many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first." Peter and the others, being men well on in years, were fearful, doubtless, of having entered their Master's service all too late; of having too long idly loitered in the market-place. Besides, they had heard from Christ that the Christian era is the world's eleventh hour — its final stage — and so they deemed the time too short to achieve so great a work and gain such great reward. Far different is the teaching of Christ's parable. God is Father of the universe; the world of rational creatures, the members of His household; and His vineyard was the Jewish synagogue and is now the Christian Church. His family comprises three divisions: His children, the angels and blessed in heaven; living men, His freedmen; and the lost souls, His slaves. From His freedmen alone He recruits the laborers in His vineyard. On five distinct occasions has He deigned with more than ordinary condescension to visit this busy mart — this worldly world of ours, and each time has He called fresh laborers to His vineyard. From time's beginning to time's end is but a day to God — as short to Him as seems to us the insect's life that is born at sunrise and at sunset dies. God's first coming was in time's first hour, and the first to labor in His vineyard were the common parents of us all. His subsequent goings forth in search of laborers mark the great physical and moral regenerations of the world, viz.: the time of Noe which was the third hour; the day of Abraham which was the sixth; the day of Moses which was the ninth; the coming of Christ which
