Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-11-14

eVer our p0Sltl0n ana Surroundings
may be, can fulfill, if we will. We
can make the world morally fairer
for our being in it. Evil-doiug dis
figures, while well-dOing beauties
the world. By the manifestation of
moral goodness-by speaking kind
words and by doing kind deeds we
make the world fairer by our being
in it.
Another pant of the mission of the
leaf consists in affo,dlng grateful
shade and shelter. In the hot sum-
mer days, when the san is pou ing
down his scorching rays upon the
earth how agreeable aud welcome is
the shade tree 10 man and beast! And
are there not on every land men and
women who are burdened with toll
and core in the heat of life's day! Are
there no toil.worh, so, row-laden,
faint aud sick ones TO whom we can
be as a g'a;e,ul Shade and shelter
amid the gyie's, burdens and trials
which opp els them? Let us by ev-
ely possible ministry of benevolence
be im"atO OF that "man, who is IS
a hiding place from the wind, and 9
cove ffom the tempe>'; as rivers OF
wafer in a dry place, 9s The shadow
0fa great rock in a weary land
Then, too, we may, like the leaves
fulfill q. mission of purifying the
world. In that wonderful work inc
of nature, whose process, unobserved
by US, are s'leldy aud ceaselessly
going on day and night, each leaf is
contributing 10 The publication and
healthfulness of the atmosphere. Now
here again the voice of the leaves t.
US is, $50 live that you may make
the world purer." This is the will O
the Lord. ~ pray not that thou
shouldst take them out of the world
aye are the salt of the earth" 1
he who would poison the physical at
mosphere would be accounted an en-
envy to the public welfare, much
more ought he ought to be accounted
a ungrateful, who, by his personal un
holiness and impure deeds, makes
the world morally unhealthy.
Looking next at the language o
the prophet, in its MAYNARD applica
ton, the fading leaf suggests to US thu
condition OF man as a sinner, his DIES
tiny as mortal and his prospects al
a Christian believer.
The leaf is withered because il hal
no vital connection with the root o
the tree. And sinful man, separated
from God as the Fount of life, i
morally dead. sour iniquities lik'
the wind have carried us away" Al
the sweet influences of nature, sun
light, rain and dew, are powerless t
animate and restore dead leaves, 81
the precious influences of heaven
the word and Spirit of God-too Otter
fail to impart life to the morally in
different. These fall upon hi
heart as rain upon rock, producing
no fruit.
The fallen leaf is out of its tru
sphere, and subjected to all kinds q
degrading forces, trampled under foo
of man and beast. So man, separat
ed from God in Christ, becomes tn
sport Of every wind of appetite ant
passion, and is liable to be overcom
by all the forces of evil. Our saliva
ton is 10 be found in becoming en-
grated in the True Vine, and in abid
ing in Him.
Again, the fallen leaf speaks to u
of the close Of life. 1t has q messag
for us as mortals. Like the leave
we die surely. There is no way o
evading the stroke of death, in the on
case more than the other. The eartl
is many mIlleniums old. But ever!
year of the thousands that have rul
has witnessed the same scene. Bud
ding Spring, blooming Summer, fall
ing Autumn, and decaying White
succeeding each other invariably
There has been no exception to thi
order of things, from. the beginning
of the world, nor ever shall be, til
its end. So with the generations @
our race, they have been born, hav
grown, lived and died. Excep
Enoch and Elijah, who were trans
lated to intimate the existence of an
other world, none since Adam hav
escaped dying. If there is anything
more infallibly certain than another
it Is this, "there is a time to die.
at is appointed unto all me-
once to die" ''Set thine house il
order. for thou shalt die and 40