The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-10-26
THE BIRDS.
DIR. Talmage Draws an Instructive
Lesson from Their Sagacity.
II Mankind Were as Instinctively Religious
as the Fowls of the Air IL Would
Escape the PinchIng
Frost of Sin.

VIII laimdEe- the SUBJECT DtlHg Oc-
toter Thoughts The text Is from Jere-
miah viii. :: 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
When God would set fast a beautiful
thought. He plants it in a tree. When
He would put it afoat. He fashions it
into fish. When He would have it
glide the air. lie molds it into bird.
Ny text speaks Of four birds of beauti-
full instinct-the storl. OF such strong
affection that it Is allowed famil-
iarly to come. in Holland and Ger
many. and Luild its nest ever the
doorway; the sweet dispositioned tur-
tie dove. mingling in color white. and
black. and brown. and ashen. and
chestnut: the crane. with voice like
clang of a trumpet: the swallow. swift
a. dart shot out Of bow of heaven.
falling. mounting. skimming. sailing
four birds started by the prophet
twenty-five centuries ago. vet flying on
through the ages. with rousing truth
under glossy wing and in the clutch of
stout claws | suppose it may have
been this very season of the year
autumn-and the prophet out of doors.
thinking OF the impeniteuce of the peo-
ple of his day. hears a great cry over
head
Now. YOU knew it is no easy thing
for one with ordinary delicacv of eve
sight to look into the deep blue of noon
day heaven: but the prophet looks up.
and there are fiocls of storl1s. and tur-
tle-doves. and cranes. and swallows.
drawn out in long lines for fight south
ward. As Is their habit. the cranes
had arranged themselves in two lines.
making an angle. 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 are about
theirs; and he puts his hand upon the
pen. and begins to write: 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 nv people know
not the Judgment of the Lord
If you were in the field to-day. in the
clump of trees at the corner Of the field
YOU would see a 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 migration. some proposing to go to-
morrow. some moving that they 90 to-
day. but all unanimous in the fact they
must 90 soon. for 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 i not a belted kinCfisher or a
chaffinch. or tire-crested wren. or a
plover, or a red-legged partridge but
expects to spend the winter at the
south. for the apartments have already
been ordered for them in South Amer
lea. or in Africa: and after thousands
of miles of fight. they will stop in the
very tree where they spent last Janu-
airy. Farewell. bright plumage, Until
spring weather. away, Fly on. great
band of heavenly musicians, Strew
the continents with music. and whether
from Ceylou isle or Carolinian swamps.
or Brazilian groves. men see Your
wings. or hear your voice. may they
Vet bethink themselves Of the solemn
words of the text: The stork in the
heaven knoweth her appointed times;
aud the turtle and the crane and the
swallow observe the time OF their COM
ing; but nv people know not the judg-
ment OF the Lord"
I propose. 50 far as God NAV help me.
IN this sermon. carrying out the idea
Of the text. 20 show that the birds of
the air have more sagacity than men.
And l begin by particularizing and 4
saving that they mingIe music with .
their work. The most serious under /
taking OF a birds life i this annual
flight southwark. NaturalistS tell Us
that they arrive thin aud weary. and +
plumaCe rufhed. and vet they 20 sing .
ing 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 between. 1 .
suppose their song gives elasticity 10
their wing. and helps on with the
journey. dwindling a thousand miles
into 400. Wo1ld God that we were as
wise as they in mingling Christian song
with our everyday work, | believe
there Is such a thing a taking the
pitch OF Christian devotion in the
morning. and keeping it all the day- I .
think we might take some Of the dull
est heaviest most disagreeable work
OF our life and set 1t 10 the tune OF
Antioch" or Mount Pisgah-
1t Is q good sign when you hear q
workman whistle Il Is a better sign
when you hear him hum roundelay.
1t Is still better sign when You hear
him sing the words of Isaac Watts or
Charles Wesley \ violin ehorded and
strung. if something accidentally
strikes it. makes music, and l suppose
there Is such a thing as having our
hearts 50 attuned by divine grace that
even the rough collisions OF life viii
make a heavenly vibration. l do not
believe that the power of Christian song
has yet been fully tried I believe that
If You could roll the odd Hundred dox-
ology through the street it would put
an end to any panic. l believe that the
discords and the sorrows, and the sins
of the world are 70 be swept out By
heavenly hallelujahs- Some one asked
Haydn. the celebrated musician. why
he always composed such cheerful
music -.Whv- he said. Il can't do