AS we were reading of the wonders performed by deep steam plowing upon an unpromising and hitherto profitless stiff clay farm, we thought of the gospel preaching of the day. Soil which was little else than worthless for corn growing, has, through the deep plowing of the last seven years, yielded an abundant crop!
How preachers of the gospel should pray for power to plow deep! Without the deep work, the soil of the heart of this generation is more tough and less profitable than the stiff clay of the farm.
The conscience needs to be plowed deep, the heart to be broken under the sense of sin, and of having rejected Christ. Repentance as well as faith is necessary.
In illustration of this, we may mention the case of a man and woman with whom we were speaking one day. Both had professed to be converted. But there had been no deep plowing, and all had, as it were, to be begun over again. They had not borne fruit for seven years in succession, like the clay soil of the farm. With them the seed sprang up immediately, and quickly languished for lack of root. Evangelist, pray for power to plow deep.