The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-10-04
BILL ARP.
LIKE AN APPLE TREE.

For every tree IS known by his Owl
fruit.-St. Luke, Vi, II.
The word tree occurs III the Bible
many scores of times. 1t seems to end
itself with peculiar grace and force to
any reference to the spiritual nature OF
man. The good are compared to trees
on a rivers bank. where s~uHtenance IS
plentiful. their roots striking deep into
the rich soil and their branches bearing
abundant fruit. The wicked are refer
red to as trees in a barren soil whose
roots are parched with thirst and whose
branches bear nothing better than With
cred fruit.
spent in an orchard under an apple tree
which was greatly priced by the farmer.
| was in that impressionable mood when
one seems to be influenced by two
worlds-the visible, which appeals to the
sense. and the invisible. which appeals
to the imagination. | was in Gods larS-
cr temple. and unseen acOlyteS were
swinging a censor which filled the air
with the perfume Of new mOWn hay and
fragrant blossoms. The tree that shelf
cred me was 4 type and symbol OF Il
human life, and he lesson it taught |
have never forgotten.
First. its roots sank deep in the soil
and were hourly fed in the mysterious
laboratory of nature, just as the souls
roots go down into the productive faith
which nOurishes it. The soil of that or
chard was apparently commonplace. and
even offensive. and in like manner the
experiences Of life are apparently I'M
worthy of notice and incapable of pro
ducing any worthy or noble or highly
valued result.
In a way so strange that no man can
follow ii, that tree drew from the black
loan the nutriment of its growth and
strength and development. IT was filled
with the vigorous sap Of life, and like Il
giant was able to resist the tempest and
the storm. so can the soul draw the
elements of sterling manhood and wo-
manhood from the ordinary events of
every day. To look on the happenings
which have fallen to your lot. YOU natur-
ally conclude that your life is hardly
worth the living. No greatness is posi-
bic under such circumstances The
longings within YOU cannot be satisfied.
for YOU do not fit your surroundings. and
your surroundings do not fit YOU. The
tree would say the same of the soil if
it were gifted with speech and intelli-
gence, for nothing can seem further
away from Il ripe apple than a spadeful
Of dirt. And yet, behold the tree en-
gagged i'll its daily task. There are the
green leaves, there are the blossoms,
with q tint not to be found on any paint
er'S palette. and in the frosty October
the ripe fruit will drop from the
branches.
From your poor and ordinary life YOU
can produce results which rival those of
the tree when YOU learn the trees secret.
The tree does its best with what it has,
and is satisfied. While doing its best
the miracle takes place, and YOU find a
leaf, a fragrant blossom, a ripe apple.
You are surprised, for how could they
come from such a soil? Still, there they
are. and If YOU taste the apple YOU will
see that 1t is real and ripe and luscious.
So. from the comnOnplaceS of life the
soul, when its roots are embedded in
the rich soil Of faith. can envo!ve a char
acter very like an archangel's. Com
mon tears and common smiles and com
mon struggles can, like a S~culptor'S
chlSel. give us such Il shape of syInme-
try that God will welcome us TO heaven
with Il We'll done, good and faithful
servant
Second. | thought of something else
anu SOIltlilllIS SIt1LGI us L law there on
the grass, for | was tired and troubled.
and perhaps a bit discouraged, as we are
all apt to be at times. The leaves. the
blossoms, the fruit. and what then2
Have | learned my lesson in full. or is
there more to know? The %nippins frost
will come to the tree and to me. and
after the orchard will have its coverIet
of snow and will fall asleep. as | shall
also. No more leaves, no more bios
SONS, no more fruit: Has the whole
story been told: Does the winter end all
time as 1t ends the year? Not with the
apple tree certainly-then why with me
Shall L fall while the tree continues to
flourish?
There IS a spring, Il glorious spring,
ahead. The SHOWS Will melt. the frosts
will be killed by sunshine. the sluggish
ground will wake up, the warm rains
will start the sap in that old trunk once
more, there will be new leaves waving
above the grave of the fallen. new bios
SONS IN place of those which have
changed to apples. an new fruit in the
new October.
And as for myself? If | nave resem-
bled the tree thus far, shall the resem-
blance cease when the frost comes? DO
| bear fruit but once? Then were if
scarce worth my while to bear fruit
at all. For me. too, there is a spring
the spring of immortality-and in that
better cline | shall grow as here \ can
not grow. and bear such fruit as | have
never yet dreamer of. The grave is sim
ply my winter. | shall sleep. but | shall
be Weakened. The snow will cover my
body, but not my soul. The thought IS
L benedlctlon and al inspirations. |
seem like one who is ready to drop by