The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-10-22
CORN HARVEST TINE.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Presents a Sea-
sonable Topic.
Thoughts Presented BY the Harvesting Of
the Yellow Corn--Liksning Of the
Husk and Ear to the Human
HOdy and Soul.

suggested by the corn harvest. is pre-
sented 10y. Rev. I. Dewitt Talmage. 1t
is based on the text:
As a shock Of corn comsth In in his season
job ", 70
Going at the rate Of 40 miles an hour
few days ago l caught this sermon.
If YOU have recently been in the fields
of Pennsylvania, Or New Jersey. or
New York, or New England. or any OF
the country districts, you know that
the corn is nearly all cut. The sharp
knife struck through the stalks and
left them all along the fields until a
man came with a bundle Of straw and
twisted a few of these wisps of straw
into a band. and then gathering up as
much of the corn as he could compass
with his arms. he bound it with this
wisp of straw. and then stood it in the
neld in what is called q shock.
1t is estimated that there are now
several billion bushels Of corn stand
ing in the shock, waiting to be hussed.
Sometime during the latter part OF
next month, the farmers will gather,
one day on n farm, another day on
another farm, and they witlt put on
their rough husking apron, and they
will take the husking pegs'~hich is a
piece of iron with IL leather loop fast
ened to the hand, and with it unsheath
the o from the husk and toss it into
the golden heap. Then the wagons
will come along and take it to the corn
crib.
How vividly to all those Of Us who
were born in the country comes the re-
membrance of husking time. We
waited for it as for n gala day OF the
wear. 1t was called a frolic. The
trees having for the most part
shed their foliage, the farmers waded
through the keen morning air to he
gleeful company. The frosts which had
silvored everything through the night
began to melt off the top of the corn
shocks. While the farmers were wait
for others they stood blowing their
breath through their fingers, or thresh-
inc their arms around their body to
keep up warmth OF circulation.
. Roaring mirth greeted the late farmer
MS he crawied over the fence. Joke
and repartee and rustic salutation
%abounded. All ready, now! The men
take hold the shock of corn and hurl it
prostrate, while the moles and mice
which have secreted themselves there
for warmth attempt escape. The
withe of straw is unwound from the
corn shock, and the stalks, heavy with
the wealth of grain, are rolled into wv
bundles, between which the husker
sits down. The husking peg is thrust
IN until it strikes the corn, and then
the fingers rip off the sheathing OF the
ear, and there is Il crack as the root OF
the corn is snapped off from the husk.
and the grain, disiinprisoned, is hurled
up into the sunlight.
The air is SO tonic, the work is so
very exhilarating, the company is SO
blithe, that some laugh, and some
shout, and some sing, and some banter,
and some tease a neighDor for a roman
tic ride along the edge Of the woods in
an evantide, in Il carriage that holds
but two, and some prophesy as to the
number of bushels to the field, and
others go into competition as to which
shall rifle the most corn shocks before
shutdown.
After awhile the dinner horn sounds
from the farm house, and the table is
surrounded by Il group of jolly and
hungry men. From all the pantries
and the cellars and the perches of
Snul "a, A., ,ln,n tl,a ri,Iay{ laiptiaS
come, and there is carnival and neigh.
borhood reunion, and a scene which
fills our memory, part with smiles, but
more with tears, as we remember that
the farm belongs now to other owners,
and other hands gather in the fields,
and many Of those who mingled in
that merry husking scene have them
selves been reaped like as a shock of
corn cometh in in his season.
There is a difference of opinion as to
whether the oricntals knew anything
about the corn as it stands in our fields;
that the Hebrews knew all about In
dian maize, for there have been grains
OF the corn picked up out OF ancient
crypts and exhumed from hiding places
where they were put down many cen
turtles ago, and they have been planted
in our time and have colne up just such
Indian maize as we raise in New York
and Ohio; SO l am right when l say
tina my text may refer to a shock of
corn just as you and | bound it, just as
you and l threw it, just as you and !
husked it. There may come some
practical and useful and comforting
lessons TO all our souls while we think
OF coming in at last like q shock of
corn coming in in his season."
1t is high time that the King of Ter.
rors were thrown out OF the Christian
vocabulary. A vast multitude Of peo-
pie talk of death as though it were the
disaster OF disasters instead of being to
agood man the blessing Of blessings.
Tvs moving out OF a cold vestibule
,n.o u warm temple. 1t is migrating
INTO groves Of redolence and perpetual
,fuitage. 1t is a change from bleak
march to roseate June. 1t is a change
q manacles for garlands. 1t is the
transmitting Of the iron hand
Guns of earthly Incarceration
'h.o the diamond wristlets of
bridal party; or to use the suggestion
y my text, it is only husking time. 1t
y the tearing off Of the rough sheath
VI the body that the bright and the
ueau''ful soul may 60 free. Coming in
ilHe a shock of corn coneth il in his
seasoh'' Christ broke up a funeral
procession at the gate OF Main by malt-
.ne a resurrection day for a young man
.uu ms mother. And l would that |
.yu'a break up your sadness and halt
long funeral procession OF the
otras grief by some cheering and
~"eeriui view Of the last transition.
We all know that husking time WAS
ame OF frost. Frost on the fence.
N' or the stubble. Frost on the