The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05

ests, crumble and are burned. Villages
appear, with smiths at the bellows,
masons on the wall, carpenters on the
housetop. Churches rise in honor of
the Great Spirit whom the red man ig-
norantly worship. Steamers on the
lake convey merchandise to her
wharf and carry east the uncounted
bushels that have come to the market.
Bring hither wreaths of wheat and
crowns of rye and let the mills and the
machinery of barn and field unite their
the wilderness hath retreated and the
plow hath conquered.
Religion the Tree OF Lifc.
Although most OF us have nothing
directly to do with the tillage of the
soil, yet in all our occupations we feel
the effect of successful or blighted in
dustry. We must. in ell our occupa-
tons, rejoice over the victories of the
pillow today. The earth was once cursed
for mans sake, and occasionally the
soil revenges itself on us by refusing
a bountiful harvest. l suppose that
but for sin the earth would be pro-
duclng wheat and corn and sweet fruits
as naturally as now it produces null
lem stalks and Canada thistles. There
is hardly hillocll between the forests
OF Maine and the lagoons Of Florida,
between the peach orchards of New
Jersey and the pines of Oregon, that
has not sometimes shown its natural
and total depravity. The thorn and
thistle seem to have usurped the soil,
and nothing but the rebellion of the
plow can uproot the evil supremacy.
But God is good. Now. if one of our
seasons partially proves a failure, the
earth seems to repent of it the next
summer in more munificent supply.
Praise God for the great harvests
that have been reaped this last year
Some of them, injured by drought OF
insects or freshets, were not as boun.
tlful as usual, others, far in excess OF
what have ever before been gathered
while higher prices will help make W
for any decreased supply. Sure sign Of
agricultural prosperity we have in the
fact that cattle and horses and sheer
and swine and all farm animals have
during the last two years increased in
value. Twenty million swine siaugh-
tered this last year, and yet SO many
hogs left. Enormous paying off oil
farm mortgages has spoiled the ole
speeches of the calamity howlers. Ii
the ancients in their festivals present
ed their rejoicings before Ceres, the
goddess Of corn and tillage, shall we
neglect to rejoice in the present OF
the great God now? From Atlantic tic
Pacific let the American nation cele.
brate the victories of the pillow.
Growth of National Industry.
: Railroads of fabulous length have
been completed, over which western
trains rush past the swift footed deer
making the frightened birds to dar
into the heavens at the cough OF tn,
smoke pipes and the savage yell O
the steam whistle. In hot haste on
national industry advances, her breatl
the air of ten thousand furnaces, hel
song the song of uncounted factories
her foctstep the flash of wheel buck
cts and the tread of the shaft ant
the stamp of foundries. Talk abou,
antediluvian longevity. I think the
average Of human life is more now
than 1t ever was. Through mechani.
cal facilities men work so much taste,
and accomplish SO mush more in life
time that man can afford to die nov
at forty as we'll as one of old at 800
think the average of human life il
point Of accomplishment is now equiv
alent to about 800 years, as near as
can calculate it. In all our occupa
lions and professions we feel the eff
feet of crippled or enlarged me
chanical enterprise. We all have stool
in every house that is builded and il
every public conveyance that is con
structed and in every ship that i.
sailed. When We see the hardworkins
men of the land living in comfortable
abodes, with luxuries upon their tables
that once even kings could not afford
having the advantage of thorough ed
ucation, of accomplishment and art
we are all ready at this season to unite
with them in praise to God for his
goodness.
You shall yet see American labo,
rising up with stronger arm and :
stouter heart and swarthier frame
New cities will be built Commerce.
on the lakes will take new wings
Where now stand unbroken forests
great capitals of business and affluence
will rise and streams that have idled
away 5000 years will be harnessed tc
to toll and sweat like the Chattahoo-
ehee and the Merrimac. At one of our
great dry docks we shall yet build the
model ocean steamship. 1t will come
together under the chorus Of thou
sand American hammers. She will
start amid great national hurrah and
move far out at sea as though an is
land had been unanchored with its
forests of masts, or as if some one had
said in Scripture phrase unto noun
tain. BE thou cast into the sea-" The
volcano in her heart will sprinkle on