Page 473 - Bible History

446 CHRIST'S TEACHINGS, MIRA ES AND CHURCH
good tree produces good fruit. A bad tree produces bad fruit.
Our Lord brought this truth home to His hearers by the parable of the barren g tree. He said,"A certain man had a g tree planted in his eld. He came seek­ ing fruit on it and found none. Then said he to the caretaker of the orchard, 'For three years I have come seeking fruit on this tree and I found none. Cut it down, therefore. Why doth it take up the ground?' The caretaker said to him, 'Lord, let it alone this year till I dig about it. Perhaps it will then yield fruit. If not, I shall cut it down.' "
Not all of those who are called to be members of
The. .
talents
.
C. hr1st's Church receive the same graces. God, m H"1s
providence, gives some more and others less. But whether we have little or much, we are bound to work with what we have and thus prove ourselves worthy in the sight of God of the rewards He has in store for us. In order to teach men this lesson, Jesus spoke this parable: "A certain man about to go into a far country called his servants and gave them charge over his goods. To one he gave ve talents, to another, two, and to another, one-to every one according to his proper ability-and immediately he set out on his journey. Now, he that received the ve talents went his way and traded with the same and gained another ve. And in like manner he that had received the two gained another two. But he that had received the one,
going his way, dug a hole in the earth and hid his Jord's money.