The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-06-16
The Parable of
the Sower
Sunday School Lesson for June 10, 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper

Il
Memory verse. 49,
GOLDEN TEXT.-"wherefore putting
away all ilthiness and overflowing of
wickedness, receive with weakness the
implanted word which is able to save
your sous."-- 1871 Or. W.
T1ME.-The autumn of A. d. %, six
months before the last lesson.
PLACE. -BeAide the Sea Of Galllee
probably near Capernsum.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
When a Boat Became Pulpit.-Vs
1-3a. When was this parable spoken7
THE same day,"-a day of which we
have conspicuously full record, when
Jesus healed the blind and dumb
demoniac. Matt. 49, 22-45), and had
discussion with some scribes from
Jerusalem. When his mother and
brothers sought him Matt. 12 46.50),
he proclaimed his disciples as his
kindred. Then, leaving the house, he
went on TO the seashore, and there
spoke series Of seven parallels.
Who made up Christ's audience?
Great multitudes," "out OF every
city," as Luke says Christ had been
teaching and healing in all their cities
Uuke 8: u, and hundreds must have
followed the great rabbi and miracle.
worker, to see more wonders or to
gain new blessings for themselves or
their dear ones
What was Christ's pulpit? The
crowd was so great that. in order to
gain a vantage ground whence he
could be seen and heard, our Lord en-.
tered a boat
What was Christ's sermon? "He
spake many things unto them in para.
bles These seven parables MARK
adds an eighth) "are a great whole.
setting forth the mystery of the king
dom In its methods of establishment
its corruption, its outward and inward
growth, the conditions of entrance into
1t, and its final publication. Alex
ander Maclaren. The first parable is
fittingly an illustration of how the
Kingdom gets foothold-or fails to-
In human hearts and lives. through
good and bad listening. It is less "the
parable of the sower" than "the para
BILE of the ground" that is offered to
the sower.
Four Kinds of Ground-Vs. 3b-9
What scene had Christ in mind as the
basis of the parable? "a sower went
forth 10 SOW"
What Is the first kind of ground on
which the seed fell? "The way side"
for gralnfields in Palestine are seldom
fenced, and both pedestrians and
beasts of burden use freely the narrow
paths intersecting them. The ground.
of course, is beaten hard. and the seed
that falls there remains conspicuously
on the surface.
What is the second kind OF ground =?
Stony places, where they had not
much earth"
What is the third kind of ground? {?
"Some fell among thorns."
How did the seed fare I'm that soil
The thorns sprung up. and choked
them"
What is the fourth kind of ground
Good ground" rich, responsive and
permanently productive. OF course.
most of the seed fell upon such soil.
How did the seed fare in this
ground? ut brought forth fruit. some
an hundredfold. some sixtyfold, some
thirtyfold"
Four Kinds of Hearers.-Vs. 1929.
Why did the disciples seek an ex.
planation of the parable? II seems
simple and clear to us only because
we are so familiar with the interpre
taton. Really, II was susceptible of
many meanings.
Who is the sower? Again, as in the
next parable, the Son OF man; but he
is the head farmer, and all Christians
are to be farmers under him.
What is the seed? "The word of
the kingdom" whatever utterance or
act has to do with the coming of the
Kingdom of heaven on earth
What is the soil? II is the heart of
man, which responds to the truth I'm
many ways.
Who are wayside hearers? Those
that do not understand "the word of
the kingdom"
What befalls the truth In such
hearts? "Then cometh the wicked
one," Satan, the reality of whose
existence and baneful activity our
Lord so often avouches, and catcheth
away that which was sown.
Who are the stony ground hearers ?
They make an advance over the first
class, for they receive the word, and
even with joy; but they obey It only
to certain extent and for short
time When obedience to 1t gets
them into trouble.
Who are the thorny ground hear.
ers? Those In whose hearts the word
of truth is choked by the care of this
world, the deceitfulness of riches,
and, as Mark adds, "the lust other
things"
Who are the good ground hearers
Those that hear the word and take
II In, receive 1t In an honest and good
heart, hold II fast, and bring forth
fruit with patience CLuke S:15, +. W.
How can any heart become good
ground? By yielding itself TO the in.
fiuence of Gods Holy Spirit 4
M good oaad an..olo A. nttt l.