The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-10-31
OCTOBER THOUGHTS.
DR.. Talmsge Finds Lesson In the Mi
grant Birds.

DR.. Talmsge Finds lesson In the Mi
grant Birds.
BRooKLYN. Oct. 21.-Rev. DR.. Tai
mage, who has left India and is now on
his homework journey, has selected as
the subject for his sermon TO-DAY
through the press October Thoughts" !"
his text being jeremiah, viii, Z, 'The
stork in the heaven knoWeth her ap-
pointed times, and the turtle, and the
crane, and the swallow observe tue
time of their coming, but my people
know not the judgment OF the LORD.
When Goo would set fast a beautiful
thought, he plants it in Tree. When
he would put It afoat, he fashions it in
to q fish. When he would have it glide
the air, he moulds it into bird. My
text speaks of four birds Of beautiful
instinct-the stork, Of such strong al.
fectton that it is allowed familiarity to
come III Holland and Germany and
build its nest over the doorway; the
sweet dispositioned turtledove, ming
ling in color white and black and
brown and ashen and chestnut; the
crane, with voice like the clang OF a
trumpet; the swallow, swift as dart
shot out Of the bow Of heaven, falling,
mounting, skimmiDg, sailing-four
birds started by the prophet % centu-
ries ago, yet flying on through the ages
with rousiDg truth under glossy wing
and IN the clutch Of stout claw. l
suppose it may have been this very
season of the and the
prophet out OF doors, thinking Of the
impenitence Of the people OF his day,
hears a great cry overhead.
Now, you know it is no easy thing for
one with ordinary delicacy Of eyesihgt
to look into the deep blue Of MONDAY
heaven, but the prophet looks up, ana
there are focks Of storks and turtle
doves and cranes and swallows Drawn
out in long lines for flight southWard.
As is their habit, the cranes had ar
ranged themselves in two lines, max
Ing an angle, a wedge, splitting the air
with wild velocity, the OLD crane, with
commanding cali, bidding them onward
while the towns, and the cities, and the
continents slid under them. The proph-
ct, almost blinded from looking into
dazzling heavens, stoops down and De-
gins to think how much superior the
birds are in sagacity about the1T SAFETY
than men about theirs, and he puts his
hand upon the pen and begins to write,
"The steTk in the heaven knoWeth ner
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 were in the field today, IN the
clump of trees at the corner Of the field
you would see convention Of birds,
noisy as the American congress the
last night before adjournment or as the
British parliament when some unfor-
tunate member proposes more economy
in the queens households 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 go to-
day, but all unanimous in the fact
that they must go soon, for they have
marching orders from the Lord written
on the first white sheet CT the frost and
and in the pictorial Of the changing
leaves.
There is not a belted kingfsher, or a
chaffneh, CT a fire crested wren, or a
plover, or red legged partridge but ex-
poets to spend the winter at the south,
for the apartments have already been
ordered for them in South America Or
in Africa, and after thousands Of miles
of fight they will stop In the very tree
where they spent last January. Fare
well, bright plumage! Until spring
weather, away Fly on, great band OF
heavenly musiciansl StTeW the CONT
nent with music, and whether from
Ceylon isle or Carolinian swamps OF
Brazilian groves men see your wings OF
hear your voice may they yet bethlQk
themselves 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. .
I propose, so far as God may help me
in this sermon, carrying out the idea Of
the text, to show that the birds Of tht
air have more sagac1ty than men. AnC
begin by particularizing and saying
that they mingle music with theil
work. The most serious undertaking
Of birds life is this annual fligh
southwark. Natura!ists tell US that
they arrive thin and weary and plum
age rufaed, and yet they go singing al
the Wsy-the ground the lower line ot
the music, the sky the.u upper line Of th'
music, themselves the notes scattered
up and down between. I suppose tht
song gives elasticity to their wing anC
helps on with the journey, dWiDdlin:
1000 miles into 400. Would God tina
we were as wise as they in nlinglini
Christian song with our everyday work
believe there is such athing as takin!
the pitch Of Christian devotion IN tn
morning and keeping it all the day.
think we might take some Of the dul
lest, heaviest, most disagreeable worl
Of our life and setit to the tune Of An
tioch" or Mount Pisgah.'
II is a good sign when you hear
workman whistle. 1t is better sigl
when you hesr him hum q roundeiay
1t is still a better sign when you hea
him sing the words Of Isaac Watts O
Charles Wesley. A violin chorded an
strung, If something accidental,
strike it, makes music, and I guppos
there is such q thing as having 0u
hearts so attuned by divine grace tha
even the rough collisions Of life vii
make a heavenly vibration. l 60 no
believe that the power of Cbristia!
song has yet been fully tried. l beheV,
that if you could roll the "Old Hun
dred" doxology through the street
would put an end to any panic. l be
ueYe that the diseords, and the sorrows
and the sins of the world are to b
swept out by heaven born hallelujahs
Some one asked Haydn, the celebrate
musician, why he always compose
such cheerful music. Why" ne said
81 can't do otherwise. When I thin
of God, my soul is so IQn Of joy tina
the notes lesp and dance from my pen.
/ wish we might all eXult meIodlousl
before the Lord. With God for on
Father and Christ for our Saviour an
hnouon for hnTon and onOGls IN