Testimonia

{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">As I was walking in the field, and observing an elm and\r\nvine, and determining in my own mind respecting them and\r\ntheir fruits, the Shepherd appears to me, and says, “What is\r\nit that you are thinking about the elm and vine?” “I am\r\nconsidering,” I reply, “that they become each other exceedingly\r\nwell.” “These two trees,” he continues, “are intended\r\nas an example for the servants of God.” “I would like to\r\nknow,” said I, “the example which these trees, you say, are\r\nintended to teach.” “Do you see,” he says, “the elm and\r\nthe vine?” “I see them, sir,” I replied. “This vine,” he\r\ncontinued, “produces fruit, and the elm is an unfruitful tree;\r\nbut unless the vine be trained upon the elm, it cannot bear\r\nmuch fruit when extended at length upon the ground;<a id=\"r1697\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1697\"><sup>[1697]</sup></a> and\r\nthe fruit which it does bear is rotten, because the plant is not\r\nsuspended upon the elm. When, therefore, the vine is cast\r\nupon the elm, it yields fruit both from itself and from the elm.\r\nYou see, moreover, that the elm also produces much fruit, not\r\nless than the vine, but even more; because,”<a id=\"r1698\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1698\"><sup>[1698]</sup></a> he continued,\r\n“the vine, when suspended upon the elm, yields much fruit,\r\nand good; but when thrown upon the ground, what it produces\r\nis small and rotten. This similitude, therefore, is for\r\nthe servants of God—for the poor man and for the rich.”\r\n“How so, sir?” said I; “explain the matter to me.” “Listen,”\r\nhe said: “The rich man has much wealth, but is poor in\r\nmatters relating to the Lord, because he is distracted about\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_378\">378</span>his riches; and he offers very few confessions and intercessions\r\nto the Lord, and those which he does offer are small\r\nand weak, and have no power above. But when the rich\r\nman refreshes<a id=\"r1699\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1699\"><sup>[1699]</sup></a> the poor, and assists him in his necessities,\r\nbelieving that what he does to the poor man will be able\r\nto find its reward with God—because the poor man is rich\r\nin intercession and confession, and his intercession has great\r\npower with God—then the rich man helps the poor in all\r\nthings without hesitation; and the poor man, being helped\r\nby the rich, intercedes for him, giving thanks to God for\r\nhim who bestows gifts upon him. And he still continues\r\nto interest himself zealously for the poor man, that his wants\r\nmay be constantly supplied. For he knows that the intercession\r\nof the poor man is acceptable and influential with\r\nGod. Both, accordingly, accomplish their work. The poor\r\nman makes intercession; a work in which he is rich, which\r\nhe received from the Lord, and with which he recompenses\r\nthe master who helps him. And the rich man, in like manner,\r\nunhesitatingly bestows upon the poor man the riches\r\nwhich he received from the Lord. And this is a great work,\r\nand acceptable before God, because he understands the object\r\nof his wealth, and has given to the poor of the gifts of the\r\nLord, and rightly discharged his service to Him. Among\r\nmen, however, the elm appears not to produce fruit, and they\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_379\">379</span>do not know nor understand that if a drought come, the elm,\r\nwhich contains water, nourishes the vine; and the vine, having\r\nan unfailing supply of water, yields double fruit both for\r\nitself and for the elm. So also poor men interceding with\r\nthe Lord on behalf of the rich, increase their riches; and the\r\nrich, again, aiding the poor in their necessities, satisfy their\r\nsouls. Both, therefore, are partners in the righteous work.\r\nHe who does these things shall not be deserted by God, but\r\nshall be enrolled in the books of the living. Blessed are they\r\nwho have riches, and who understand that they are from the\r\nLord. [For they who are of that mind will be able to do\r\nsome good.<a id=\"r1700\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1700\"><sup>[1700]</sup></a>]”</p>","headings":["The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers","THE PASTOR OF HERMAS.","BOOK THIRD.—SIMILITUDES. SIMILITUDES WHICH HE SPAKE WITH ME.","SIMILITUDE SECOND. As the vine is supported by the elm, so is the rich man helped by the prayer of the poor."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg77576-paragraph-716"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"edb775b1c7392fb3d938cec1b36266ab1e90c9d272948d4ed1512cf440c109cb","edition_title":"The writings of the Apostolic Fathers","edition_translators":["Alexander Roberts","James Donaldson","Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1870,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg77576-f1698","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Historical 1870 English edition; electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f1698","source_ebook":77576,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f1698\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r1698\">1698</a>.  </span>The Vatican here makes Hermas interrupt the Shepherd, and ask,\r\n“How greater than the vine?”</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"5cef11d737d7f5d65aa99f44ca2d8e967d725f3bed872960330e88c0905597a9","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/77576/pg77576-images.html#f1698","text_sha256":"791be6b794a49bbf53d0cfa568bef1398cae0239dc0ee389cb44e5e63eb6d01b","verified":false,"work_id":null}

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