Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-29
TWO EXCELLENT SERMONS.
South Highlands Presbyterian Church.

Rev. John Barbour preached from Amos viii, 1: And behold a basket of summer fruit!' After adverting to some of the eccentric performances by which the prophets sometimes converted their les sons, he said: Let us ponder on this midsummer Sabbath some of the season. able lessons embodied in this sub ject, now so familiar to us-a basket of summer fruit. First, we may see the happy union of the useful and the beauti- ful. I suppose that there's not living person capable of admiring anything who does not applaud the beauty of the fruits. But they are not mere adorn- ments of the season. They are yet more welcome for the variety they bring to our tables. We crave their sweetness as their pungency and we store the surplus for the winter. They are wonderfully brought together in their usefulness and grace. The lesson is very plain. One does not need be hard and angular to serve and use. We are apt to think that strength implies abruptnesS, severity of manner over -plainness in dress and con versation. Some bodies of Christians have cultivated contempt for all adorn- ment in dress or graciousness in manner Now, nature does not teach them that, and revelation in using nature does not approve it.
 This is true of things with which we do not ordinarily associate the beautiful. The farmer plants his field with little thought, perhaps, except to reap the grain and lay up the dollar. But nature will not be made a drudge. See how she eomposes on these very furrows, and out of these commodities for the market, a perfect symphony in color, as sky and field and hedge blend their hues. The principles of the gospel work out into graceful and lovely forms when fully fs.ax., r. IATf looking than other people. We ought to be better looking, at least, than we are, and some day l, for one, hope to be. Yet if the Creator deny us comeiness, as He did Socrates, we can cultivate a character and manner that will partly atone for our defects. The beauty of holiness, at least is attainable.
 Thus we see in this image of the prophets a parable of the variety of char acter in which God delights We would force everything into our admired type. We say: "I like this kind of man. I admire that style of a woman" But God has use for Mary and Martha and Lazarus. And Peter. James and John are equal apostles before Him. We are this wise in other things When we put our fruits upon the table for our friends the apples are there with their substan- tial charms, and the rich coated peach, whilst the smaller fruits fill up the crev- ices, and the vine cluster wreathes it. self in careless grace about all. In any church we need the more brilliant gifts and the more modest-the retcent as well as the outspoken the strength of a great Christian merchant as well as the kind of piety that thrives under the matched caves of poverty We need the varied dispositions-love, gentleness, meekness, of course, but sometimes the acid must be there to give pungency and edge. As a general thing, however, when the fruit is ready to drop into your hand it is sweet and relishable to your taste.
 'The greatest of these is charity"
 The fruit cluster will teach us also the benefit of culture. Most of our fruits have been brought from afar-the cherry from Asia Minor; the peach and plum and pear connect us back to England and Persia. The crusaders brought trees from the east, which the monks devel- oped in their gardens, as missionaries are taking our fruits to India and South America today. The wild sloe of the hills has become the luscious plum. We have ourselves seen the strawberry developed and glorified. This is all a reminder of what can be done for man. for we are part of nature, and our powers and our susceptibilities may be developed. It takes three generations, it is said, to make a gentleman. Yet one generation will mark d marvelous change. l have seen pictures of a Sandwich Islander be- fore ana alter COnVeTSlOH, WHICH teii more powerful story than all the argu- ments for missions ever made. But every town holds up this law before us.
 A young man wakes up to desire for an education. Remote from school he conceives an unsuitable desire to know something, to be somebody, and to do something worthy in the world. After few years you would hardly know him. He has strengthened himself up so that he looks you in the face when he speaks to you. He has acquired engag- ing manners, the lines of his face betoken awakening thought-power; he can keep his mind on proposition and think 1t out. He has principles and convictions. Culture has done it. As marked change comes over any community when the gospel is busy chiselling away, What man does for the field God does for the heart
 Much has been made of the law of de- velopment by which species and varie- ties are so wonderfully changed. But there is another law by which, if the hand of man is withdrawn, there comes a reversion and surrender of these ex- cellences. Man. the supreme animal, is the completest exemplificaton of this.