Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-07-26
THE TREE OF TRUTH.
A N A I'D r r $ 8
Sunday School Celebration at FOwanda
JULY 4, 1860,
BY J4MES MACFAREANE.*
PREPARED FOR THE


LADIES AND GENTLEMEN 1t is sufficient
that recognize your presence by saying, that
Il have uot been invited 10 address yon. If,
therefore, my remarks fail TO please You,
beg ron TO remember (and | hope you will
j excuse my abruptness in saying that they
we're not intended for YOU would that they
had been On the contrary. have the more
difficult task Of combining simplicity and in
sUuction in speaking to these little ladies aud
gentlemen, who will be the men and women
Of later wiser, aud hope better gene
ration than ours.
CHILDREN When our revolutionary faith,
crs were about to engage in Il long and bloody
war, their representatives in Congress pub
lisbed to the world, eighty-fotr years agd this
day, declaration giving their reasons for as.
sertiag their independence. They begin by
saving I'VE hold these truths to be self evi-
dent" and they then go on 10 set forth the
natural rights of man. But If we we're to in
qnire thc reason why that declaration met
with response in the heart Of the whole coun-
try, Of posterity, and of the world, we will
fOd it was because it was trte. If we ask
what it was that gave then strength to their
arms courage to their hearts and victory to
their battles, the answer will be because they
had truth on their side This little word
N ruth occurring in the Declaration of Inde-
iendeuce has suggested to me fitting Sub
iect en- which to address you. / would not
lose tbs opportunity, when so many young
persons are listening to me, of saying some
tllns that may be of benefit to yOu--some
word of admontion or advice which if remem-
OeFed and observed, might make you better
men and women than you otherwise would
have been.
But children, in order that you may
treasure up what | shall say to y0h about
truth and understand the connection of all
snall say with the main subject / shall have
70 compare it to something, for the minds of
caIIdren like those of men and women (who
a'.er all are only grown up children) can re-
'aln anu proht by instruction much better
snen Il IS impaired in the form of an ilustra-
uon drawn from surrounding objects. We
are mere IN the woods, and l can do no bet
NI 'uao 10 point you to a tree, by way of
vOnparlSon, and | now promise you not mere
" make speech to you, but to tell you
story about a tree called the Tree Of Truth.
must call to your mind one Of those fine
on, ea,se 0d trees wbiaa you have seen growing
w." W. 10 tae open fields. 1t has large aud strong
.ooN spreading in every direction and sinking
II'ep into the ground which anchor it so firm
= 70 tne earth that no storm that ever blows
r.si! sancent to overtura it its trunk is of gi-
sautc size it extends its huge limbs out
SoSa Sos and upwards, and whole Sunday
TIIuOoi could be sheltered under its shade
troog toug before your grandlathers were born that
m0e roo mas been growing. The hot sun of sum-
bead "@S year after year. been poured upon its
gu. v;,S Inc frosts of autumn have as often
s,"- uered It's leaves. 1t has felt the terrific
Sro..nS Sron OF many cold winter with wind, and
fUv"' hDs' aud Ice and bail Yet every spring its
ross rraa nave swollen, it has been in due season
s''5G sOa oT1 with its garniture OF green aud this
s,oI -O olu Tree has continually grown larger and
SS-ser' and It's roots have struck deeper and
ueeper INTO the earth.