eceive less, but that
those who did not have the opportunity of entering the vineyard
sooner, shall not lose because of it. Some one may think that there
are no old men and women who do not know the way to be saved and enter
the vineyard. Even in professedly Christian lands there are many old
men and women who, because of wrong religious teaching, have never
seen the real way to be saved; and in China and Africa there are vast
numbers who can say, "No man hath hired us." To take a case: a mere
child becomes a Christian and serves in the vineyard for seventy
years; an old Chinaman eighty years of age hears the gospel for the
first time, and becomes a Christian and works in the vineyard only one
year and dies. He will receive as great a reward as the one who served
God seventy years. Apply this principle to the redeemed who died in
early life: if those who entered at the eleventh hour, "because no man
hath hired us" receive for one hour as much as those who have labored
throughout the day, then those who entered the third hour and the Lord
of the vineyard himself took them out the fourth hour, will receive as
great rewards as though they had been left to bear the burden and heat
of the day. Blessed consolation to those who have lost loved ones who
were taken early in life.

Three of the Saviour's parables are closely connected in their
teaching concerning rewards: The parable of the pounds, where each
servant has a pound and one gains ten pounds and another five; one
receives authority over ten cities, the other receives authority over
five cities, just half the reward of the other, because he was just
half as faithful (Luke 19:16-19). This parable represents that class
of men who have equal opportunity in life (each one a pound) and
teaches that their reward will be in proportion to what they
accomplish. The second is the parable of the vineyard, representing
the length of time of service when the laborers were not to blame for
not entering the vineyard earlier; showing that they shall not lose
because they could not get into the vineyard to work earlier. The
third is the parable of the talents, where the one with five talents
gained five other talents and the one with two talents gained two
other talents, and they both received the same commendation, the same
reward, "I will make thee ruler over many things" (Matt. 25:20-23);
teaching that the one with small opportunity (two talents) if he uses
it faithfully, will rece