The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1925-01-29


ton and they too must see God set
ting another Vine that is true in
stead of false to His intention and
from which should come the impulses
that should bless the world. Not Is
rael but Himself was Gods mighty
vine. Not Israel but Himself would
transmit the riches of the eternal in
to the property Of time. Not Israel
but Himself would bring the resour-
ces Of the unseen into the reach of
the tiniest twig of a life that accep-
ted union with Himself.
THE LAW OF THE VINEYARD
One is submission to the ordering
of the Husbandman. "Obey and live"
was the continuous word of our Lord
born out of His own relationship.
God is in charge of His vineyard.
Branches are Topped off. When the
Judge stammered at the stake of
Savonarola over the word of sepa-
ration the old preacher said: From
the church militant but not from the
church triumphant" Men are con-
tlnually reading others out of the
vineyard and trying to discredit their
connection with the vine. Thank God,
that isn't my job or yours. 1t is hard
enough for Him to do and the heart
Of Jesus was dripping blood because
Of Judas. To encourage the remainder
He says, eye are clean" using the
same word that He applies to Gods
work with the Vine in the preceding
verse and that had been used in the
upper room. Nor does the branch
fix its own place except thru its fill
ing Of its purpose by making the
best fruit possible for its bearing. If
its lunches are fine it may be sure of
being rightly placed upon the trellis.
He who placed the True Vine in Pal
estine and pruned 1t with the cross
will not fail in doing His best for
mine. Self-sacrifice is another law
of the vineyard. For fruit-bearing
is a costly process that is purchased
at the price Of both leaf and branch
for the bunch is an arrested growth.
But it is the vines purpose and to
prefer ones own big leaves of beauty
for personal adorning is to thwart
the very life of the Vine and to court
the knife Of the Gardner. Soul not
self is its rule. Another law is CO.
operation. abide in Ne and l in you"
marks an intimacy of union that
promises fullest result. There is no
place where branch begins and vine
ends. The life of the branch is in the
vine and the vine in the branch. One
furnishes sap, the other fruit. Refuse
the supply and the branch dies, it has
no power within itself. The vine has
no mechanism for bearing fruit other
than the branch and is powerless to
express its purpose without it. 1t was
repeating of the word of the Room
that cheered the Disciples with the
sense Of their worth to God and of
HIS need Of them. The work of the
vine waits the willingness of the
branch, the life of the branch waits
the work of the vine; such is the in
tlmacy Of cooperative relations be-
tween the two. Any failure thwarts
Gods planning for the vineyard.
THE LIFE OF THE VINEYARD
There is but one Vine with MANY
branches that, in the talk of Jesus
are the individuals. The church is
simply the trellis upon which they
are lifted for favorable growth and
larger fruitfulness. Whether Baptist,
Presbyterian or Methodist wood is
used the vine is unchanged; the
branch lives because of its connec-
ton and the fruit is always the same
and always capable of reproducing
His life. And the life of the VINEYARD
is love, joy and separation. Love as
l have loved. Obey and abide. For
love is shown by obedience and to
continue to do the will of God means
the continuance of love for Him. Out
OF 1t comes the power to express the
purpose of the Vine for whatsoever
We shall ask l will do. But the Vine
wants grapes and I'd like to bear
apples? Then you are not in love
with the vine or your desires would
be the same and not to love is not to
live, not to abide, and then the fire.
But apples are good? Certainly they
are, and if you were an apple branch
would be your best expression of af-
lection, but you happen to be in
vineyard. Fruit according to your
capacity is the requirement and that
spells love whether in vineyard or
orchard. The life of the vineyard is
the joy of life. Friends of Jesus can
not be any other than children of joy.
There was always a distinct note of