Evening star., 1918-02-23
By Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson,

This weeks study follows Immediate
ly in time the lesson of last week. 1t
includes short preface and two addi-
itional parallels, addressed to the crowd
gathered by the seaside near Caper-
naum. To this band of interested lis
teners the Master speaks in terms
which could be understood by ALL But
few really saw the deep, spiritual
the Christ, continuing His discourse,
includes a few parenthetical remarks
concerning the purpose of his parallels
and their relation to the hearers.
Taking an illustration, the lamp,
which at that time was very primitive,
Jesus shows the aim of His illustra-
tons. The prime motive of the lamp is,
of course, to give light. 1t seems to
have been a favorite form of illustra-
ton with the Master, for we find it con-
stantly repeated in the gospels. These
parallels were not told merely to prove
of casual interest. They had vital
purpose-to bring to the human soul
the light" Of the truth as it was
manifested in Christ Jesus. 1t is
tribute to Him that these words spok-
en- from the boat to the multitude, still
grip the attention of the human soul.
that they still bring light to the one in
darkness just as much today as then '
Before uttering the parable Of the
seed growing there comes a word of
cautions His hearers that these are not
idle words. He quotes the proverp.
With what measure ye mete, it shall
be measured to you" OF this, a good
tion to the teaching will be the meas
ure of the profit you will receive from
it.. or, as another has put it, You will
be dealt with, as to truth. as you deal
with others. Hide 1t, and it shall be
hidden from you: impart it and it will
be impaired to you" Then the Christ
spoke the words. which. at first sight,
seem difficult of interpretation, For he
that hath to him shall be given: and he
that hath not. from him shall be taken
even thar which he hath" Yet Christ
was laying down a general law of hu-
man activity. An almost perfect paral-
lei or illustration of this law is the
case OF the fish in the Mammoth cave
OF Kentucky that are entirely blind
from their long existence in perfect
darkness. although fish Of the same
species in the streams outside in the
light have good eyes.
When the Master spoke this parable
of the secret and spontaneous growth
Of the seed He was speaking to men
who understood what it meant to SOW
seed. for even the dwellers in the towns
in Palestine, then as now. lived in the
settlements for safety. but were accus-
toned to go out to scatter the seed.
Those farmers were not modern agri-
culturists, who are able to analyze both
seed and soil SO that they may assist in
the development that takes place under
the ground. But even modern science
cannot fathom the secret growth of the
seed. Just as the mind of man is suited
to the truth of the gospel. so the earth
and the seed are suited for each other
To Christ the religious seed finds its
growth and methods of development
just as the seed of the grain does. In
other words. it is governed by the same
natural laws. The farmer plants, cuIti-
Yates, uses all the modern methods of
plant production. but the growth of the
crop, like the growth of the spiritual
life, is unseen and its development
spontaneous. Just as our President has
called upon the farmers of the nation
to increase\production of foodstuffs to
the utmost, SO that there shall be a
plenty. for our allies. our boys over
there" as well as those who find their
duty here, SO God places upon the
Christian the duty of sowing the seed
1t is not for us to question how it de-
velops after we have planted it. If we
have used every possible means of pre-
pairing the soil. and If we have tried to
check and uproot that which hinders