John 15. 1-8 & Rom 11. 13-24. I do not think it it is all necessary to apologize for taking up this line of address[2], as it was used by our Lord and also by His servant Paul. The theme was suggested to me first of all by a very dear brother in the Dorking[3] meeting some years ago when visiting a small cottage meeting at Rusper near Horsham[4], but he kept almost exclusively to the subject of pruning, but I feel there are many spiritual lessons to be learned from the work carried on in a nursery largely devoted to growing fruit trees
so I would like to pilot you all through
one of these nurseries and explain some of the things to be seen there and I
hope I shall not be at all boring, and not too technical[5]. Now one
of the things to be seen are rows upon rows of small prospective apple trees.
They all appear alike except for the fact that some are much taller than others
and are of much more vigorous growth. But all are there for one purpose and yet
there are many different ways of achieving that purpose. Left to themselves
they would be useless so far as fruit-bearing is concerned, and all must be
grafted. They are quite incapable of producing patable palatable fruit.
It is not in their nature to do so. Some of them could be very pretty to look
at. Their lovely green foliage and lovely blossoms are very attractive, but
that is not the design of the nursery man. Fruit is the object in view*and it
must be of a kind to be appreciated either for dessert or cooking. Now how can
this be accomplished? The Lord taught Nicodemus this lesson. Ye must be born
again[6]. In the
month of April (mainly) these small trees will be cut down and a small piece of
a known variety of apple will be grafted to that small tree and a complete change
takes place. Old things are passed away to the bon-fire and behold are become
new[7]. No
amount of cultivation, artificial feeding, pruning can change the nature of
that crab stock and cause it to bear sweet palatable apples. NO. In fruit
growing, as in spiritual life there is the imperative MUST. Ye must be born
again. Now let us walk on a little further into this nursery and we shall see
the plot that was grafted last year, and we shall see that some are cut back
fairly close to the ground and you may ask me. Are these to be grafted again?
And I say. No, definitely not. But why then should they be treated like this?
First and foremost it is all according to the design of the Master. He wants to
see these make bushy trees, and this can only be accomplished in this way, and
if you see them at the end of this year, instead of one straight stem they will
have 6 to 12 and will bear their fruit much nearer to the ground, and will be
more easily gathered, and will be more easily pruned and more easily sprayed and
less likely to lose their fruit by the high winds of autumn. This type of tree
is much more easily managed by the Master gardener (see Psa 32. 8 & 9[8]) (Once
born again His forever Heb 10. 14[9]) Now let
us anticipate another visit to the same plot during the next winter and we
shall see these trees are examined individually by the Master and some will be
suitable for growing on as fan trained or espaliers (horizontal trained) for
growing on wide fences and these are set aside for this special purpose. Let us
ever remember that the Lord is ever watching His own, to see just how we can
best fulfill His purpose. In some He can see a potential mother who will train
her children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and if one does that
they have not lived in vain. Another is very specially fitted for nursing the
sick, another for teaching the children, another caring for old people. And He
wants us all to live in the spirit of that one who said Here am I send me[10]. Now
there are some rows of grafted trees that are left to grow on unpruned and
appear to be having a good time and doing just as they like but this is not the
case. The master has kept a watchful eye on them and amongst them are some that
have been cut down, while others are growing on. Yes I can imagine you will ask
why? Those that [have] been are not likely to go straight if left to
themselves, and so are cut down and not allowed their freedom. The master must
make bush trees of them, while the others are allowed to grow on for standards.
Now do not be envious of them. They will have much more to endure. The strong
winds and gales will well-nigh uproot them, and they will lose much of their
fruit, and there will be tempted to be very proud, standing as they do far
above all the others. But there is one place where they alone will be a
success, and that is in fields used for grazing. Their growth is too high to be
reached by cattle, and so they are a necessity in some orchards. Now I think we
will leave the nursery and I will take you into my own garden at home and there
you will see something which looks very sad. I had an apple tree whose fruit we
did not like and so I cut its branches off a few weeks ago and the growth of 20
years has been wasted but you ask. What do you intend to do with it? If spared
I hope to graft a tree with more suitable varieties (yes more than one). And
this all goes to show that there is hope for the aged. All that we saw in the
nursery was the raising of fruiting trees from young trees (stocks) but it is
possible for old people who have mis-spent their lives living for self and sin
to come to the Lord Jesus and He has said. Him that cometh unto me, I will in
no wise cast out[11],
and you may bear fruit in old age.
*The master uses different kinds of stock for different purposes
Heb 2.16 An apple cannot be grafted on a foreign stock[12]
[1] Not actually marked in book
[2] Obviously the theme of the cultivation of fruit trees. See also his address to young people of the King's Own Bible Class, Chiddingfold March 31, 1954
[3] Another town in Surrey about 20 miles away to the East
[4] Where the family lived before Witley. About 20 miles south of Dorking
[5] His first job as a young boy was in a nursery near his home village of Hamsey, Sussex
[6] John 3:7
[7] 2 Corinthians 5:17
[8] I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
[9] For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
[10] Isaiah 6:8
[11] John 6:37
[12] Footnote marked at bottom of first two pages