The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-03
The Two Sewers.
(selocted for Tbe Ttmos.p,sna

|
o Is. ~ "S"' 80 ''' Nh
! There are two covers and two kind
OF seed in this parable, but only one
field: and that field is the world. The
sewers are tho Son of Man and the
Devil; the seeds are the wheat and
tares .,
The field belongs to the Son of Man
He made It. and He redeemed It, 1.-THE
enemy has no part or parcel In 1T: yet
he comes to do Ills mischief by stealth
and cunning. He works while men
sleep. He is tho enemy of the Son of
Man. and his desire is twofold--to choke
the good seed and to fill the field with
tares. The parable shows him as full
Of enmIty. :cunning. determination, pa
tience and confidence. All this we find
brought out by the simple expression,
Gle went his way WHY?
| He did not wish to be seen or known.
J He came In tho dark sand loft in the
| dark lie came while men slept and he
| went ere they awoke. lie did not care
for the fame of doing 1t. All he cared
for was that it should be done.
How different from US. We care more
about the honor OF doing a thing than
the work itself. But satan Is single
eyed in his evil work. He does his
work unknown. He steals quietly to
and from his work. without noise or
display. He does not want to excite
fear or alarm In the servant of the
Master by his visible presence that
would defeat his object
1t is with an Invisible devil that we
have 10 do. Mighty. but unseen; the
ruler of darkness and dark deeds, low
Ing darkness. dwelling and working in
1t. Surely we need to watch, whether
in keeping our own vineyard or that
of others!
lie had done his work. It might be
on larger or smaller scale--that mat
tered not. 1t would not require re-
sowing. The sower had done all that
as a sower. he could do; ana so 'he
went his way"
He had confidence in his seed 1t
was the true seed of hell. 1t would
not fail. 1t was sure to spring up
sooner or later. So he went his way"
All! what confidence does this en-
hiht in the vitality of error. Have we
the same confidence in the life OF truth?
DO we speak it and use it as those who
trust and know its power?
He had confidence in the soil. The
soil had not been meant for error: but
the curse was on 1t, and its fruitful
ness had become fruitfulness in evil
In cursed soil his seed would be sure
to terminate and flourish. The soil
was evil and the seed was evil. None
knew this better than this enemy; the
soil would not fail him So he went
his way"
He had confidence in the atmosphere.
He is the prince of the power OF the
air; the ruler of the darkness in this
world. II is on the air as much as
the SOIL that tho harvest depends. lie
knows the peculiar elements with
which this atmosphere is filled; how it
is charged with all that fosters evil:
how it viii nourish the tares, so that
they VIII grow without fail, even
though the wheat should die So he
went his way"
He had other work to do. IIo is not
omnipresent nor omniscient lie goes
up and down. in the earth, walking to
and fro. doing his vile work here ana
there. He does not abide in ono place;
he visits place after place In succession:
he never folds his hands nor shuts his
eyes; he knows no night; he needs no
slumber 1ncessant work, all round and
round the globe, in every Kingdom, in
every church, In every soul. He has al
ways something on handsome new
error; some new departure from tho
faith some new higher criticism; some
delusion to lead away and deceive.
Sometimes tho prince of darkness, some
tinos tho angel of light; always tho
god of this world always the prince
of the power of the air.
His first lie was whispered in the
ear anu MS llrSI SEED was SOWn IN the
heart OF our first parents; and oh, what
fruit OF evil has it borne. What tares
has 1t produced! Since that time he
has been sowing constantly his tare-
producing seed. And so will he con-
tinue to do till the Lord comes to find
him.
Oh. what an enemy we havo hore to
fight! What strength, what subtlety,
what wiles. what perseverance,! How
he works! How he sows! Error upon
error; a little seed at first, YET pro-
ducing a vast harvest OF error ana sin;
n race of evil-doers, evil thinkers evil
speakers, perverters OF the truth ene-
mics of God-nelds of tares, yet so like,
among the wheat, that man cannot dis
Germ the difference,
But the harvest will decide; for an
gels arc tho reapers. and God Is tho
Judge. The tares will be gathered first
and bound In bundles to be burned,
but the wheat gathered into tho barn.