The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-05-03
DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY The NOTED
DIVINE.
Subject; Lessons Drawn From the Natu-
raj World The Ant as Teacher -
God Regulates the Ant Hnl as Well
as the Human Habitation.

~ A~AAiaeN Ni@Mr MS Illustrations from u
realm seldom utilized for moral and rehg.
ious purposes text. Proverbs ", 6.S: Go
10 the ant, thou s.ugyagd. Consider her
WAYS and be wise, which, having no guide,
oYerseer or ruler, provdeth her meat IN
the summer and gathereth her food in the
harvest"
The most Of So!omon's writings have
penshcd. They have gone out of exist.
ence as thoroughly as the twenty books OF
Plny and most OF the ! ,oks OF Aeschyus
and Euripldes and Narro and Quintihan.
Soiomou's Song and Ecclesnstes and
Proverbs, preserved by inspiration. are a
small part oi his vo.Umlnogs productions
lie was great scientist. One verse i'm the
Bible suggests that he was a botanist. a
zoooslst,. an ornithlologst. an ichthyo,o-
gist and knew all about repuha | Kings
iv, 30, He spake of trees. from the cedar
tree that Is IN Lebanon even unto the
hyssop that sprngeth out OF the wall: he
spake also of beasts and of fowl and of
creeping things and OF fishes" Besides all
these scientific works he composed 300
proverbs and lO05 songs.
Although solomon lived loac before the
microscope WAS constructed he was also
an rnsectologlSt, and watched and de.
scrlbes the spider build lts suspension
bridge OF silk from tree 20 tree. calling IL
the spiders web. and he notices its slAlml
the throneroom IN Jerusalem, saying,
The spider taketh hold with her hands
and Is IN kings palaces But he is cspe.
cially interested IN the ant, and recon.
mcnis ats habits as worthy Of study and
imitation. saying, Go 10 the ant thou
sluygard, consider her ways and be wise.
which, having no guide ovcrscer or ruler.
provldeth her meat IN the summer and
gathereth her food IN the harvest"
when Jan Swammerdam, the son of an
apothecary at Amsterdam, Holland. began
the study ot the ant under powerful lens.
that the full force OF SOlomon's Injunction
was understood The great Dutch scien.
tlst IN his examination of the insect IN my
text discovered as great display of the
wisdom of God IN ITS anatomy as astrono-
mers discover in the heavens, and was So
absorbed and wrought upon by the won
ders he discovered IN the ant and other
insects that body and mind gave way. and
he expired at forty.three years OF age.
martyr OF the great science of lnsectolOgy.
No one but God could have fashioned
the insect spoken of in the text or given
It such genius OF instinct-its wisdom for
harvesting at the right time, its wonders
of antennae by which 10 gathers food. aud
of mandibles, which instead OF the mo-
tion of the human jaw up and down IN
mastication, move from side 90 side; its
nervous system, ITS enlarging doors in hot
weather for more sweep of breeze it's
mode OF attack and defense. closing the
gate at night against bandit invaders; It's
publication of the earth for human resi-
dence, its social life, its republican gov.
ernment with the consent ot the gov
erned, its natural fidelltlcs. the habit of
these creatures of gathering now and then
under the dome OF the ant hillock seem
lngly in consultation and then departing
to execute their different missions
But Solomon would not commend all the
habits Of the ant. for some of them are as
bad as some of the habits OF the human
race. Some OF these small creatures are
desperadoes and murderers. Now and
then they marshal themselves into hosts
and march IN straight line and come upon
stroy its occupants. except the young.
whom they carry into captivity, and If the
army come back without any such cap
tlves they are not permitted 20 enter, but
are sent forth 20 make more successful con
quest. Solomon gives no commcndatlon
TO such sanguInary behavior among insects
any more than he would have commended
sangunary behavior among men.
But what are the habits which Solomon
would enjon when he says. Consider her
ways and be wise| First OF all Prov.
dence, forethOught. anticipation OF coming
necessities. ] am sorry 10 say these quail
ties are not Characteristic OF all the ants
These creatures of God are divided into
granivOrous and CarnIvorOus. The latter
are not frugal, but the former are frugal
While the air - warm and moving about
Is not hindered by zee or snowhank they
import their Cargocs OF food. They bring
IN their caravan ot provision; they haul IN
their long train OF wheat or corn or oats.
The farmers are not more busy in july
and August m rcaplng their harvest. They
stack them away, they pile them up. They
question when they have enough. They
aggregate a sufficient amount 10 last them
until the next warm season. When winter
opens they are ready.
Blow yc wintry blasts Hang your iaiclcs
from the tree branches Imbed all the
highways under snowdriftsl Enough Tor
all the denlzens Of the hills Hunger shut
out, and plenty sits within. God, who
feedeth every living thing, has blessed the
ant hill
In contrast with that inscctilc behavior
what do you think o, that large number Of
prosperous men and women who live up
To every dollar that they make, raising
their families IN luxurious habits and A.
death expecting some kind friend 20 give
their daughters employment ~ music
teachers or typcwritoIs or Government
employees Such parents have no right 10
children. Every neighLorhood has speci.
mems Of such imprOyIdcnce. The two
words that most strike me IN the text are
summer and winter Some people
have no summer IN their lives. From the
rocking cradle 90 the still grave IL IL relcnt-
less January Invalid infancy followed by
some Gripping accident or dlmness Of eye
sIght or duliness OF hearing or pryatrl 0r
disaster or unfortunate environment makes
life a perpetual winter. But in most lives
there Is a period oi summer, although 70
may be a short SUMMER, aud that IS the
time % provide Tor the future.
One Of the best ways Of insuring the ~.
turc Is 10 put aside dil YOU can for Chart
able provision. You put a crumbiing stone
IN the foundation oi your fortune II you
do not IN your plans regard the sufierIngs
that you may alleviate. You will have the
pledge Of the high heavens for your tenn
poral welfare when YOU help the helpless,
for the promise is Blessed Is NJ that con-
sdereth the poor; the Lord WlH deliver
him ln time oi trouble.
Then there is another way of providing
for the future. III you have $1,000 a year
income, save 800, or s2po) a year, save
500, or 1900. save SiJJJ Do YOU say
such economy b. mcauuessy ] Eay it D. a
vister mcanness Tor you 10 make no pro
vision for The future and compel your
friends or the world 90 take care ~ YOU
or yours IN case Oi bereavement Or Ca.dm-
Ity
There are women Who % the first ~
crease Of their husbands resources wreck
all on an cztfJslrsut wardrobe There
are men who 40 the prospect ri larger
prosperity bJid houses they will never to
able % pay for There are people with
SiODO a year income vino have not one dD.-
lar lad up for a .uy day II h a ghastIy
dishonesty practi.el on The next genera
ton. Such men deserve bankruptcy and
impovrrishfnert I4 almost every mans
life there comes % winter 0i cold msilr.
tune. Prepare for % while yoI may.
Whose the.m0rcfor has not synftlwas
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