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<p>Though all are <em>born </em>&quot;dead in trespasses and sins;&quot; in another sense, when a baby is born — its life is only a <em>patch of soil</em> in which, as yet, nothing is growing.<br><br>
  A mother's hand is the first to <em>plant seeds</em> there — in the looks of tender love which her eyes dart into the child's soul, in her smiles and caresses and crooning, and her thousand efforts to reach the child's heart and shape its powers; and then in the <em>lessons </em>which she teaches. <br />
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All the members of the <em>household </em>soon become <em> sower's also on this field</em>; as the life begins to open, every one is dropping some <em>seed </em>into the mellow soil.<br><br>
  In a little while, hands <em>outside </em>the home begin to scatter <em>seeds </em>in the child's mind and heart. The street, the playground, the school; later, books, papers, and pictures contribute their portion.<br><br>
  As the years advance, the <em>experiences </em>of life — the joys, temptations, tasks, trials, sorrows — all bring their influences. Somewhat in this way, the <em>character of the mature man</em>— is the growth of <em>seeds </em>sown by a thousand hands in the life from infancy.<br />
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All our thoughts, words, and acts — are <em>seeds</em>. They have in them a quality which makes them grow where they fall, reproducing themselves. This is true of the <em>good </em>we do.<br><br>
  The mother's <em>teachings </em>enter the mind and heart of her child as mere <em>seeds</em>; but they reappear in the life of the <em>son </em>or <em>daughter</em>, in later years — in strength and beauty, in nobleness of character, and in usefulness of life. Not only is this strange power in the mother's <em>words</em>; her <em>acts</em>, her <em>habits</em>, her <em>tones </em>of voice, the <em>influences </em>that go forth from her life — are also <em>seeds</em>, having in them a vital principle. Where they <em>lodge</em> — they <em>grow</em>. <br />
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<em><strong>You </strong></em><em><strong>can </strong></em><em><strong>never lose your mother!</strong> </em>She may die, and her body may be buried out of your sight, and laid away in <em>God's acre</em>. You will see her face and hear her voice no more; no more will her hand scatter the good seeds of truth and love, upon <em><strong>your life's garden</strong></em>. But you have not lost her! Your mind and heart are full of the <em>seeds </em>which fell from her hand along the years. These you never can lose. No <em>hand of death</em> can root them out of your life. They have grown into the very fibres of your character. They reappear in your habits, your dispositions, your feelings and opinions, your modes of thought, your very phrases and forms of speech! You can never lose your mother; the threads of her life are woven inextricably into your life!<br />
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All the <strong>noble </strong>things that fall from your hands, as you travel along life's paths, are <em>seeds</em>, and will not die. The<em> good things </em>we do, with the <em>true words</em> we speak, with the <em>faithful example</em> we show, with all the <em>influences </em>of our life that are Christlike, are living seeds which we sow in the lives of others. They will not fall into the ground and perish. They will stay where they drop, and you will find them again after many days. They will germinate and grow, and yield a harvest!<br />
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Go on doing the little things, no matter how small, only making sure that you breathe love into them. Let them fall where they may, no matter into what heart, no matter how silently, no matter how hopeless may seem the soil into which they drop, no matter how you yourself may appear to be forgotten or overlooked as you do your deeds of kindness, and speak your words of love. These <em>words </em>and <em>deeds </em>and <em>influences </em>of yours are <em>living seeds</em>, and not one of them shall perish!<br />
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The same is true, however, of the <strong>evil </strong>things we do. They, too, have in them the quality of <em>life </em>and <em>reproductiveness</em>. If only our good things were seeds, this truth would have unmingled encouragement for us. But it is startling to remember, that the same law applies to the <em>evil </em>things.<br><br>
  The man who writes a<em> wicked book</em>, or paints an <em>unholy picture, </em>or sings an <em>impure song</em> — sets in motion a procession of <em>unholy influences</em> which will live on forever! He, too, will find his evil words again in the hearts of men, long, long afterwards; or see his unclean picture reproduced on men's lives, or hear his unholy song singing itself over again in the depths of men's being!<br />
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The evil that men do — lives after them! &quot;Bury my <em>influence </em>in my grave with me!&quot; said a wicked man, dying with bitter remorse in his soul. But that is impossible. Sometimes men who have been sowing evil, wake up to the consciousness of the harm they have been giving to other lives, and go back over their paths, trying to gather up the <em>seeds of sin</em> which they have cast into human hearts. But the effort is unavailing, as no one can take out of men's minds and hearts — the seeds of evil he has dropped there!<br />
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We are not done with life — when we die! We shall meet our <em>acts </em>and <em>words </em>and <em>influences </em>again! &quot;Do not be deceived! God is not mocked. For whatever a man <em>sows</em> — he will also<em> reap!&quot; </em>Galatians 6:7. He shall reap the same that he sows — and he himself shall be the reaper!<br />
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There is a<em> law of divine justice</em>, in which God requites to every man according to his deeds. We are not living under a reign of <em>mere chance</em>. But sometimes it seems as if the<em> law of justice </em>did not work universally — that some who do wrong, are not requited; and that some who do good, receive no reward. But this <em>inequality of justice</em> is only <em>apparent</em>.<strong>Life does not end at the grave! </strong>If it did, we might say that the Lord's ways are not always equal. God's dealings with men, are not closed in this earthly life! The story is continued through eternity! <br />
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In this present life — <em>wrong </em>often seems to go unpunished, and <em>virtue </em>unrewarded. But our present lives, are simply <strong>unfinished life-stories</strong>. There are other <em>chapters </em>which will be written in eternity. When all has been completed, there will be no inequality, no injustice. All virtue will have its full reward — and all sin will receive its due punishment.
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