Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-07-12

After that day of marvels, done In
answer to the query of John Baptist
through his disciples, Jesus took an
other tour through the cities of Gal1lee
Great crowds followed Him, so that
when He got back to Capernaum He
was well night overwhelmed. We learned
last week that they did not give Him
time to eat that first day. and His
tender care of them-absoutely forget
fulness of self made His followers think
that He had lost His mind They even
persuaded His mother and bretheren this,
so that they came to take Him away.
The miracles were so manifest that
they could not be denied. The Pharisees
and Scribes, to give some explanation of
them, said He did them by the power
of Satan. They did everything they could
to defect the people from Him, and
were successful to a certain extent. 1t
was because of their opposition and in
fluence that He, that same afternoon,
began to teach in parallels, thus fulfilling,
as He told His disciples as an eXpla-
nation for the change of method, the
prophesy of Isaiah.
1 believe the understanding of this
setting of the first group of parallels
lin Matt. 49, is absolutely necessary to
a proper Interpretation of these illustra-
tons This should be borne in mind
as we study them during the next few
weeks. Think of the influence of evil
on the kingdoms advance-this is the
theme of them alias we study the par
able of the sower now.
THE SOWER AND THE SOILS.
Seated in a boat because the crowd
was so great that this was the best
way to be seen and heard, Jesus faced
great company of people on the shore
of Galilee. Over on the hillside behind
them. it is possible. He may have
caught sight of a farmer. sowing grain.
1t was used by Him as an illustration
of the different types of people before
Him. and of these that had been fol-
lowing Him during the year and a half
before. He told them of the fact, SO
well known to themselves as never to
have been noticed before, of the sower
casting seed and the results thereof Not
all bears fruit. but not because of any
fault of the sower or of the seed. He uses
the same strength. in scattering the one
handful as the other; the seed is all
good and capable of terminating and
fructifying. But the fact remains thai
some has different results from other
Why? Because of the devils evil influ-
ence.
Well, some falls on the path that
udO DSGA DcdlcH hdIu ny lHS COlSldl'
passing over it, The soil there is chem
ically the same as elsewhere in the field,
but the constant passing over 1t has
packed it so that it cannot receive the
seed. Soon after the seed falls on it,
the birds of the air representing the
devil here) come over and take it away
The result is no fruit.
Other seed fell on soils which has dis
integrated over rocks. It is good enough,
what there is of 1t, but IT is shallow
The seed does well. until the blisterinG
sun takes all the moisture out of the
shallow soil; the rootlets cannot go
deeper to get moisture and with it food
so the plants soon .wither.
others fall on soil deep enough, but
there are other plants there that are
more vigorous, and the grain is soon
choked The more vigorous plants get
the benefits of the soil and sunshine.
Still others fall in. soil we'll prepared,