The Iola register., 1881-02-11

Z
that the fir tee grows in the greatest
profusion and perfection. COD mas
made them, it would seem, on purpose
to adorn and beautify these waste
places. I remember once converslnS
with q couple of bright young Engilsh-
men on the deck of a Hudson River
steamboat, who could hardly be con-
yinced that the beautiful and shapely flr
trees that we saw on rocky ledge on
the west bank, not far above Newburgh,
were lust as God made them grow.
They supposed that some one had
trimmed and cultivated them. DO you
not know some people who are like
these fir-some who live in plain homes,
whose life is very lowly, who make no
noise in the world, whose lot IS hard
one. but who so adOrn the humble
home. and cheer and bless the lives that
are being lived around them. that you
cannot help feeling, somehow, that God
put them where they are for that very
purposeo They beautify and brighten
what would otherwise be barren
waste. Remember that however OBJ
scure YOUR life NAV be. you can make it
beautiful with the beauty of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and can help TO make
some home that would otherwise De bald
and unattractive bright and happy
place.
How many little hands have been
busy this fall gathering the golden, or
russell, or bright red products OF the
apple orchards The apple tree may
not be very graceful or grand, but it
has a peculiar beauty to our eyes. be-
cause of its usefulness. All through
the long winter we rejoice in its fruit.
And Know good many homely peO-
pie, who dress plainly, and who make
no show in the world. but whose kind
ness of heart, and willingness to help
others. and daily endeavOr to make
themselves useful, give beauty to theic
life which is greatly to be preferred to
the short-lived beauty of pretty face.
We forget how plain they are. They
come to look handsome to us. The
beauty of the soul shines out in their
features, and makes the most rugged
face beautiful.
NV time is up, fear. but there is one
other tree that want to speak OF.
mean the oak. What sturdy. vigor-
Gus tree it is! You can depend upon it.
L
est branch. The lame man may lean
with confidence upon his staff OF oak.
When the oak tree grows. as it often
does, on the bleak hill side, the rude
winds only make it take deeper root.
1t is good representative of type OF
manhood that we love to meet. We
speak of men who have "a heart of
oak" We mean those men who can
be depended on, who are true to their
principles, loyal to their convictions OF
duty, bold and firm in their defense OF
the right, steady and persistent in ad-
vocating what they believe to be truth;
men who never desert friend in his
hour of need or prove false to any
trust.
A little English boy was left by his
father at the main entrance to the Bank
of England one morning, with orders to
remain there until his father came out.
But the latter, being detained longer
than he anticipated, forgot his boy and
passed out by another door. He did
not think about him until late In the
afternoon; but he said to a friend that
he knew just where to look for the
child. He was sure that the little fell
low had obeyed orders. And sure
enough. when they got to the entrance
to the bank. there he was, tired and
hungry, and wondering why father did
not come, but with no thought of yield
ing to his WEAKNESS and of abandoning
his post. That boy had in him the max
ing of a man with a heart of oak.
Which of the trees that have been
spoken of will you take as your repre-
sentative? Will you be like the hollow
hearted elder, the plant willow. the
unsavory ailanthus, the poison upas. or
will you try to be like the modest hr
tree. which gladdens the waste places
OF earth, or the apple, which commends
} itself by its fruitfulness, or the oak.
} deep-rooted and sturdy. and sound OF
heart?-Rev. John Teal, in Christian
Union.