COMMENTS.-Septuagesima means seventy, and this Sunday is so-called, because it is about seventy days from Easter. 1. A parable is the representation or illustration of spiritual truth by the use of some thing, or person, or event, taken from nature or actual life. The kingdom of heaven here means the Gospel dispensation, by which men are called into God's service. Householder means supreme lord and owner of the house and all that belongs to it. In this parable he represents Christ, who is the supreme Lord and owner of His Church. Early in the morning. The Jewish day was considered to begin at 6 A. M. Even yet in the East, laborers assemble before sunrise in the market-places, with their tools, to be hired for the day. Laborers, all who are actively engaged in the service of Christ. Vineyard, a place set apart for the cultivation of grape-vines. It here represents the Church of Christ. 2. A penny, about 15 cents of our money, and was the price of a day's labor among the Jews and Romans. It here represents the temporal advantages and benefits of whatever kind (as standing in society, business, patronage, reputation), which flow from being connected with and laboring in the Church, and not eternal life; for this some of the laborers did not obtain. The first laborers represent the Apostles, and then also all who enter the service of Christ, in connection with His Church, in early life. 3. The third hour was 9 A. M. Market-place was the public square of the town or village, and represents the world. 4. These laborers represent the successors of the Apostles-ministers of the gospel-and also all who enter the Church and service of Christ at a period later than early youth. 5. The sixth hour was 12 M., or midday, and the ninth hour 3 P. M. Did likewise. Entered into the same agreement with these as with the former laborers. 6. Eleventh hour was 5 P. M.-one 'hour before the close of the day. 7. The laborers represent the ministers of the gospel in the last age of the world, and also all persons who enter the service of Christ, in the last days of their life-even on their death-bed. 8. Steward. Manager, overseer, or agent. Beginning from the last unto the first. The steward was directed to pay those first who entered the vineyard at the eleventh hour, and to go on from them to those who had entered earlier, in order. The last were paid first in order to show that the householder regarded them all, both first and last, as standing on an equality-entitled to equal pay, even though they had not worked equal hours. 12. Burden and heat of the day. The principal part of the labor and the scorching heat of the noonday sun. Their murmuring language_ expresses dissatisfaction and envy. They were displeased that the others should be made equal to them, and grudged them the pay that they received. 15. Evil eye. Envy, which is spoken of in Scripture, as finding its expression from the eye. Deut. xv. 9; Prov. xxiii. 6; Mark vii. 22. 16. The many who are called. Those to whom the gospel is preached not only, but who also accept it and enter, by baptism and confirmation, into the Church and service of Christ, and yet, because they have not the right spirit in them, but are proud and self-righteous, do not attain to eternal life. The few chosen. Those who have the right spirit; who work in the church and service of Christ, in humility and submission to the righteousness of God, and are at last found worthy-are chosen to receive the reward of grace in heaven. This parable is connected with Peter's question in this way: Peter asked, What shall we (who have forsaken all) have?" Christ saw that the spirit out of which this question proceeded was wrong; for there was in it a pluming of himself upon his own work of selfsacrifice, an invidious comparison of himself with others, and an attempt to bring in God as debtor to him. It was, in a word, the spirit of a hireling which spoke in that question, and against that spirit the parable is directed, in the way of rebuke. It is on account of this envious, self-righteous spirit, that so few of the many called are chosen, and the last become first, and the first last. Never think that which you do for religion is time or money misspent. JANUARY 31. LESSON V. 1875. Sexagesima Sunday. 4. And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5. A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way-side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6. And some fell upon a rock: and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit a hundred-fold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? 10. And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God; but to others in parables: that seeing they might not St. Luke viii. 4-15. see, and hearing they might not understand. 11. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12. Those by the way-side, are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. QUESTIONS. 4. When did Christ speak this parable? Was this probably the first parable He spoke? Matt. xiii. 10. 5. Who went out to sow his seed? Whom does the sower represent? What is meant by the seed? ver. 11. What does that mean? Where did some of the seed fall? What is meant by the way-side? Whom does it represent? ver. 12. What becomes of this seed? Whom do the fowls of the air represent? How does the devil do this? Why does he do it? ver. 13. 