The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-01-15
THE MONTHS.
BY HENRY WARD BEECHER.

the air. The Winter is blossoming in frost
flowers. Why is the ground hidden9 Why
is the earth white? So hath God wiped
out the past, so hath He spread the eartl
like an unwritten page, for new year
Old sounds are silent in the forest and il
the air. Insects are dead, birds are gone
leaves have persisted, and only the founda
tions of soil remain. Upon this lies white
and tranquil, the emblem of newness anG
purity, the virgin robes of the yet unstain
ed year!
FEBRUARY.-The day gains upon the
night. The strife of heat and cold is scarce
begun. The winds that come from the DIES
olate North, wander through forests Of
frost cracking boughs, and shout in the all
the wierd cries of the northern bergs and
ice resounding oceans. Yet, as the months
wear on, the silent work begins, though
storms rage. The earth is hidden yet, but
not dead. The sun is drawing near. The
storms cry out. But the sun is not heard
in all the heavens. Yet he whispers words
of deliverance into the ears of every sleep.
ing seed and root that lies beneath the
snow. The day opens but the M Lt shuts
the earth with its frost lock. They strive
together, but the darkness and cloud are
growing weaker. On some nights they for
get to work.
MARcH.-The conflict is more turbulent,
but the victory is gained. The world
awakes. There comes voices from long
hidden birds. The smell of the soil is in
the air. The sullen ice Ietreating from the
open field, and all sunny places, has skunk
to the north of every fence and rock. The
knobs and banks that face the east or
south, sigh for release, and begin to lift up
a thousand tiny palms.
APRIL.-The singing month. Many
voices of many birds call for resurrection
over the graves of flowers, and they come
forth. Go, see what they have lost. What
have ice, and snow, and storm done unto
them? How did they fall into the earth
stripped aud bare? How do they come
forth opening and glorified? Is it then SO
fearful thing to lie in the grave9 In it's
wild career, shaking and scourged of
storms through its orbit, the earth has
scattered away no treasures. The Hand
that governs in April. governed in January.
You have not lost what God has only hid
den. You lose nothing in struggle, in trial,
in bitter distress. If called to shed thy
joys as trees their leaves; if the affections
be driven back into the heart, as the life of
flowers to their roots, yet be patient. Thou
shalt lift up thy leaf covered boughs again.
Thou shalt shoot forth from thy roots new
flowers. Be patient. Wait. When it is
February, April is not far off. Secretly
the plants love one another.
MAY %, Flower Month, perfect the har-
vests of flowers! Be not niggardly. Search
out the cold and resentful hooks, that re-
fused the sun, casting back its rays from
disdainful ice, and plant flowers even there.
There is goodness in the worst. There is
warmth in the coolest. The silent, hope
full, Undertaking sun, that will not fret or
despond, but carries placid brow through
the unwrinkled heavens, at length conquers
the very rocks, and lichens grow and in
conspicuously blossom. What shall not
Time do, that carries in its bosom love?
JUNE.-Rest! This is the years bower.
Sit down within it. Wipe from thy brow
the toll. The elements are thy servants.
Tho dews bring thee jewels. The winds
bring perfume. The earth shows thee all
her treasure. The forests sing to thee.
The air is all sweetness, as if all the angels
of God had gone through it bearing spices
The storms are but as tlocks
of mighty birds that spread their wings
and sing in the high heaven! Speak to
God now, and say, $50, Father, where art
Thou ?" and out of every flower, and tree,
and silver pool, and twined thicket, voice
will come, "God is in me- The earth
cries to the heavens, God is here" And
the heavens cry to the earth, "God is here"
The sea claims him. The land hath him.
His footsteps are upon the deep. He sit
teth upon the circle of the earth. o, sunny
joys of the sunny month, yet soft and tenn
perate, how soon will the eager months
that come burning from the equator, scorch
you!
JULY.-Rouse up. The temperate heats
that filled the air, are raging forward to
glow and overfill the earth with holiness.
Must it be thus in everything, that June
shall rush toward August? Or, is it not
that there are deep and unreached places
for whose sake the probing sun pierces
down it's glowing hands? There is a deeper
work than June can perform. The earth
shall drink of the heat, before she knows
her nature, or her strength. Then shall
she bring forth to her uttermost the treas
ures of her bosom. For, there are things
hidden far down, and the deep things of
life are not known till the fire reveals them
AUGUsT!-Reign, thou Fire Month";
What canst thou do? Neither shalt thou
destroy the earth, whom frosts and ice
could not destroy. The vines droop, the
trees stagger, the broad palmed leaves give
thee their moisture, and hang down. But
every night the dew pities them. Yet,
there are flowers that look thee in the eye,
fierce sun, all day long, and wink not.
This is the rejoicing month for joyful in
sects. If our unselfish eye would behold
it, it is the most populous and the happiest
month. The herd plash in the sedge; fish
seek the deeper pools; forest fowl lead out
their young; the air is resonant of insect
orchestras, each one carrying his part in
Natures grand harmony. August, thou
art the ripeness of the year! Thou art the
glowing center of the Circle,
SEPTEMBER!-There are thoughts in thy
heart of death. Thou art doing a secret
work, and heaping up treasures for another
year. The unborn infant buds which thou
art tending, are more than all the living
leaves. Thy robes are luxuriant, but worn
with softened pride. More dear, less beau
tiful than June, thou art the hearts month.
Not till the heats of Summer are gone,
while all it's growths remain, do we know
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