Year: 1876

THE SOWER SoWETH THE WORD SERMON


BY THE REV. DR. FREDERICK oGILBY.


Yesterday being the second Sunday in Lent the Rev.
DR.. Frederick osilby, of Trinity chapel preached
in the morning in Trinity church TO a large and
fashionable congregation. The text was taken from
the Gospel according to St. Mark, iv., 26-27:-
'sAnd he said, SO is the kingdom Of God,
II a should cast socd into the ground; and
should sleep and rise night and day and the seed
should spring up and grow up, he knoweth not how"
The preacher said that our Lord being pressed by
great multitude while he preaching by the seaside
entered into a ship and ''sat in the sea- and
the whole multitude was by the sea the
land He left behind him the desert in which he had
been for some time soournng at the period of his tr-
umph over Satan. He was now coming to the land of
the Gadarenes, where many of his miracles be
performed and where in the garden of abundance as
the OF the place imports far different scenes from
those he had just witnessed greeted Him. The para
BILE the text is the second in tho order Of deliver
which He had preached to those who follow Hn..'
He told the multitude that when the seet aown
some fell by the way and devoured by ar
the air; some tell upon stony ground, where IS
earth in which ii could take root or be not


portion of II fell among shorns and cholec M
brambles but still ano,hcr part OF 1t fell UP


ground and 1t sprung upand yielded abundanti


portion OF the seed which fell upon bad grou


lost forever, but that which found root in good


to lie there at rest for many days without


seen, or without shooting up green blade to


that II still lived SO, too must II be with the G
OF God. 1t must first take deep root in the susccp
portions OF mans breast and lie there Tor a time 40
pondered upon, so that after having been thus C4y
planted the seed OF the Gospel may bring forth good
fruit Like the mysterious workings of nature with the
seed that is cast INTO the bosom OF the earth So too
must the truths OF Christs proachngs be allowed time
TO iIuctiy and blossom into irut There and have
been cases whero the fruon has been spontaneous
but they arc few. The working OF Gods grace does
not como 10 man as II


IN wHIRLwND


but gradually extends It's holy influence over his being
and actions. BY selfcxamnation ana communion
with Goa can know aud note the changes that take
place within ourselves and thus be able to mark
own spiritual condition Too frequently it happens
that, like the wind which passeth does the influence
oil The Gospel fade from most mems minds; they can
not 1t, but know whittier it goeth The gospel is


like cd cast into the ground CESSATION not hastened
by The ephcmeral influences Of conflicting elements
but It's revvihcation Is induced by the calm gon,le IN
hnences OF truth aud Light which breathe their
from tho fOunt OF heavfn. As the seed in the ground
cometh forth in season. also does the word Of God
due time bear good fruit


And now comes the question of great importance as
TO the proper application OF the lesson conveyed in the
text. There are many used for the purpose of
spreading the Gospel One system now in operation
among us is that OF assembling thousands OF people to
pray and sing praises. We do not speak against this
Effort 10 convert sinners, but only desire 10 correct
1t may be asked, Why do not ministers OF the
Gospel go forward TO help the workS The is,
because the whole system Of the Church at
with this system. When Peter preached the Gospel he
saId to the people whom he addressed repent and ye
SHAH DC saved Again, When others OF The apostles
went down among the Gentiles and preached Christ
crucined, the inspired record simply says that they
were converted and baptized In the of the Lord
Jesus This baptism and confirmation admitted at ono
time about 600 souls TO communion with the Church
The Church derives this system Of the reception OF
converts directly from apostolic teachings Gods
words The Church tells men where to find grace;
she knows how the greatest influence OF human eo-
QuenceVe in the mind almost a the echo
passes from the and is forgotten but not with
the voice OF God which has seat and centre in the
heart where springs up and grows strong under the
fostering OF Chrst's guidance The Church has
her command abundant means for sustaining the


SOUL.


Is II not enough that Christ Himself has SAID uncssa
be born OF the spirit and OF water he cannot
into the kingdom OF God except eat OF the body
and drink oi the blood OF Jesus that shed for
many, there is no life in hmY What II may be asked
does the Church do with neglectfu menS She says
that there is natural law for all living things
earth She says that her children and those who hear
her IN this Lenten invited 10 daily and
sel-cxamnation she offers TO lead them step hy step
through the temptations OF this lie TO the blessings of
the life everlasting II you have not yet awakened 10
the teachings OF the Gospel the power to do open
TO you, ana TO as many the LORD shall good to
call There is one N tins congregation 10 whom it
may not be said, as TO the blind man by the wayside
''Be OF good comfort"