Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-11-05
FLIGHT OF THE BIRDS.
From Which DR.. Talmage Draws
Some Instructive Lessons.
Birds RocoGnixc the Appointed Time For
Moving md Men should Be Thus
Wise In Making Their start
For God and Heaven.


ty of the birds in moving south ut the
approach of winter with the lack of
wisdom in men in starting for their
heavenly home. He took his text from
Jeremiah viii. Z: 1.-The stork in the
heaven knoweth her appointed times;
and the turtle and the crane and the
swallow observe the time of their COM
ing; but my people know not the judg-
mcnt OF the Lord" DIR. Talmage said:
When God would set fast beautiful
thought He plants it in n tree. When
lie would put it afoat He fashions it
into fish, When lie would have it
glide the air He molds it into bird.
My text speaks of four birds of beauti-
ful instinct-the storls, of such strong
affection that it is allowed Familiarity
to come in Holland and Germany and
build its nest over the doorway: the
sweet dispositioned turtle-dove, min.
Cling in color white and black and
brown and ashen and chestnut; the
crane with voice like the clang of u
trumpet; the swallow, swift as dart
shot out of the bow of heaven, falling,
mounting, skimming, sailing - four
birds started by the prophet twenty
five centuries ago, yet flying on through
the ages, with rousing truth under
glossy wing and the clutch of stout
claw. l suppose it may have been this
very season of the year-autumn-and
the prophet out of doors, thinking of
the impenitence of the people of his
day, hears great cry overhead
Now you know it is no easy thing for
one with ordinary delicacy of sight to
look into the deep blue of the monday
heaven; but the prophet looks up, and
there arc fioclls of storls, and turtle
doves, and cranes, and swallows, drawn
out in long lines for fight southwark
As is their habit, the cranes had ar
ranged themselves into two lines max
ing an angle. a wedge splitting the air
with wild velocity, the old crane with
commanding call bidding them onward;
while the towns and the cities and the
continents slid under them. The
prophet, almost blinded from looking
into the dazzling heavens stoops down
and begins to think how much superior
the birds are in sagacity about their
safety than men about theirs; and he
puts his hand upon the pen and begins
to write: 1.-The stork in the heaven
knoweth her appointed times; and the
turtle and the crane and the swallow
observe the time of their coming; but
my people know not the judgment of
the Lord"
If you are in the field to-day, in the
clump of trees ut the corner of the field,
YOU would see u convention of birds,
noisy as the American congress the last
night before adjournment, or as the
English parliament when some unfor-
tunate member proposes more economy
in the queens household-a convention
of birds all talking at once, moving and
passing resolutions on the subject OF
migrations; some proposing to go to-
morrow, some moving that they go to-
day, some moving that they go to Bra
I'll, some to Florida, some to the table |
lands of Mexico, but all unanimous in
the fact that they must 60 soon, for
they have marching orders from the
Lord, written on the first white sheet |
of frost, and in the pictorial of the |
changing leaves. There is not belted |
kingisher, or chatfinch, or fire |
crested wren, or plover, or red
legged partridge but expects to spend |
the winter at the south, for the apart |
ments have already been ordered for |
them in South America, or in Africa;
and after thousands of miles of flight, |
they will stop in the very tree where
they spent last January. Farewell,
bright plumage. Until spring weather,
away. Fly on. great band of heavenly |
musicians! Strew the continents with |
music, and whether from northern
fields, or Carolina swamps, or Brazilian
groves, men see your wings, or hear
your voice, may they bethink them
selves of the solemn words of the text:
'The storl1 in the heaven knoweth her
appointed times; and the turtle and the
crane and the swallow observe the time
of their coming; but my people know
not the Judgment of the Lord"
/ propose, so far rs God may help me,
this morning, carrying out the idea OF
the text, to show that the birds of the
air have more sagacity than men. And
] begin by particularizing and saying
that they mingle music with their
work. The most serious undertaking
of q birds life is the annual travel from
the Hudson to the Amazon, from the
Thames to the Nile. Naturalists tell
us that they arrive there thin and
weary, and plumage rufled, and yet
they go singing all the way; the ground,
the lower line of the music. the sky,
the upper line of the music, themselves
the notes scattered up and down be-
tween. suppose their song gives elias
ITCHY to their wing and helps on with
the journey, dwindling 1000 miles into
400. Would God that we were as wise
as they in miugling Christian song with
our every day work. believe there is