Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1894-11-10
THE DIE1NES
SUNDAY SERMON.


her appointed time. and the turtle. and the
crane, and the swallow observe the time o!
'hefr coming, but my people know not the
judgment Of the Lord."-Jereniah viii. I.
When God would set fast a beautiful
thought, He plants It in q tree. When he
would put 1t afoat, He fashions it into a fsh.
When He would have II glide the air. He
tnolds it into a bird. Ny text speaks OF tour
birds OF beautiful instinct-she stork. OF such
strong affection that it is allowed familiarity
10 come in Holland and Germany and build
its nest over the doorway; the sweet
dispositioned turtleiove. mincling in color
white and black and brown and Gshen and
chestnut the crane. With voice like the
clang OF q trumpet the swallow, swift AZ a
dart shot out Of the tow o. heaven, falling,
mounting. skiuminy, sailing-!our birds
started by the prophet TWENTY-FIVE centuries
ago. yet flying on through the ages. with
rousing truth under glossy wing and in the
clutch OF stout claw suppose II may have
been In this very season Of the year-autunh
and the prophet out of doors. thinking OF
the impenitence OF the people Of bis day,
hears u great cry overhead.
Now. you know it is no easy thing for ona-
with ordinary de!icacy OF eye-sight 10 look
into the deep blue Of MONDAY HEAVIER. but
the prophet looks up. and there are fiocks
ots,orks and tur.ledoves and cranes AMI
swa lows drawn out Ia long lines for fight
southwari. AS is their habit. the cranes
had arranged themselves in two lines. max
ing an an gle, a wedge splitting the air with
wild velocity. the old crane, with command
ing call. bidding them onward while
tho towns. and the cities, and the
continents slid under them. The
prophet. almost blinded from looking into
the dazzling heavens, stoops down and be-
gins TO think how much superior the birds
are In sagacity about their safety than men
are about theirs, and he puts his hand upon
the pen and begins to write. The stork in
the heaven knowet his appointed times. AMI
the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow
observe the time OF their coming, but my
people know not the JUDGMENT Of the Lord"
II you We're ID the field to-day. in the
clump OF trees at the corner Of the field, you
would see n convention OF birds, noisy as
the American Congress the last night before
adjournment or as the English Parliament
when some unfortunate member proposes
moro economy in tho Queens household,
a convention of birds all talking at once;
moving and passing resolutions on the sub
lect OF migration, some proposing to go to-
morrow. some moving that they 20 to-day,
but all unanimous ia the fact THAI they must
30 soon, Tor they have marching orders
from the Lord written on the first white
sheet Of the frost and in the pictorial OF the
changing leaves.
There is not n beited kingfsEer, OF a
ebaflnch, or a fire crested wren. or a power.
or a red legged partridge but expects TO
Spen0In3 winter AT the South, Tor 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 bani OF
heavenly musicians. strew the CONT
nents with music. and. whether from
! Ceylon isle. or Carolinian swamps, or
Brazilian groves men see your wings or
| hear your voice, may they yet bethinS tham-
selves Of the solemn words Of the text, ''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"
propose so far as Goa may help me in
this sermon carrying. out the idea Of the text
to show that the birds of tie air have moro
sagacity than men. And I begin by par
ticularizing and saying that they mingle
music with their work. The most serious
undertaking Of a birds life is this an
nusl flight southwark. Naturalists tell US
that they arrive thin and weary and piunaga
1ufhed. and yet they 60 singing all the Way,
the ground the lower line OF the music, tho
sky the upper line Of the music. themselves
the notes scattered up and down between. |
suppose their song gives elasticity to their
wing ana helps on with the journey. dyini-
ling 1000 miles into 400. Would God that
we We're IS wise as they in mingiing Chris
lfuh SUM II CII e uHN WORK L Da-
lieve there Is such a thing rs taking the
pitch OF Christian devotion in the mornin.
and keeping it all the day. I think We
might take some of the duilest, hea vies>
most disagreeahle= work OF our life and set ii
to the tune of .'.Antioch'' or ''Nount p;s.
gah.'
1t is Il good sign when you hear a wc-y-
man whistle. 1t is n better sign when you
hear him hum a ~roundelay. 1t is a still bet
ter sign when you hear him sing the WORDS
or Isaac Watts or Charles Wesley. 4 violin
choried AMI strung. If something accident
ally strikes It. makes music, AMI | suppose
there IS such a thing as having our hearts s.
attunei sy divine grace that even the rougI
COLLISIONS OF lie Will make a heay.
eniy vibration. | do not believ,
that the power OF Christian song has We,
been iullvtried. believe that if YOU could
rolithe Oh Hundrei"- doxoloyy through
the street II woul! put an end TO any panic
1 believe that the dtscorts. and the sorrows
and the sins OF the world are 10 be swept GU
by Eeav"n- orn ha'l".uats SOM on assnI
HaN.ilt, tn. celebrated musician. WAY he IL
WAYS composed such cheerful music
WY. he said. Il cant do otherwise
When J think o. Col, my soul is SO full o
Joy That The notes leap and dane
from my pen" l wish we nigh
All exu1t melodiously before the Lord
WITH cod [or our Father and Christ for GU
Saviour. and heaven for our home An,
ahCeis or future COMPANIONS. and eternit'
for a lifetime, we should strike all the note
OF Joy. Going through the wilderness 0
inns world let US remember that We are q
the WAY TO a summary cline OF heaven. an.
from the migratory populations fyin,
through this autuunal air learn always (
keep singing:
Children OF the Heavenly King,
As ye Journey, sweetly sing.
Sing your Saviour's worthy praise.
Glorious IL His works and ways.
le are IravalInC home 10 God
In the way your fathers trot.
They are happy now, and we
Soon their happiness shall see.
The Church Of God never will lie a tr
luphant church until 4, becomes a singin
church.
go iu-ther ana remark tina, the birds {
:he air are wiser than we In the fact that |
their migration they f. very high. Duriu
The summer. when they are IL the fields, the
often come within reach Of the gun. hJ
when they start FOR the annual fight south
ward they take their PLACES midneaven an
80 s'r2iea' As z c-arE. TIE loages, re
that wa- @Fer ~-@lsat TO shouiier ca.
Eo1 Pea i!"r aolH. % God that "
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