uld not be hopeless; we know that the seed is a living
thing, and will grow except where it is impeded by extraneous
obstacles. "The word of God is quick (living) and powerful."

5. In every case the harvest, in one sense, will come; on every spot of
all the field there will be a reaping. If one set of ministers do not
reap there, another will. Where there is not conversion, there will be
condemnation. The regeneration is one harvest; the judgment is another.
The angels are not sowers, but they are reapers. Where the men who sowed
the seed find nothing to reap during the day of grace, those ministering
spirits to whom no seed has been intrusted will be sent with a sickle to
cut down and cast away. The first harvest is like the first
resurrection; blessed are they who have part in it. In the ministry of
the Baptist, the appointed preparer of his way, Christ comes from heaven
to earth on the blessed errand of gathering his wheat into the garner:
rejoice therefore, Christians; he has prepared for you a place, and he
will bring you safely to it; but take heed and beware of hypocrisy; for
see, while he comes to bring home the wheat, he carries a "fan in his
hand" (Matt. iii. 12).

XVI.

THE TWO DEBTORS.

"And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he
went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a
woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat
at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of
ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to
wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her
head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now
when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within
himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known
who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him; for she is a
sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to
say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain
creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and
the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly
forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him
most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave
most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned
to the woman, and said unto