The New York herald., 1874-10-26
NORTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Lesson OF the Leaves.

Rev. s. B. Rosslter, the pastor preached at the
North Presbyterian church yesterday morning.
The subject OF his discourse was 'The Lesson OF
the Leaves" the text being taken from Isaiah -
1--WE all do fade as q leaf" The teachings OF
the Bible all tend to impress the student with the
mutability OF lie and Of all human events. The
yapors OF the morning envelop the earth, but as
the sun gets high in the heavens vanish imper-
ceptiDly All nature speaks to us OF the transtory
character OF things. The cloud that comes we
know not whence. which in passing over
changes form and sinks back into the
deep blue OF the heavens; the gross which
endures but q day; dream which leaves only q
dim and vague impression, soon to be obliterated
entirely; these are all pictures OF the shortness Of
human lie. II we are but wise we can learn valu-
able lessons from these silent teachings OF nature.
she utters no noise; bat in the noiseless changes
OF the seasons she speaks to US in language un-
mistakabe. Nature, In the seasons and their
products, speaks OF the sufIlciency and bounty
God. And, now, when the grass Is growing sere,
when the fields are being robbed OF their treas
ures. when the trees are being despoiled OF their
vercure. nature puts on the glory OF autumn. she
ares herself ,s IN c al aed aeG before
What lesson, then, does this teach US 1t Is
this
WE ALL MUST FADE.
The great tree OF human lie must In the natural
course shed its leaves. A melancholy subject, you
viii say, but a most important one. The truth
that are passing away has It's vindcatiOn in
every mans personal experience. One dies several
times before reaching tnreescOre and ten. Child
hood gives way to youth, and youth to manhood.
The lie Oh the man Is essentially different from
that OF the BOY, and so wnen Old age creeps on the
mind Is retrospective. Memory Is the faculty most
used and we look forward TO the other
death still to come. Indeed We die every day.
AS the shades OF night creep on something fades
away With the lapse OF time friendships lessen
and affections cool. The grave becomes finally the
grave OF the love and interest have for the body
which 1t covers. Fallen leaves are under our feet
all the year round. From the early spring the
buds Of leaves sometimes die. And the little buds
on family tree. Alas how often are they taken
from US. crowded world seems not to miss
them put on the family branch their loss is ielt
Hardly without an exception families drop their
leaves before maturity. This premature decay,
however. IL not the design OF nature. The natural
order was Interrupted bv mans disobedience.
What mans condition would have been now but
for thus disooedence we can only conjecture. We
know that death must come to ALL and, whether 1t
be sooner or later, we know that the powers
which accomplish TINS death are already at work.
How buoyant Is youth, how vigorous manhood,
but the influences which shall silver the hair and
palsy the step are silently pushing on. There are
in1deities and fasenesses In lie which weaken
the Iatn oil man In man. We are moving
steadily on to the place appointed Tor all men.
But little time and all our plans and aspirations,
oil our hopes and ambitious prOects will be laid
with our bodies IN the heart OF the earth. The
trees clad IN their garments OF russet and scarlet
and yellow, seem TO say TO us,
WE ARE ALREADY SURROUNDED BY DEATH
And Just ,aS silepu1 ~ the leaves taJl dnaa man