Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-10-02
Like an Apple Tree.


For every tree is known By his own frut-S;.
Luke. wiz
The word tree occurs in the Bible many
scores of times. 1t seems TO lend itself with |
peculiar grace and force to any reference
10 the spiritual nature of man. The good
are compared 10 trees a rivers bank,
where sustenance is plentiful, their roots
striking deep into the rich soil and their
branches bearing abundant fruit. The
wicked are referred to trees in barren
soil whose roots are parched with thirst
and whose branches bear nothing better
than withered fruit.
L remember one summer afternoon spent
in an orchard under an apple tree which
was greatly priced by the farmer 1 was
in that impressionable mood when one
seems to be influenced by two worlds-the
visible. which appeals to the senses, and
the invisible, which appeals to the imagin-
auon- l was in Gods larger 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 sheltered me was a. type and
symbol of a human life, and the lesson it
taught I have never forgotten.
First, its roots sank deep in the soil and
| were hourly fed in the mysterious labora-
tory of nature, just as the souls roots go
down into the productive faith which nour-
ishes it. The soil of that orchard was ap-
| parently commonplace, and even offensive.
| and in like manner the experiences OF life
are apparently unworthy OF notice and in
| capable of producing any worthy or noble
| or highly valued result.
| In way so strange that no man can
| follow it, that tree drew from the black
| loan the nutriment OF its growth and
strength and development. 1t was filed
with the vigorous sap of life, and like
giant was able TO resist the tempest and
| the storm. So can the soul draw the ele-
| ments Of sterling manhood and womanhood
| from the ordinary events Of every day.
| To look the happenings which have
| fallen to your lot, you naturally conclude
that your life is hardly worth the living.
| No greatness is possible under such cir
cumstances- The longings within you can
not be satisfied, for you do not lit 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 intelligence. for nothing can seem
further away from ripe apple than a
spadeful of dirt. And yet, behold the tree
| engaged in its daily task. There are the
green leaves, there are the blossoms, with
tint not to be found on any painter 5
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 it's 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 soil ?
Still, there they are, and if you taste the
apple you will see that it is real and ripe
and luscious. So, from the commonplace
of life the soul, when its roots are embed
ded in the rich soil of faith, can evolve a
character very like an archangefs- Com
mon tears and common smiles and common
struggles can, like a sculptor's chisel, give
US such shape of symmetry that God will
welcome US to Heaven with We'll done
good and faithful servant"
Second, 1 thought of something else and
something grander as 1 lay there on the
grass, for 1 was tired and troubled, and
: perhaps bit discouraged. as We are all apt
to be at times. The leaves. the blossoms
; the fruit, and what then? Have I learned
nv lesson in full. or is there more to know:
, The nipping frost will come to the tree
and to me, and after that the orchard will
have its coverlet Of snow and will fall
asleep as 1 shall also. No more leaves
, no more blossoms. no more fruit? Has the
whole story been told? Does the winter
end all time as it ends the year? MOI
, with tine apple tree certainly-then why
| with me? Shall / fall while the tree con
= tinues to flourish?
, There is a spring. a glorious spring ahead
The SHOWS will melt, the frosts will b:
| killed by sunshine, the sluggish ground viii
;, wake UP. the warm rains Will start thu
, | sap in that old trunk once more, there will
| be new leaves waving above the grave o
E the fallen, new blossoms in place Of thos
| which have changed to apples, and new
: fruit in the new October.
And as for myself? If 1 have resemblet
| the tree thus far, shall the resemblance
| cease when the frost comes? Do l bea
| fruit but once? Then were 1t scarce wortl
my while to bear fruit at ALL For me, too
there is a spring-the spring OF Immortal
n ity-and in that better cline 1 shall grow
r | as here 1 cannot grow, and bear such frui
e as 1 have never yet dreamed of. The grav
[ il simply my winter. l shall sleep. but
shall he wakened The snow will cove
A my body. but not my soul. The though
d is a benediction and an inspiration.
y seem, like one who is ready to drop b,
: the wayside through sheer WEAKNESS
= strife. but who hears distant music. and
:. | knowing that the Home Is not lar OF
= | takes new heart of courage.
;. Ont of the commonplace of this earthl
n life. accepted in good faith as from tn
~ | providence of God. and used with prayer
. | fuI and careful skill, is shaped that char
A | actor which must have an immortal lif
for IT'S further development. The man VIII
(. <sces to-day with calm resignation an
~ seems a high purpose in mind will fin
"a mat heaven has come to him before 1t
!: | .;r,a for him TO go to heaven.