6. Where did the other seed fall? What kind of soil is meant by a rock? What became of this seed? Who are represented by it? What is meant by having no root? How long do they believe? What is meant by a while? When do they fall away? What is meant by in time of temptation fall away? 7. Where did other seed fall? What is meant by thorns? Whom do they represent? ver. 14. What is the meaning of choked? What is the meaning of the cares of this life? Of riches? Of pleasures? How do these things choke the word? 8. Where did other seed fall? What kind of soil is good ground? What became of this seed? What is the meaning of an hundredfold? Who are represented by this seed? ver. 15. What is an honest and good heart? What is meant by keep it? How much did this seed bring forth? What is meant by bringing forth fruit an hundred fold, and doing so with patience? To which of these four classes of hearers do you belong? To which class ought you to belong? If you would be benefited by the preaching of the word of God and by the teaching of it in the Sunday-school, to which class must you belong? CATECHISM. V. Lord's Day. 14. Can there then be found anywhere one, who is a mere creature, able to satisfy for us? None; for first, God will not punish any other creature for the sin which man hath committed; and further, no mere creature can sustain the burden of God's eternal wrath against sin, so as to deliver others from it. 15. What sort of a mediator and deliverer, then, must we seek for? For one who is very man, and perfectly righteous; and yet more powerful than all creatures; that is, one who is also very God. Forth from the eternal gates, COMMENTS.-Sexagesima means sixty. | or solemn warnings of judgment, etc. This Sunday is so-called, because it is about sixty days from Easter. This parable was spoken by Christ as He was sitting in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. 4. From the question which the disciples asked Christ, Matt. xiii. 10, and from the answer He gave them, v. 11-17, in which He justifies this method of teaching, and declares the purpose He had in adopting it, it is thought that this is the first parable that He spoke. No root. They have no deep feeling of the need of salvation, no earnestness, no appropriating faith in Christ as the alone and all-sufficient Saviour. A while. For a short time, only as long as the excited feeling lasts. In time of temptation fall away. When they are called upon to put forth effort, to endure anything in Christ's service-trial, duty, persecution, self-denial, cross-bearing, of any kind, they forsake it. They find a stumbling-block in very trifles. 7. Thorns. Wild brier or thorn bushes, which, in the East, grow faster than good plants. Choked. Smothered, by shutting out the air and light. Cares of this life. Anxious concern and worry about getting and keeping the things of this life. Matt. vi. 31. Riches. Large houses, etc. Pleasures. Sinful enjoyments and amusements of every kind; such, for instance, as are produced by the theatre, the ball-room, etc. All these things, cares, etc., if allowed to occupy the heart, will soon overtop and smother the good seed-will by degrees eat out and destroy the life and power of religion in the soul; will also, like thorns, pierce the heart with sharp anguish when thoughts of misspent time and past folly cross the mind. 5. The sower. Christ Himself is the chief sower; after and under Him the apostles, ministers of the gospel and religious teachers. The Word of God. This means, first, Christ Himself, who is the incarnate, living Word of God. Then it means, also, the truths and facts of the gospel, which embody a life-worldly possessions, whether of money, giving, quickening principle-the incorruptible seed of regeneration, spoken of by the Apostle Peter, 1 Epist. i. 23. It imparts not so much light or knowledge for the mind as light for the soul or heart. John vi. 63. Way-side. A path across or around the field beaten so hard, that the seed could not sink down in the earth, but lay exposed on the surface to the feet of the passers-by, and became an easy prey to the birds. This way-side represents those hearers whose hearts have been hardened-made unsusceptible-by the evil influences of the world, its pleasures and business, so that the word lies on the surface of feeling and thought. They hear it, but do not care to understand it, or to have anything to do with what it reveals of sin, of redemption, or of holiness. Fowls of the air. Not only the devil, who, like a crow, watches continually to destroy all good; but also his ministers in the form of evil, frivolous thoughts, worldly desires and sinful lusts, which he suggests to and excites in the heart. 6. A rock. Not hard, naked rock (for no seed could grow on it), but ground which has a layer of earth on a rocky bottom beneath it, which renders it impossible that the roots should penetrate beyond a shallow depth to take up moisture. This seed represents those hearers who, being of a shallow, trifling, emotional disposition, are easily excited and attracted by the fair and beautiful, or stern and solemn teachings of the Word-by its sweet promises of heaven, 8. Good ground. This is fertile and well-prepared soil-made soft and mellow by the plow and harrow. An hundred-fold. Multiplied a hundred times. One seed producing a hundred. An honest and good heart. A heart anxious and willing to receive the truth. Keep it. Hold it fast in the mind, heart and conscience; think over it often and thus make it a part of their very life— of all their feelings, thoughts and actions. Bringing forth fruit an hundredfold and with patience. Such hearers will strive, by the use of the means of grace, to become as good and to do as much good as they can, even though they meet with opposition and persecution. NONE BUT CHRIST.