Newark post., 1910-06-15

the shade of hte gravel, or lies softly
on the thin earth over the rock. The
rain vets il, swells it. 1t starts to
grow. Its roots seek some hold in
earth. There is none. The sun shines
hot That ends it. There are plenty
OF such persons. They wilt when the
blast OF heat comes. An easy gospel
suits such. a hard gospel they cannot
endure. Persecution is not pleasant
Faith that can only be held at cost OF
personal comfort is not liked by stony
ground hearers. Give us an easy gos-
pei. They cry as did men in prophet
days. "Prophesy unto us smooth
tn ngs." Do you-know any such church
members' How much will church
full Of members of such sort accom-
plish?
vs.. y The soil was all right in this
verse. But it was full OF seed already
Thorn roots were in possession. This
ties were thrifty The. seed was sown
ere the thorny ground had fully devel
oped its rhorny, thirsty occupants.
They were there, and they sprang up
and choked the grain. That is very
plain 49,. James M. Barklcy declared
in his sermon before the last General
Assembly that the money curse was
running the Church Do you know
any one who is troubled by the cares
of this world? The people who worry
seem often to be i'll the majority. 1t is
impossible to do good service for God
or man if one worries about ones own
life all the time Many a man who
might be useful worries himself with.
nothingness
The deceitiulness oi riches was
understood by Jesus in his day. 1t was
nothing then TO what it is now. Wealth
makes many person believe that
wrong is right. The only right which
wealth gives a man IS the right to do
right with his wealth. Many man
who was good and useful when poor
becomes arrogant. imperious, useless
to all good when he has acquired
wealth. Wealth is not the devil; but ii
sometimes sends a man to him.
vs.. q. Four kinds OF hearers. This
last kind is worth while. 1t is the
class that per<,tuates truth in the
world. Think OF it. One Christian
| one real one. or hundred more. l.
there was one OF each kind in a church
the three could add to the Christian
| members oi that church one hundred
ninety in their lifetime.
Who are those who thus bear fruit!
| They who hear and understand. Ears,
| brains and action must be combined
| "Understand' is a singular word. II
| does not mean 'Stand-under. II
| means, get to the centre OF a thing.
| 1t means. know all there is to know
| about a thing" 1t means spiritual
| 4, h., I've,
| considered is divine truth.
| There are tNo kinds OF hearing. One
| is "car-hearing" The other is heart
hearing" The good-ground hearer be-
| longs to those who hear i'll this sec
| ond way.
| Is 10 possible to change thorny
| ground into good ground? Yes. II you
can dig up the thorns. That is the
Sunday school teachers trouble. We
| all have thorny ground boys, and stony
ground girls. Precious little good
ground is in our classes as rule.
There is some, always some. But we
should carry the spade and pick, and
the msttock and scythe with lis every
Sunday.
1t is not necessary to say this les
son teaches" You who have thought
fully read what is written and com
pared it with the words OF Christ, will
have more practical lessons than you
can use. Who is the seed-sower OF to-
dav? You are. 1t makes no great dill
ference what your class is composed
OF. rich or poor members, bright or
dull. They are all ''soul-ground.' -
You probably have now. or have had.
all four kinds OF soil on which seed OF
your sowing has fallen. or is LA4hng
God is the one who causes the growth
Sow the seed In the morning. AT
evening withhold not God IS back
Of all. But be sure if you SOW seed
and not chaff, there will be a crop by
and bv from some oi the sowing.