Evening star., 1920-12-04

well known phrase designating the
Messiah. He explains that the ex-
'lstence OF evil in the individual
Christian. church and community is
due to the activity of Satan. who
when men slept sowed a seed, the
darnal. which closely resemb!ed the
wheat. but is revealed in its develop
menf. The truth taught here sug-
gests four things for ones considera-
tion and praycrful study-the SOW
ers. the sleepers. the seeds and the
servants. 1t teaches clearly how
Christ planned to make Christianity
a world power. while Satan sought
to hinder Him with the introduction
moved until the judgment which
comes at the end of the world, or
this dispensati tion of grace, when the
workers Of iniquity will be punished
as severely as fire burns the flesh.
Then there will come complete
triumph of Christianity. This victory
will prove that the inevitable ming
ling OF the good and evil has work ed
out for good. 1t summons US not only
to keep evil out of our hearts. but
a $50 to make a clear distinction be-
tween the good and evil and to watch
and wait patiently for the elimination
Of evil so that the organism on which
1t has fastened NAV not be imperiled
While the preceding parable teaches
the vitality Of Christianity in finally
winning out, the last two parallels en-
phasize not only how the immense vitali-
ty may be stored up in tiny musta I'd
seed but also in that of the leaven the
intensive power Of Gods kingdom Some
have held that leaven in the Scriptures
usually Is evil and, therefore, IL should
be considered so used here. While
there is much in favor Of that posi-
ton, We see in the studies Of the para
bles of this lesson. that Jesus used seed
in several different significant meanings
II leaven is considered evil. then the
parable would teach that evil would
finally be triumphant over the kingdom
of Christ. since the leaven leavens the
whole lump.
The mustard seed predicted the ulti-
mate triumph Of Christianity and the
! leaven points out how 1t triumphs by
secret and spiritual assimilation. The
leaven. which was a lump Of fermented
small and insignificant. Silently.
slowly. steadily and surely 1t would
transform the whole meal This har-
! monizes with the Masters teaching con-
/ cerning the grain Of mustard seed
| growing into splendid plant, with
into common life prophetic of the
| ultimate success Of His cause. This
parable Of the leaven pointed out the
/ progress that would be achieved by
| those visible. tangible organized eff.
! forts put forth for the advance
ment Of His kingdom. The leaven
| which the Jewish thought to be insidiou,
| working. reveals the secret of the Chris
! tian's power to be through Christ's
blood the regeneration and renewal ot
the heart SO that 1t wrought an inward
| change and started an invisible trans
| formation Of humanity. The parable o.
| the leaven brings out those silent, spirit
| ual forces of Christianity that hav'
/ been implanted into human hearts ant
| that are under the leadership of thu
| Holy Spirit. by their perneating ener
1 gies through spiritual contagion chang
| ing the character of men and nations
This would inspire them in all thei
services to be courageous and to worl
on amidst all difficulties in obedience L
the lessons golden text. Fret not thy
self because Of evil-doers." -.-