-Other lovers, beside Christ, are in suit of you, and your soul hath many wooers; but let your soul be a chaste virgin, and love but one. Most worthy is Christ alone, of all your love, were your love higher than heaven and broader than the world. The Guardian. VOL. XXVI. FEBRUARY, 1875. The City of Jericho. BY THE EDITOR. The ancient city of Jericho was the second city in Judea; after Jerusalem the first. It was the residence of some of the Governors of Judea. It had a hip; podrome and amphitheatre. In its royal palace one of the Herods died. A large number of priests lived here; the Talmud says twelve thousand. These thronged the road from Jerusalem "down" to Jericho. The Priest and the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan must have lived here. Jericho has always been considered as the key to Palestine. It stood at the base of the lofty mountain, bordering the hill country of Judea, and at the entrance of the main passes, or mountain gorges through which from time immemorial, armies of invaders can enter the interior of Palestine. One of these leads to Jerusalem, the other towards Michmash, Ai and Bethel. Through the latter Joshua led his host. It was the only city in Palestine which enjoyed the benefits of two streams; the brook Cherith, whose waters Elisha healed, and the Jordansix miles eastward. At this gateway of their country the old Canaanites had good reason to found a city, and fortify it with strong walls. We can see how well Moses and Joshua were informed as to the approaches to Palestine, when they pursued a seemingly circuitous course, beyond the Jordan, to cross here, and pass up into the country through these gorges or wadies. A charming city it must have been to the eyes of Moses and Joshua, seen from the mountains of Moab beyond Jordan. NO. 2. A grove of tall and stately palm. trees, nearly three miles broad and eight miles long, formed a beautiful park around the city. Golden harvests Hebrews to reap and relish, for it was waved over the plain, waiting for the "the time of barley harvest," and on the morrow after the passover, they ate for the first time "of the old corn of the land and parched corn (grain) in the self-same day." Joshua v. 10. "Above the topmost trees would be seen the high walls and towers of the city, which from that grove derived its proud name, Jericho, the city of palms,'' high and fenced up to heaven.' lofty mountain range, as a back-ground, The bare, bleak formed a striking contrast to this charming scene. Joshua was not content with utterly destroying the city, but lest some tribe or people might rebuild it, and again close the door of Palestine on God's people, he warned all who might come after him, saying: "Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born and in his youngest son shall be set up the gates of it." Joshua vi. 26. After this there was a Jericho, or city of palm trees in the neighborhood. We read of it in Judges iii. 13, and David's insulted ambassadors tarried at Jericho till their beards were grown again. 2 Samuel x. 4, 5. Not till six hundred years after the destruction of the old city by Joshua did any one venture to rebuild the city on its ancient site. In the days of King Ahab a fool-hardy architect built the city, when the curse 38 of Joshua was fulfilled in the death of his oldest and youngest son. In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first-born, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun." 1 Kings xvi. 34. From this time Jericho again became a noted city. Its palm groves and gardens of balsam were objects of admiration and envy among the princes of the East. Mark Antony made a present of them to his mistress, Cleopatra. Then came Herod the Great, with his princely palace, and his miserable, shocking death. This Roman Jericho beautified, enriched, and corrupted by profligate princes and rulers, our Saviour visited on His last journey to Jerusalem. Thus the first Jesus or Joshua, the type of Him who was to be the true Saviour of His people, entered Palestine over Jericho, gained a victory in the destruction of the city; so the Gospel Joshua, or Jesus, made His final entry by the same way, and achieved a far greater victory than the first Joshua-the redemption of all who believe in Him, through His atoning death and glorious resurrection. It was here He opened the eyes of the blind, recorded in the Gospel by Luke, 18. “ The present Jericho is little more than BLIND BARTIMEUS. He hears the crowd;-he hears a breath The thronging multitudes increase; (Be of good comfort, rise he calleth thee!) Then saith the Christ, as silent stands (Go thy way; Ye that have eyes, yet cannot see, Ancient Jerusalem. BY R. L. GERHART. Jerusalem was one of the grand and magnificent capitals of the ancient world; and its history is no less remarkable than was its appearance. Previous to the war under Titus it had been besieged times without number; five times it had fallen before the attacks of its enemies, and once by the mighty Nebuchadnezzar had been laid desolate. Every hill and valley about it was famous as the scene of some great battle or remarkable event; and the city itself so closely associated with the names, and actions of celebrated men and women, that every one must experience some sense of the strange interest which, as with the folds of a mantle, envelops all. Above the mighty capitals of the world it ranks in honor and in shame; for it was the scene of our Saviour's manifestation and also of His crucifixion. It was built upon two hills which stood opposite to one another, separated by a deep valley. One was much higher than the other, and consequently over |