The farmer and mechanic., 1910-06-14

sis. Piles. Fistuia, Hernia, Rheuma-
tisn. etc. Send for illustrated circular.
things. Learn to brood. Null over
what has happened. Search out the
springs of human interest Yes, and
fin,1 a we'll within the breast Of self.
to satisfy when other waters fail. The
contemplative, self-resOurceful person
is brother to all the world.
The Farm and the Heart.
The stories Jesus told were true to
life. Therein they lacked the flavor
Of much modern illustrative material
They stood the test Of the hearers in
innate acquaintance with the facts.
The original was at hand. to prove
the reproduction. There at the backs
of the crowd. as Jesus spoke, was the
sower with his grain bag over his
shoulder; the beaten wayside path, in
lieu of a fence; underneath all was
the rock-not a rock or rocks. but
the substratum of rock which under
lies the region; and the th0rns had
left the proof Of their presence upon
the bare legs of nearly every hearer.
About all was the rich and prOduc-
tive good ground All who heard
it understood and appreciated the
facts of the parable; for those hearers
lived close to the soil.
Parabfes were used both to conceal
and to make plain the truth. These
people thought that they understood
the Master because he was talking
about farming. With respect to the
deeper meaning they were in the
plight pictured by Isaiah
BY hearing ye shall hear, and shall
ip no wise understand
And seeing we shall see, and shall in
no wise perceive:
For this peoples heart is waxed gross
And their ears are dull of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed"
The friends Of Jesus have a pecu-
liar privilege. He said to the dis
clples, Unto you it is given to know
the mysteries Of the kingdom Of
heaven. They who are closest to
the heart Of Christ best understand
the mind Of Christ. Discipleship is
the way to knowledge. Mere wisdo
Is no guaranty. Of spiritual perception
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain:
God is his own interpreter
And he will make it plain
There are many peculiar rewards
or friendship with Jesus, but none
greater than this one Of mutual un-
derstanding with him. His sheep know
his voice.
just as a husband or wife, or other
good friends. catch a meaning in a
look or phrase which strangers cam
not tathom, 50 the intimates of Christ
can read his purposes where all ia
dark to others
The Crop Of Character.
AS explained to those who had his
confidence, the parable Of the sower
represen nted the field ofthe human
neart 1t was one more Of those
miniature portraits Of life, such as
Jesus delighted to draw. It fitted
everybody everywhere at all times.
God cares for the fields Of earth. but
He cares most for the field which is
the human heart, and the crop which
is character
The seed Is the word. What a his
tory Is wrapped up in that short SEN
tence. The sowing of the word of God
has begotten harvests that have over
turned empires transformed peoples,
created different civilizations, and
made the world new. At least once a
year the preacher and Sunday school
teacher should explain the Importance
or the Bible to civilization and char
acter President Taft told the great
Sunday school crowd in Washington a
few weeks ago that all teaching is
vain without this. No nation that has
ever had the word OF God open to
all the people. has ever relapsed. into
barbarism. At the Washington con-
ventlon there was a huge pyramid of
Bibles, and on the top Of it a lighted
globe: the support and foundation of
an enlightened world is the Book Of
God
Some seed falls. ran the parable. on
Wayside soil. not receptive or fit for
growing. Pity the hearts over which