Editorial September 2, 1911 Issue

THE TIME OF THE HARVEST

Archibald McLellan

THESE are the days when the husbandman, as he looks out over his broad fields of grain, fast ripening under the September sun, rejoices to see the approaching fruition of months of labor and waiting,—the breaking up of the bare brown earth, the sowing of the seed, the growth of the tiny green spearlike blades that first pierce the soil, until they burst into flower and fruit, giving promise of an abundant harvest; and happy is he who has secured his laborers against the time of reaping, that the golden grain waste not upon its stalk.

The ninth chapter of Matthew is notable in its record of a series of wonderful works wrought by Christ Jesus in his own city and apparently within a few hours' time. With his disciples he had just come by ship from the country of the Gergesenes, where he had healed two men possessed of devils, to Capernaum, and scarcely had he entered the city when there was brought to him one sick of the palsy, whose faith that he could be healed so appealed to the Master that he was speedily bidden to rise and walk. Next had come the ruler Jairus, to entreat that the Master would go and lay his hand upon the little daughter of the house, that she might awaken from the sleep which had fallen upon her. As Jesus passed on his way to the ruler's house, one who for twelve years had been a sufferer came up behind and touched the hem of his garment, in the hope that thereby she might receive healing. How tenderly the words must have fallen from the Master's lips: "Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole." Then he went on, and in swift succession raised the ruler's daughter, opened the eyes of two blind men, and healed a dumb man, so that he spake.

Seeing these wondrous works, day after day, the multitudes marveled, and as the Master went from city to city, preaching the gospel of the coming of the kingdom of God, they brought their sick to be healed of him,—"of every sickness and every disease." Is it any wonder, as he saw the many who needed healing from sickness and sin, that the Master was "moved with compassion" that there were so few to minister to them,—that the harvest truly was plenteous but the laborers few,—and that he sent forth the disciples, endued with power to heal all manner of disease and sickness.

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