empty fields OK
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 whicn
have grown upon our vines In spite
of our neglect. We seem to say 10
our heavenly Father: God, L care SO
little for thee and thy glory that L
would not even lift finger to do good
TO those who are by my side. Nay,
will not speak even word to bring
nv children to thee or my huspano 10
thee or my father to thee or my
friends to thee. will let my neglected
vines grow their grapes and then drop
them to the ground. There l VIII let
them lie and rot and rot before VIII
carrv even one bunch Of them to the
gospel wine press" How easy 1t Is TO
find this sinful Indifference to Christ
symbolized In some OF the neglecteu
VINEYARDS Of southern California!
Is not this fact true In your lifeT You
know your little boy wants to become
a Christian. His very face shows that
he has your godly mothers consecrated
blood I'm his veins. You see her looks
there more every day. About three
weeks ago he came home from Sunday
school and told you about his lessons.
If I remember right, it was about the
narable of the householder who had
rich grape producing soil He planted
q VINEYARD therein and let 1t out to tne
husbandmen. Then he went off into a
far country But when the time OK
grapes had come these husbandmen
stole the vineyard from its owner ana
killed his messengers who came 10
collect the rent Then at last they
killed his only begotten Son, who was
Jesus Christ.
You will recOlIect how sweetly the
boy told you the story. Then win
his deep blue eyes he looked up into
YOUR face as he said, Papa, will you
let me join the church and give my
heart to Jesus" What did you tell
him? You quickly answered: Char
lev. you are not old enough. wait
few years and then you can" Then he
looked up at you again. This time his
,, face looked more to you like your
sainted mothers than ever before, ana
, he said: But, papa, you are old
enough. Why do you not join the
church and pray as Harry's rather
prays?" Then he said to you: Papa,
do YOU suppose when I get to be
= great big man Ike yeu are L wont
want to go to church any more than
Z Won do? Then will 1 want to leave
j Sunday school and stay home from
church every Sunday morning and read
the newspapers as you do ana let
mamma 20 to church alone" Was II
0 the child alone pleading with you for
Christ Was it your sainted motherF
Tell me, man, are you going 10 let
1t those rich clusters of grapes ripen IN
?. your gospel vineyard and not be pluck
o ed? o man, will you not learn TO-
day the Christ lesson of the husband
II man who planted the vineyard and let
d il out to the husbandmen, which. your
y little boy learned in his Sunday schoolf
A Word of Caution.
y One other word of caution. Some
+ men are busy In the Sunday school, and
u we thank God for such helpers. Some
u are regularly at church and at the
1t mayer meeting, and most deyoutly does
Is the pastor rejoice over such members
u But do not neglect your own vineyards
C. When your children grow up let them
II not have to say, "My father was never
T. at home; he did not do anything for my
b, religious training" May you never
ot have to say in your old age, my son Is
Or n yagabond and wanderer; my daugh'
" ter has forgotten the covenant or her
III God. They made me keeper of the
to VINEYARDS. but my own vineyard have
e not kept"
Would YOU not like to plant again
to and care for your gospel vineyards
We which will bring to you such JOY, such
IS peace, such comfort and such eternal
on results? All, yes, the gospel vineyards
RI always bring forth a sure crop. Ihls
to crop is to be yours forever If you ass
nd Christ to help you replant and deyelo1
at your neglected gospel vineyards.
er rCopyright, 1906, by Louis Klopschl
ng ------,--rr
NJ San Francisco's Suffering Churches'
M The religious denominations In com
be mon with all other interests SUFFERED
80 heavily in the San Francisco disaster
90 oord,n,, 70 tha nuhlished lists, nearly