The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-07-18

earth. Matt. $40
Last week we observed the fact
that the genesis OF this new kingdom
Jesus came to establish was to be
the life. his life, when was as seed
The reception of the seed In various
sorts Of soil. however, made a vast DIFF
ference as TO the ultimate outcome
Today we may observe from these
words OF the Master what are to be
the processes OF the establishing of
the kingdom. for we do not read into
this parable n record OF the final con-
summation, but rather that these para
bles reveal different aspects Of the
same general process.
While II Is true that this FIRST para
BILE Is only recorded by St Mark It is
in reality a complement OF these para
bles about the kingdom found In the
thirteenth OF Matthew and elsewhere.
We have already noted that the seed
Is the word. Luke Sill. and that the
soil Is the hearts OF men, but here
Jesus tells us that in the spiritual
"knoweth not how" the life principle
propogates itself II IL helpful
thought 10 every Christian worker
that he IL not TO be held accountable
for that part OF the process; his part
Is TO be that OF the man who shall
cast the seed into the ground. Not
upon. but into" ". 26). Having
thus planted the seed let him sleep
and rise again" Q. g.. let him trust
wise God 20 see TO II that the seed
terminate and bring forth. All OF
your worrying and mine cannot hasten
the process nor change the result once
the seed IL sown, SO let US be care
full to SOW them right and as far as
possible be sure We plant II In proper
ly prepared soil
Process 10 Gradual.
Again let us beware OF presumptu-
BUSINESS he knoweth not how" Can
you, my reader, define life' Can you
explain the transmission, the develop
ment. the propagation OF life? We ac-
cept the results OF these things in ma
ture without questioning. why stagger
at similar things in the spiritual
realmi Why question the reality Of
the Christian lie when we see al
about us its results1 In verses 20 and
% OF this same chapter We are ad-
monished that n we have ears "let
him hear" "a positive injunction) and
almost the very next word tells us
TO take heed what we hear" Going
on down TO verse rs OF the lesson
we see clearly the reason for these
words. for our lives will grow and will
reproduce each after its own kind II
We SOW wheat We reap wheat IL We
allow tares 10 be sown in our lives
We shall reap tares.
The process is a gradual one, but a
sure one. First tho blade, then the
ear. and then the full corn In the
ear" The harvest will not take place
until the process De completed. II rs
not TIL the fruit is ripe that the hus-
bandman puts forth his sickle. We
are not 10 bother ourselves SO much
with the process as We are TO guard
the source. Sow good seed and God
will see 20 It that II shall bring forth.
Let us not expect tho full corn" OF
ripe experience from the tender
blade" OF early Christian life. Let US
have patience till these young Chris
tians have time to reach the full ma
turity OF their powers. Jesus the har-
yester OF this parable knew when to
put in the sickle, via, when the fruit
Is ripe" ". 20. X. W
The Main Truth.
Looking back over history his was
indeed less than all the seeds In the
EARTH" yet he set into motion those
principles and powers that have
caused his kingdom TO become great
in the earth lisa. s:7) Under the
branches Of this kingdom have lodged
the weary and the stricken ones. The
birds OF the air symbolic the gather
ing together of the nations OF the
earth that they may take refuge I'M
der the shelter and shadow OF the
Kingdom OF God. see Eek. II. Daniel
4, etc. We must beware OF fanciful
interpretations or applications. The
main truth is that almost without ex-
ception the beginnings OF all great
movements In the kingdom OF God
have been like mustard seed, small
but exceeding great In their growth.
Witness such moral developments as
the slavery question. Compare the
present day temperance agitation with
what II amounted TO one hundred. yes,
twenty-five years ago. The same can
be said Of countless other move
ments."
For the third parable that OF the
leaven which a woman hid in the
three measures of meal we need to re-
fer to Pauls inspired words as record,
cd in 1 Cor. 8: 81 and Gal. $50. Here
Paul explicitly tells US that leaven 10
q type OF sin. That We who are in
Christ are a new lump. unleavened.
That the old leaven Is that OF malice
and wickedness. but that We who have
put away leaven are the bread OF sim
cerity and truth. What do We there
fore infer2 Viz, that as growing up
alongside the good seed shall also
grow the tarss with fruitage Of death
and decay.