The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-01-19
md with microscopic eyesight.

But what senseless passage of Scrip.
ture that is until you know the fact,
which says, "The sparrow hath found a
house and the swallow nest for herself,
where she NAV lay her young, even
thine affairs, 0 Lord OF hosts, my king
and my God" What has the swallow
to do with the affairs Of the temple at
Jerusalemp Ah, you know that swal-
lows are all the world over very tame.
and in summer time used to fly into the
windows and doors Of the temple at
Jerusalem and build nest on the altar
where the priests were Offering sacri
fees.
These swallows brought leaves and
sticks and fashioned nests on the affairs
of the temple and Matched the young
sparrOws In those nests, and David had
seen the young birds picking their way
out of the shell while the old swailO WI
watched, and no one in the temple was
cruel enough to disturb either tho old
swallows or the young swallows, and
David burst out in rhapsody, saying
"The swallow hath found nest for
herself, where she may lay her young,
even thine altars, y Lord Of hosts, nv
king and my God"
Yes, in this ornithology of the Bible,
| find that God Is determined to impress
upon us the architecture of bird y
nest and the anatomy of BIZ DIS wing.
Twenty times does the Bible refer to a
birds nest: "Where the birds make
their nest" AS a bird that wandereth
from her nest" "Though thou set the
nest among the stars" "The birds of
the air have their nest," and 80 on
Nests in the trees, nest on the rocks,
nests on the altars Why does God cali
us so frequently to consider the birds
nest? Because it is one OF the most
wondrOus of all styles of architecture
and lesson of provident1al 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 go
ing to take care OF you. Here is the
HluPblrd's nest under the caves of the
house. Here is the brown thrasher's
nest in bush. Here is the bluej ly's
nest In the orchard. Here is the grOs-
Deak nest on tree branch hanging
over the water, so as to be free from
attack. Chickadae's nest in the stump
OF an old tree. on, the goodness of
God In showing the birds how to build
their nest'sl
What carpenters, what masons, what
Weavers, what spinners the birds arei
Out of what small resources they make
SO exquisite home, curved, pillard,
Wreathed. Out moses, ont of sticks.
out OF lichens, out Of horsehair, out Of
spiders web, out of thread swept from
the doors by the housewife, out of the
wool OF the sheep in the pasture field.
y Upholstered by leaves actually seWed
together by its own sharp bill. Cushion
ed with feathers from its own breast.
Mortard together with the gun of trees
and the saliva of its own tiny bill. Such
ISVnmptrV 6nn fafi
venlence, such geometry Of struct-
ure.
Surely these nests we're built by som
plan. They did not Just sappen 80
who drafted the plan for the birds nest ?
God! And do you not think that If he
plans such house for a chaf1iEch, for
an oriole. for bobbolink, for spar
row. he will see to 1t that you always
have home? "Ye are of more value
than many sparrows." Whatever else
surrounds you, you can have what the
Bible calls "the feathers Of the AL.
mighty" Just think of nest like that.
the warmth Of it. the softness of it, the
safety OF 1.-THE feathers Of the AL
mighty"
No hamingo out flashing the tropical
sunset ever had such brllliancy of pin.
ion; no robin redbreast ever had plum
age dashed with such crimson and pur-
pie and orange and gold-"the feathers
of the Almighty" d. you not feel the
touch of them now on forehead and
cheek and spirit, and was there ever
such tenderness Of broOding-"the
feathers OF the Almighty ?" So also in
this olnithology of the Bible God keeps
lmpressing us with the anatomy of a
| birds wing.
Over fifty times does the old Book al
| % fn hn I.I
"Wings of the morning." "WinRs of the
wind" "Sun of righteousness with
healing in his wings" "Wlngs OF the
Almighty" "All fowl OF every wing"
What does it all mean? 1t suggests
uplifting. 1t tells you of flight up
ward. It means to remind that You
yourself have wings. David cried out,
ION, that | had VIM 8 like a dove that
| might fly away and ke ut rest" Thank
God that you have better wings than
any dove of longest or swiftest tlight.
! Gagged now in bars OF flesh are those
wings, but the day comes when they
Will be liberated. Get ready for ascen
sion! Take the words of the ola hymn
ana TO the tune unto which that hymn
Is married sing:
kise,, my SOUL and stretch thy wing;
ny better portion trace.
..pOut of these lowlands into the
he vens of higher experience aud wild T..
cr prospect. But how shall we rise :
only as Gods holy spirit gives us
strength. But that is coming now. Not
us a condor from a ChimbOraZo peak,
sWoopihg upon the afrighted valley,
bu' as a dove like that which put lis
Eft rOwn wings over the wet locks of
Chr st at the baptism 10 the Jordan.
-. .t of Kentleness! Dove OF peacel
Come, holy spirit, heavenly dove,
With all thy quickening powers;
Come shed abroad a Saviour's love,
And that shall kndle ours.
Stands the Test.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-The Navy
Department to-day received an official
dispatch from the chief engineer of the
! coast defense vessel MONTERREY STATING