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

time, or the preacher intent on the well
fare OF his flock, while his own sons,
who had the first claim on him. are
neglected and so to ruin.
The Life OF n Vine.
How long DO the grapeylnes liver
asked an old grape grower. do they
have comparatively short life, like
that OF the peach tree, which, as a
horse. dies from old age anywhere
between fifteen and twenty years? Do
they live ON and on. as the walnut tree
bearing even after II has reached the
century markr' I had the owner Of
the greatest walnut ranch In southern
California tell me that In Harlem
New York. there was growing walnut
tree over. a. hundred years old. He
went to ylsitlt SOME time ago, because
1t was said 10 be growing upon q city
lot where the owner was soon to cut It
down. as he Intended to build an
apartment houSe on that lot. And he
'furthermere told me that this tree was
bearing just as good wainuts at the
time he saw II as any walnut tree on
his ranch. well answered this vine
yard grower, that depends. II 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 II too much?'' 'If a
man tries to force vines grapes and
does not allow 1t 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 ] 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 Alright? 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 n day in which
those dear old folks were not dlligent-
ly at work in caring for their gospel
vineyards. Your father never started
a days work unless he first gathered
his family about him and said, Come
children, let us ask God to help us
prune our vineyards of all selfishness
and sim" Then, that good man was
not satisfied with simply walking
through his vineyard aud sticking out
an arm here and hand there, and
with the pruning shears cutting of
this bad vine and that dead wood,
but he got right down on his knees
In order to be able better to see his
imperfectious. As he cut and sla shed
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
thousands and the millions and the bill
lions and move forward to annibilato
those vineyards. the owners or tho
vineyards bulld their deep. wide
trenches about their precious fruits
SO that these worm destroyers cannot
get In, ms the cavalier OF medieval
times had his meats filled with water
about his walled castle to keep the
enemies out When the rich grapes
ha x-fn ri h,e. ~
armed nep, as sentinels, continually
moving In and out among the vines to
drive away the quail that would eat
up the young grapes. Thus did your
Christian father and mother continu-
ally build their spiritual wire fences
and dig their bitches and fight away
3 the little foxes OF evil and the quail
or temptations which would come to
destroy their spiritual vineyards. Did
they not daily lift between themselves
and the world the precious promises
Scf Godf Aye. they literally soaked their
lives In the commandments OF God. SO
that they could not be tempted by any
temptations greater than they could
bear.
sl,.e.ti A Better InAerftanee.
Do not tell me that when your Chris.
tian father died he left you no Inherit
ance. You say. when he died the
farm went TO my elder BROTHER But
your fathers greatest asset was not IN
his farm. You say. "He had little
mfuey-a few thousand dollars-but he
left all that TO my mother and invalid
sister," But your fathers estate had
more than money. You inherited his
spiritual vineyard. You have inner
tied his example of Christian life
well lived. You have Inherited the ex-
ample OF the joy and peace which come
20 a noble CHRISTIAN man who, In every
word he speaks and In every deed he
does. speaks and lives for God. Am I
wrong in declaring that the vineyards
which hive come to you arc Inherited
vineyards? Your inherited spiritual
vineyards are as old as the prayers
your. father made on the day he first
kneit at the communion of the Lords
supper They are as old as the pray
ers he made on the day he dedicated
you to God when you were baptized at
the church affairs. They are as old as
the prayers, he made Tor you at the
family altar on the day you left the
old Homestead. They are as old. as the
blessing and benediction he gave when
he put his trembling hand upon your
head ON the day he died. when he said,
MY boy, gave you to God when you
We're born; give you to God now that
l must leave you to stand before the
Judgment seat Of Christ" Oh, my
friends. what spiritual blessing has
been yours! Your gospel vines were
NOT planted last week or last year.
You have an inherited gospel vineyard. |