Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-09-22


with me. They made me keeper Of the
vineyards. but mine own vineyard have
not kept" That Is the word picture
Of Il son who has been left the executor
Of his fathers estate. The last sick
ness has come The funeral Is over.
The will has been read The will goes
something thiswsc: This is my last
will aud testament. II ! should be
called suddenly away. ! leave all my
vineyards To my children. share and
share alike. Hut that these properties
may bc made To pay their maXimums,
| leave my oldest son rs the executor
VI the whole estate. He Is 10 prunc the
vineyards aud cultivate them and
market the fruit and divide the pro-
Feeds with the other children until
they become of age and can care for
their own" The eldest son is con
scicntious. He takes care Of the vine
yards of his brothers and sisters. culti-
waiting and pruning them. and brings
them To 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
one sided policy. the neglect Of one
duty To perform another; MS the
teacher. SO attentive To the progress
of his own pupils that he neglccts his
own development and falls behind his
time. or the preacher intent OH the wei
fare OF his flock. while his own sons,
who had the first claim ON him. are
neglected and 20 TO ruin.
The Life of Vine.
How long do the grapcvines live"
| asked an old grape grower. DO they
have II comparatively short life, like
that Of the peach tree. which. rs Il
horse dies from old age anywhere
between fifteen and twenty years. Do
they live OH and on, as the walnut tree,
hearing even after IL has reached the
century mark" | had the owner of
the greatest walnut ranch IN southern
California tell me that in Harlem.
new w Ia lllflt WIS klOh AAiN "a hANA0A
tree over hundred years old. He
went To visit IL some time ago. because
II was said TO be- growing upon city
lot where the owner was soon tn cut II
down MS lie intended 10 build an
apartment house Oh that lot. And he
furthermore told me that this tree was
bearing just as good walnuts ut the
time he saw it rs any walnut tree on
his ranch. Well" answered this vine
yard grower. that depends. If a vine
yard is taken care of the vines seem
10 have no age limit. There are in
southern California grape bearing
vines which were planted 10y the In
dams under the old Spanish regime"
but what If man neglectS his vine
yard or waters II too much:" If a
man tries to force vines grapes and
does not allow il 10 sink its roots deep
enough into the soil, that vineyard
will die. In other words, If Il 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 iiherS 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 folks We're not diligcnt-
~ at work In caring for their gospel
vineyards Your father never started
Il days work unless lie first gathered
his family about him and said. Come.
children. let us ask God to help us
prune our vineyards OF all seltishncss
aud sim" Then. that good man was
not satisfied with simply walking
through his vineyard and sticking out
an arm here and hand there. ana
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
imperfections. As he cut ana slashed
NJ the evil nature OF his own heart. did
he not keep saying. 20 Lord. help me
to cut away all the evil tendrllS of my
sinful life:"
When the springtime comes. the rich'
green. tender shoots begin 10 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 10 keep the
four legged pests out, When the army
worms marshal their hosts by the
thousands aud the millions aud the bill
lions aud move forward to annihilate
those vineyards. the owners Of the
vineyards build their deep. wide
trenches about their precious fruits
so that these worm deStroyers cannot
get in. as the cavalier of mediacval
times had his moats filled with water
about his walled castle To keep the
enemies out. When the rich grapes
come. the vineyard owner has his
armed men. as scntincls. continually
La, Ia, xsfn "A