The Monmouth inquirer., 1906-09-20

DuO tAtOoO shy CO MCiC lDI iue1i
size and sweg mess as well as for their
quantity Th us we have not only a
great lndust ry from which to draw
our sermon ic comparisons. but W.
also have he grapes, which formed
one of thu, chief Industries of the
Hebrew Ice. Mine own vineyard
have 1 MOI kept should offer vital
theme forf all Christians.
The words which introduce my tex;
are: "Mylmother's children are angry
with me- They made me l.eeper Of the
vineyards, Sbut mine own vineyard have
1 not keptT That is Tie word picture
of son who has been left the executor
ii ii5 fathers estate. The last sick
ness has come The funeral is over.
The.will has been read IT, will goes
something thuswise: This is my last
will and testament If l should be
called suddenly away, | leave all my
vineyards to my children, share and
share alike. But that these properties
may be made to pay their maximulns,
leave my Oldest son as the executor
VI lilC W llOlC GStfflt. lie Is u DTNile+ the
vineyards and cultivate them and
market the fruit and divide the pro
ceeds with the other children until
they become Of age and can care for
their own" The eldest son is con
scientious He takes care of the vine
yards Of his brothers and sisters, cult
waiting and pruning them, and brings
them to a high state of development.
Each Of the vineyards goes out of his
hands. as one brother or sister after
another comes of age. The eldest son
then discovers that while he was car
ing for those other vineyards his own
vineyard has fallen into ruin. The
writer is describing the folly of Al
one sided policy. the neglect of one
duty to perform another; as the
teacher so attentive to the progress
of his own pupils that he neglects his
own development and falls behind his
fime or the preacher Intent on the vel
fare Of his flock, while his own sons,
who had the first claim on him, are
neglected and go to ruin.
The Life of Vine.
How long do the grapeyines liver"
asked an old grape grower. do they
have a comparatively short life. like
that of the peach tree, which, as
horse, dies from old age anywhere
between fifteen and twenty years? Do
they live on and on, as the walnut tree,
bearing even after it has reached the
century mark? z" | had. the owner of
the greatest walnut ranch in southern
California tell me that in Harlem,
New York, there was growing walnut
tree over hundred years old. He
went to visit it some time ago, because
1t was said to be growing upon a city
lot where the owner was soon to cut 1t
down, as he intended to build an
apartment house on that lot. And he
furthermore told me that this tree was
bearing just as good walnuts at the
time he saw it as any walnut tree on
his ranch We'll" answered this vine
yard grower, that depends. If a vine
yard is taken care of the vines seem
to have no age limit. There are In
southern California grape bearing
vines which were planted by the In
dams under the old Spanish regime
But what il man neglectS his vine
yard or waters it too much?' IF
man tries to force a vines grapes and
does not allow it to sink its roots deep
enough into the soil, that vineyard
will die In other words, If a man
cares for his vineyards Alright they
have practically no age limit. With
my eyes l have seen luscious grapes
growing on vines over ninety years
old" This was the testimony OF the
grape grower Did not your Christian,
godly parents care for their gospel
vineyards arightT Did they not let the
roots sink deep enough into the ground
to bury their fibers in the rich soil
which lies deep under the Calvary
cross?
Looking back over the long years of
your childhood and young manhood,
you cannot think of day in which
those dear old felix's were not diligent-
" at work In caring for their gospel
vineyards. Your father never started
q Gay S WOrk unless ne HTSt SdlueEcu
his family about him and said, Come,
children, let us ask God to help us
prune our vineyards of all selfishness
and sin" Then, that good man was
not satisfied with simply walking
through his vineyard and sticking out
an arm here and hand there, and
with the pruning shears cutting off
this bad vine and that dead wood,
but he got right down on his knees
in order to be able better to see his
imperfectiens. AS he cut and slashed
at the evil nature of his own heart, did
he not keep saying 20 Lord, help me
to cut away all the evil tendrils of my
sinful life?'
When the springtime comes. the rich,
green. tender shoots begin to grow,
upon which the rabbits love to feast
To prevent this injury, the wise owner
of the vineyards builds his wire fences
clear around the vineyard to keep the
four legged pests out When the army
worms marshal their hosts by the
and the millions and the bill
lions and move forward to annihilate
those vineyards, the owners of the
VINEYARDS build their deep, wide