46. Seedtime and Harvest
Seedtime and Harvest
FARMER AND INFIDEL.—An infidel, conversing with a farmer, began to ridicule the Bible and the existence of God. The farmer at last said, in substance: “I understand what kind of a man you are. My Bible says, ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God,’ but you are worse than a fool, you just blab it right out.”
APPLESEED JOHNNY.—In the early days of Ohio, a man who was considered a little strange in the head, and who seemed to have bad no particular home, spent his time in wandering through the wilds of that new country, scattering appleseeds. Sometimes he would sleep in a hollow log or tree, and, doubtless, he often wandered about without food or shelter. But he had one object, and that was to plant apple seed for the good of others, until the people named him “Apple-seed Johnny” but future generations enjoyed the fruit of his labor of love.
SEED WONDERS.—Seeds are often covered with a case or wrapped in a bathing-coat, and may lie dormant for years. They contain in themselves all the nourishment required for germination, and, as soon as favorable conditions are reached, awaken to active life. Many seeds have feathery appendages, so that the wind takes them up, and wafts them far from the place of growth. Some seeds have wings and fly with the wind. Streams and wind carry the seeds from land to land. The beasts of the earth and birds of the air also scatter the seed.
PREACHING UNDER DIFFICULTIES.— Bishop Dubs was born in Germany, but came to America when a young man. During one of his visits to Germany, he preached to a congregation of his own denomination, but from the police authorities, he was informed because he had not asked permission to do so that if the matter reached the ears of the officials he would be fined. The Bishop did not request the permission, owing to his late arrival the day before, but preached three times on Sunday. He left the city before the authorities became aware of the facts and so escaped the fine. When in the act of rising to speak in Leipzig, the pastor of the society advised him that he should not say “my text is so and so,” as he would not be permitted to preach, but that he should say “the subject of my lecture,” for that would be permitted. The policeman was standing at the door, watching whether he would violate this regulation.
VIOLET SEED.—A little boy planted a single seed in a bank of earth. It grew, budded, and blossomed into blue violets, unseen by the child planter. It also seeded, and the seed fell out upon the bank of earth; and next spring more violets grew; and so for years, increasing every season. The boy, grown a man in a foreign land, desired to visit his childhood’s home. When he came to the wide bank of violets, he remembered how, years before, he had planted there a seed. “Can it be,” he said, “that all these have sprung from the seed I planted?”
THIRTY YEARS AFTER.—Years ago a lad attended a Sabbath-school, where he was under the care of an earnest teacher and superintendent, but, like many other boys, was not serious. The only impression he carried with him from the school was the words of God: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Thirty years after this, while sick and thinking of the past, there seemed to be a voice from Heaven saying to him, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!” This so affected him that he very soon gave his heart to Christ.