450 THE LABORERS

IN THE VINEYARD.

~ CCCIX.

JHE PABORERS IN THE VINEYARD,

ise AQlESUS told His disciples

is\)| this parable. A man had
a vineyard, and he went
out early in the morning
to hire laborers to work
init. He soon found some who
were willing to come; so he prom-
ised to give them a penny a day,
and sent them. into the vineyard.
A few hours after, the master went
out again, and saw others standing
idle in the market-place; and he
said to them, “Go into the vineyard,
and I will give you all that is right.”
At noon, and in the afternoon, the
master went out again; and he saw
more men standing and doing no-
thing; so he sent them also into
the vineyard. When it was almost
evening, the master went out for
the last time; and he still found
some who had been idle the whole
day. So he said to them, “ How is
this? Why do you stand here all
the day idle ?” They answered,
“Because no man has hired us.”
Then the master said, “ I will hire
you. Go into the vineyard, and all
which is right I will give you.” So
they went.

When the evening came, the
master called the laborers to pay
them their wages. First came those
who had been called last ; and he
gave to each of themapenny. Af-
terwards came those who had been
called early; and the master gave
to them also every man a penny.
When these first laborers saw this,

  

they began to murmur. They said,
“These last have only worked one
hour ; and thou hast given as much
to them as to us, who have worked
all through the heat of the day.”
But the master answered, “ Have I
not aright to do what I like with
my own money? I promised to
give you a penny each, and here it
is; take it, and go away; for I
choose to give to these last the same
as unto you.”

God is the master in the parable.
He calls us to be His servants, and
to work for Him. He has much
for us todo. We are to attend to
our own souls, and to try to do
good to the souls of others also.
God calls people by His word, and
by His ministers, and by His Spirit,
when they are living in idleness and
sin. He says to them, “Come, and
be my servants, and work for me.”
Some He calls in the morning when
they are young. And how pleasant
it is to begin to serve God early,
like little Samuel, and Josiah, and
many other holy children! Some
He calls later in the day, when they
are older. He speaks to those who
are busy about their worldly things,
and tells them to attend to heavenly
things, which are so much better;
and so much pleasanter. And some
people God calls “at the eleventh
hour;” that is, when they are old ;
just before they die, just before 1t 18
too late, He comes to them in mer
cy, and invites them to love an