The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-06-17
GOOD SEED FOR coon GROUND.

GOOD SEED FOR GOOD GROUND.
Matthew 1919; 1s-2s-une 1.
"Wherefore puripy qrny I'll f1thincss and overfoping of uckednesy recarc pmh
meeh"cxx til" cyot"4 ~o'd, ~AtcA is able to ne y~' s0n1s"-'emes
TsING a boat a a pulpit our Lord taught a great lesson respecting the
method used by the Almighty in the selection Of the little flock"
~ whom he invites % be members with Christ Jesus in the ad1ninisra-
ton of his Miuennhl Kingdom. The Kingdom message or invitation
n r mH S@u Conditions Gron srrminstes ad hrines forth the REQUIRED frunaee OF
acknowledgements Our Lord was the great Sewer of this good seed of
the Kingdom, and after him came the Apostles. Since then he has used all OF
his fat f3in fs+ people tSat ;n meFs Of or the less: %5 ig this of :s ted Swine: message seem wasted is
the real fault lies in the soIEin the heart. If all hearts we're right the mes
sage Or seed would bring forth much fruit everywhere.
um t lornh1aO conditonsi in themselves We re not left to conjecture, for this
is one of the few parallels which our Lord himself interpreted-a fact which
The seed" is the message # the Kingdom. Many do not understand it,
On such earst the message is lost for the Adversary is n the alert to take 1t
away away as sn syn 1n5zsSda BY n the birds eo1 asT9aei4 the the eo sEp nn%er xSsse ea oy the ip e waE;
congregation of the nominal church. They are merely Journalists
sage. To them it sounds good; they arr interested, but they lack depth OF
character Gr Gtr: III Ihe So max a proleSS104 ms IN h t% "a uS orTnme suHohe or the
Lords Use in the work of the Kingdom, and when the trials and test1ngs
"fowery beds Of ease. while others fight TO win the prize and sail through
bloody seas" There is no easy rad to the Kingdom. The Master declares
to all who would be Of the elect Bride" Through much ti0ulation shall ye
production of proper Christian character, but it is infested with thorn seed,
and the soil cannot successfully produce both wheat and thorns: hence as the
parable shows, the thorns choke QUIT the wheat, SO that u sufficient crop is not
produced. These thorns are not, IS some have suggested, sensual vices and
criminal appeutes. Hearts in which sensuahty dominates have II ca what
ever for the Kingdom message, and are not mentioned in the parable. which
refers only to those who are n longer willing Sinners but who are walking
outwardly in the way Of Righteousness The Masters word il: He that re.
ceiveth the seed among thorns| is he that heareth the word, and the cares Of
this world and the decetfulneSS O. riches cnOEe the Olu anQ III Deconelu I'LL
fruitful" There are many noble people represented also ly this portion u
the parable. There are many who, if freed from the SIlrto 81 I'M wora: Iron n
its ambitionsa and wealth and influence, it's love OF the GOOD things of this Ife'
vol be very fruitful in righteousness. When we look about IS inc seet the
thrift and energy Of many people of civilized lands, we say to ourselves prop
erly, if these lives were really turned into the way of the Lord and Were RID
of these earthly encumbrances. what grand noble characters they would make.
However, their strength, their energy. is absorbed by worldly aHars aNo
cares. and they do not bring forth the fruitage demanded a the necessary
qualification for the higher honors of a place with Christ IN his hlngdom:
The Masters message t. such is. You cannot give your time and strength and
influence K worldly matters and at the san time make your calling and
cine. let him take up bis cross and follow me. Where a I'M there shall my
disciple be.
"Herein is nv Father gorifed that ye bear much fruit" sado Master.
In this parable the good ground varies in its productlVeness-th1ty. SKI III
an hundred fold. The larger the returns, the greater will be the Fathers pleas
ue and the Sayips glory. Nor is the statement a extreme me a some
might suppose. The new "mracle wheat" SON times produces more IMAM
two hundred grains from one. This parable seems to imply that tn respon-
greatly upon the Individual and how be receives the message Of the h1ngoom'
the invitation most intenigenhy and earnestly. He that heareth the word and
understondah it" and whose heart is in a condition of loyalty to o WAC
frees himself from hindrancs and worldly ambitions and aspirations ano'
like the Apostle Paul, a say. This one thing do' will. surely gain the
Kingdom. -
1t is not sufficient that we hear the message of the Kingdom: it is not suh1-
cint that we have good hearts O. good intentions in respect to l;l 1t Is adoE
tonanv necessary, as the Master says that we should understand the Kingdom
wise and proper that several years of study be devoted to preparation or the
few voarso Of esrthlv life How much study, then should be considered proper
for or preparation for the eternal life and Kingdom blessings? The time and
effort thus consumed in character development for thek Kingdom re wisely
and the harvest Of thirty, sixty or a hundred fold illustrates tne oegree
and intensity Of our earnestness. The reUGrds in the Kingdom will also oe
proportionate. LAS star difereth from star in glory, so shall it be IN tn resur
oft the dead" Varying degrees of glory in the Kingdom Will De maui
tested. vet none will be acceptable TO the Father who shall not W Drought
forth frunage in good measure.