Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-01-12

while tho old swallows watched, and no
one in the temple was cruel enough to dis
ttrb either the old swallows or the young
swallows, and David bursts out in rhap-
sody, saying, The swallow hath found u
nest for herself, where she may lay her
young, even thine affairs, o LORD of hosts,
my king and my GodN'
Yes, in this ornithology Of the Bible !
find that God il determined to impress
upon us the architecture of birds nest
and the anatomy of a birds wing Twenty
times does the Bible refer to n birds nest:
"Where the birds make their nest" AS
bird that wandereth from her nest
although thou set the nest among tho stars"
"'rhe birds of the air have their nests" and
so on. Nests in the trees, nests on the
rocks, nests on the affairs. Why does God
call Us 50 frequently to consider the bird 3
nesi9 Because it is one of the most won
drous Of all styles of architecture and "A
lesson of providential care, which is the
most important lesson that Christ in my
! text conveys.
Why, just look at the birds nest and see
what is the prospect that God is going to
take care of you. Here is the bluebird' s
| nest under the caves of the house. Here is
the brown thrashers nest in Il bush. Here
Is the bluejay's nest in the orchard. Here
| il the grosbeak's nest on tree branch
hanging over the water, so as to DO free
from attack, Chickadce's nest in the stump
of an old tree. Oh, the goodEess Of God in
showing the birds how to build their nestsl
What carpenters, what masons, what
weavers what spinners the birds arel Out
of what small resources they make so
exquisite a home, curved, pillared,
wreathed Out of MOSES, out of sticks,
! ~ - 1irhnt Of ,I,nfr Of
spiders web out of threads swept from the
door by the housewife, out Of the wool OF
the sheep in the pasture field Uphol-
stored by leaves actually sewed together by
it's own sharp bill Cushioned with feath
ers from its own breast. Mortared to
| gether with the gum of trees and the saliva
of its own tiny bill. Such symmetry, sue
adaptation, such convenience, such geome
try of structure.
THE DIVINE PLAN IN NATURE.
Surely these nests were built by some
plan. They did not just happen So Who
drafted the plan for the birds nest' COD
And do you not think that if he plan,
such house for a chaffinch, for an ori
ole, for bobolnk, for sparrow, he vii
see to it that you always have n home
I'VE are Of more value than many spar
rows" Whatever else surrounds you, yol
can have what the Bible calls the feather
of the Almighty" just think of Il mes
like that, the warmth of it, the softness o
it, the safety of 1.-THE feathers of the Al
mighty"
No famingo publishing the tropical sun
set ever had such brillianoy Of pinion; ~
robin redbreast ever had plumage dashed
with such crimson and purple aud orang,
and gold-"the feathers of the Almighty ;
No fan Z In fgrr cf -,
forehead and cheek and spirit, and wa
there ever such tenderness of brooding-
the feathers Of the Almighty" So alst
in this oruitLology Of the Bible God keep
impressing us with the anatomy of bird
wing.
Over fifty times does the old Book allud
to the wing-"W ings of u dove" Wing
of the morning" Wings of the wind,
sun Of righteousness with healing in hi
wings" Wings of the Almighty" AL
fowl Of every wing" What does it al
mean' 1t suggests uplifting. 1t tells yol
OF flight upward 1t means to remind tina
you yourself have wings. David crieC
out, "Oh, that had wings like dove tina
l might fly away and be at rest" Thanl
God that you have better wings than an,
dove of longest or swiftest flight. Cage,
now in bars Of flesh arc those wings, bu
the day comes when they will be liberated
Get ready for ascensiUnl Take the word
of the old hymn and to the tune unto whicl
that hymn is married sing:
Rise, my soul, and stretch thy wing;
Thy better portion trace
Up out of these lowlsnds into the heaven
of higher experience and wider prospect
But how shall we rise? Only as God
holy spirit gives us strength. But that
coming now. Not as a condor from
, Chimborazo peak, swooping upon the al
frghted valley, but as dove like tina
which put its soft brown wings over tn
wet locks of Christ at the baptism in til
Jordan. Dove of gentlenessl Dove OF peace
Come, holy spirit, heavenly dove,
With all thy quickenng powers;
, Come shed abroad -aviours love,
: And that shall kindlc ours.