The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-02-07
PARABLE or THE HHnAp'FRuIP
THnn,

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aud IL still being made, 10 arouse new
interest in tho church and the cause OF
Christianity, Ia connection with this
discussion and as auxiliary TO w. The
cause of Woman In the P0lplt has
been advocated with zeal and ability,
IA timely TO this question, The Parable
OF the Bread Fruit Tree, eau be read
with profits
II was after one Of thoae heavy con.
WILSON'S which have divided ora from
ora and left mankind TO start again
from the beginning, that a number OF
brave men gathered together TO raise
anew from the ground u fresh green
home for themselves, The rest OF Tie
surviving race were ahelttFlng Them
selves amidst tho old ruins, or IN The
caves of tho mountains, feeding on
huaks and shells, But these men with
clear heads and brave hearts ploughea
and narrowed the earth, ana planted
seeds and watered them, and watched
them and tho seeds grew ana shot up
with the springs but one was larger ana
faIrer than the rest, ana the other
plants seemed 10 know II, and soon
they became one great stem with
branching roots feeding II as from
many fountains Iheu the men g1t
great hearts In them when they saw
that and they labored more brayely,
digging about II IN the hot sun, I'LL NJ
last II became great and mighty, ana
ita branches stretched over all tbs
plain
Then many others OF mankind when
they saw the tree was beautiful, came
down ana gathered under A. aud those
who had Niaed II received them with
open arms, aud they oil sat under lta
shade together aud gathered its fruits
and made their homes there, rejoicing
In its lOyelineas, And agCa passed
away, aud Nll that generation passed
away, sun the tree RruU stronger aud
lailor and ,Acil clilJrcu'b children
watched II, age after ogc, us 10
lived and lowered ana gocded, ana they
lalliu their hearts,the tree is immortal,
l. will never die, They took no c1it Of
the seed, the scent OF the howcw aud
the taste Of the sweet fruit WlU Nll they
thought Of and the winds OF heaven
and the wild birds and the beasts Of the
fields caught the stray fruits and seed,
aud bore tho seed AWAY Nnd scat
tered It m far of soils,
And by and by, nj o great great
age the tree NJ last began TO cease TO
grow, and then TO faint and droop It's
leaves were not no thick, its fowor5
were not 80 fragrant, aud from time to
time thr night winds, which before had
passed away and hud never been heard,
came moaning and signing among The
branches. Aud the mon, for awhile
doubted and denied; they thought II
was tho accidents Of tho seasons, and,
when q branch fell they said II was
u storm, aud such u storm os came but
once In a thousand years, Atlast there
could be no doubt that the leaves were
thin and scar and scanty, that tho sun
shono through them, that the fruit was
t~asleless, But the generation was gone
away which had known the tree In Us
beauty, aud 80 mon said 1t was always
10; It's fruits were never better and itS
foliage WAS never thicker,
SO things went on, and from time to
time strangers would come among
them, and would say! why are you
sitting there under the old treeY There
are young trees grown Of the seed
Of this tree, far away, more beautiful
than Il ever was; see We have brought
you leaves and flowers 10 show you
But the men would not listen, They
were angry, and some they drove away
aad some they killed, and poured their
blood around the roots Of the tree, say
lug; They have spoken evil of our tree,
let them feed II now with their blood,
At last some Of the wiser ones broght
out specimens Of the old fruits, which
had been laid up to be preserved, and
compared II with the present bearing,
and they saw that tree was not aS II
had been; and such OF them as were
good men, r]eproached themselves and
said IL was their own fault, They had
not watered II, they had forgotten to
nourlsh H.
It Is now nearly 1900 years since the
Tree Of Life was planted, If lbs fruit
is now bitter TO the taste, aud It's leaves
are crisp and dry, and II fails TO spread
its branches wide and far, and cast los
grateful branches over all the Garth, II
is not the fault Of the Tree,
Neither is II the fault Of those who
know that It's fruit Is luscious, having
TASTED It, and that its sap Is life I'm.
mortal, having tapped 1t at the very
roots.
How shall the voice Of entroaty be
tuned TO reach the dun, dead ear Of un-
bellef2
How shall the fruit of the Tree of
Life be made more tempting to the
sight of the great aud growing army OF
scoffers, who, without tasting, proclaim
the fruit rs bitter to the tasteY
How shall the shade Of its branches
be made more grateful TO the tired and
homeless trayelersY
Would woman's tears, watering the
roots Of this Tree, make It's leaves more
green, or It's fruit moro luscious and
temptingp
Would woman's voice Of ontreaty
pierce further the dense fogs of preju-
dice that now enyelop the b%rancbesP
No mortal tongue can truly answer
n.t. ..n,Nino m a irnpnhna huvnud