Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1901-05-04
og,y
No One but God.

No one but God could have fashion
ed 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 antenn9. by which
it gathers food, and Of mandlbles,
which. instead Of the motion Of the
human jaw up and down In mastica-
tion, move from side to side: its nerv-
Gus 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 in
vaders; its publication of the earth for
human residence. its social life. its re-
publican government with the consent
the habit Of these creatures Of gather
ing now and then under the dome Of
the ant hillock seemingly in consulta-
tion 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 murder
ers. Now and then they marshal them
selves into hosts and march In straight
line and come upon an encampment Of
their own race and destroy Its oc-
cupants. except the young, whom they
carry into captivity. and If the army
come back without any such captives
they are not permitted to enter. but
are sent forth to make more successful
conquest. Solomon gives no CON-
mendation to such sanguinary be-
hayior among insects any more than he
would have commended sangulnary be-
havior among men.
But what are the habits which Solo
mon would enjoin when he says. "con-
slider her ways and be wiser First of
all, providence, forethought. anticipa-
ton OF coming necessities. am sorry
to say these qualities are not charac.
teristic of all the ants. These crea-
lures of God are divided into granlvor-
Gus and carnlvorous The latter are
not frugal. but the former are frugal.
While the air is warm and moving
about Is not hindered by ice or snow
bank. they import their cargoes OF
food. They bring In their caravan OF
provision; they haul In their long train
of wheat or corn or oats. The farmers
are not more busy in July and August
in reaping 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 aggre
gate q sufficient amount to last them
until the next warm season. When
winter opens. they are ready. Blow,
We wlntry blasts! Hang your icicles
from the tree branches! Imbed all the
under snowdrifts! Enough
for all the denizens Of the hills. Hun
ger shut out, and plenty sits within.
God, who feedeth every living thing.
bas blessed the ant hill.
Provide For the Future.
In contrast with that insectile be-
havior what do you think Of that large |
number Of prosperous men and women |
who live up to every dollar that they |
make, raising their families In luxu-
'ious habits and at death expecting |
some kind friend to give their daugh-
.ers employment as music teachers or |
.ypewriters or government employees!
Such parents have no right to children.
Every neighborhood has specimens of |
such improvidence. The two words !;
hat most strike me in the text are |
and winter" Some people J
have no summer in their lives. From
thn ronkino cradle to the still graYp III J