Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-05-01


Cd utilized for moral ana religious pur-
poses text, Proverbs, vi, G-S, Go 70 the
| ant, thou siuggar,I. consider her ways
and be wise, which. having no guide,
| oyerseer Or ruler. provideth her meat IN
the summer and gathereth her food IN
the harvest"
The most Of Solomon's writings have
persisted. They have gone out OF exist
ence as thoroughly as the wenty books
of Plny ani most of the books of Aes-
chylus and Euripides and Narro and
Quintilian. Solomon's Song aud Eecle-
siastes and Proverbs. preserved by inspir-
alton. are Il small part Of his voluninods
productions. He was great scientist.
One verse in the Bible suggests that he
was a botanist. a zoologist, an ornithoio-
gst. an ichthyologist and knew all about
reptilia. /. Kings w., 33, lie spake Of
trees, from the cedar tree that is in Leb-
| anon even unto the hyssop that spring
eth out Of the wall; he spake also Of
beasts and Of fowl and of creeping things
and of fishes" Besides all these seien-
tifc works, he composed 1900 proverbs
and 1905 songs.
Although Solomon lived long before the
microscope was constructed. he was also
an insectologist and watched and de-
scrihes the spider build its suspension
| bridge Of silk from tree to tree, calling Il
the SPIDERS web, and he notices its skill
full foothold in climbing the smooth wall
of the thronernoin in Jerusalem. saying,
''The spider taketh hold with her hands
and is in kings palaces" But he is espe-
cialw interested in the ant and recon-
mends its habits as worthy of study ana
| imitation, saying, Go to the ant. thou
sluggard, consider her ways and be wise,
| which, having no guide, overseer or ruler,
provideth her meat in the summer ana
| gathereth her food in the harvest
But it was OF until about 500 years
/ ago, when Jan Swammerdam, the son
/ VI an apothecary at Amsterdam, Holland,
| began the study of the ant under power
| full lens that the full force of solomon
| injunction was understood. The great
Dutch scientist, in his examination Of the
| insect in my text. discovered as great
| display of wisdom of Cod in its anat-
omy as astronomers discover in the heav-
ems and was 50 absorbed dnd wrought
upon BY the wonders he discovered in the
ant and other insects that body and mind
gave way, and he expired ,,t ~ years of
age, a martyr of the great science Of in
sociology.
| Ne 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 won.
| ders of antennae by which. it gathers
! food, and of mandibles, which, instead Of
| the motion of the human jaw lnp and
| down in mastication, move from side 10
| side: its nervous system, les enlargiRg
| doors in hot weather for more sweep Of
breeze, its mode of attack and defense,
| closing the gate at night against bandit
| invaders; its publication of the earth for
| human residence, its social life, its re-
| publican government. with the, consent OF
| the governed; its material tideities, the
| habit Of these creatures of gathering
now and then under the dome Of the mt
hillock. seemingly in consultation, and
| then departing to execute their different
missions.
Not Altogether Comuenda',fe.
But solomon would not commend all
| the habits of the ant, for some of them
are as bad as some If the habits of the
| human race But what are the habits
| which solomon would enjOin when he
! says. Consider her ways and he wise. "
First of all. providence. forethought. an
| ticipation of coming necessities. | am
| sorry to say these qualities are not char
! acteristic of all the ants. These creatures
| of God are divided into graniyoreus and
carnivorous. The latter are not frugal
| but the former are frugal. While the air
| is warm and moving about is not hindered
| 10y ice or snowbank they import their
| cargoes of food. They bring in their car
| AVIAN of provisions; taey haul in their
long train of wheat or corn or oats. The
farmers are not more busy in July and
! August in reapng their harvest than are
! the ants busy in July and August reaping
their harvest. They stack them away;
they pile them up. They question when
they have enough. They aggregate a
sufficient amount TO last them until the
next warm season. When winter opens,
they are ready. Blow, we wintry blasts.
Hang your icicles from the tree branches
Tmbed all the highways under snowdrfts!
Enough for all the denizens 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 insectile be-
havior. what do you think of that large
I number of prosperous men and women
| who live up TO every dollar that they
make. raising their families in luxurious
| habits and at death expecting some kind
! friend to give their daughters employ
ment as music teachers or typewriters
or government employees? Such parents
have no right to children Every neigh
| borhood has specimens Of such IMPROVE
dence. The two words that most strike
me in the text are summer" and win
ter. Some people have no summer in
their lives. But in most lives there is a
period of summer. although it may be a
short Summer, and that is the time to
provide for the failure.
One Of the best ways Of insurng the
| future is to put aside all you can for
| charitable provision. You put a cram
bling stone in the foundation of your for
! tune if You do not in your plans, regard
he sufferings that you may alleviate.
| You win have the pledge OF the high
heavens f.. your temporal welfare when
you help the helpless, for the promise is;
blessed is h. that considereth the poor.
The Lord win deliver him Ia time of
| trouble" Then there is another way OF
providing for the future. II yon have
| $1,000 a year income, save 500; or 81
coo year. save $500; or $1,000, save
| $1,000. DO yoH say such economy is
| mcanness? l say It IS a vaster mean
| ness for You 10 make no provision forthe
| future AMI compel your friends or the
| world 10 take care Of you or yours IN
| case Of bereavement or calamity.
Wrecked by Extravag ance.