The Tupelo journal., 1902-09-19


the vine in sending to it the life-giv-
ing sap. Every pulsation of the flow
ing sap sings a song of growth, which
enlarges the branch's possibilities for
Fruit Bearing. How beautiful it is
year by year to note the charging
and farther reaching branch of the
vine. 1t carries it's silent message of
purpose and progress. The husband
man justly complains if it is other
wise, and marks the undeveloping
branch for the brush heap and the
consuming fire.
But growth does not mark the ulti-
mate purpose of the vine in the
branch. Every event, every develop
ment in the life of that branch has
been eagerly bending towards the
one grand purpose of Fruit Bearing.
If the swaying branch could speak
what a glad song of hope it would
sing of the coming days of fruitage,
which would be it's glory. With the
returning life in the spring we would
hear it murmuring softly to itself, as
it felt the vitalizing sap, swelling in bud
and leaf, of the developing of its beau
tiful dress of green and its fragrant
blossom. But it would not rest con-
tent there. AS the leaf spread out in
it's sheltering foliage and the blossom
unfolded to the warmth of the SUI and
the cool refreshing of the soft falling
| rain. again the ambitious branch
would be heard singing its song OF
hope of the days just ahead when the
blossom would give place to the form
ing fruit, and the leaf would shelter
from the heat and storm. But not even
then would the branch rest content,
but it would eagerly draw on the line
for more life, more n~Ourlshment, so
that the swelling fruit might be
brought to perfection. And not until
the bloom of the ripened fruit marked
it in beauty as ready for the harvest
would the branch be willing to rest in
its mission; not until then would it be
heard to rejoice in the full conscious
ness of a destiny wrought out, of a pur-
pose in life fulfilled. So must it be with
the branches in Christ. Abiding in the
Vine, not hat they may have life only,
but that they may grow and develop.
Abiding in the Vine, not that they may
grow and develop only, but that their
growth and development may be fol-
lowed by Fruit Bearing.
The Fruit Bearing Period.-This is
marked by the blossom, the stage of
development and the ripened fruit.
1t is not enough that the branch deck
herself with blossoms. If the bios
SONS as they fade and drop away do not
leave behind them the forming fruit,
to what purpose was their growth and
unfolding. They rave belied their pro-
fession and nave brought reproach
upon the nourishing vine. Are there
many fair blossoms of promise spring.
ing from you as you draw life and nour--
ishment from the Vine? Do not let your
heart rest content with the thought of
their beauty and fragrance. Remem-
Der that they must quickly give place to
the forming fruit, or they abide alone
and a barrenless branch, stripped of
it's blossomless beauty, sways desolate-
ly from the disappointed vine. Many
reach the poisoning stage, but the
frost of Indifference and carelessness
nips the tender blossoms of promise,
and destroys the possibility of
fruit; or the mildew of worldly ambi-
tions and pursuits blights the blossom
and smothers the fruit that might 9TH
erwise have been grown; or the vio-
lent winds of adversely, or the hail
storms of persecution may have come
Just at the critical blossom period and
forever blasted the hope of fruitage
and harvest. Oh, how many things
come to destroy the blossoms'before
the fruit is formed. What is it in
your life that is blighting your
blossoms and cutting off the fruit
forming period?
And with the passing of the bios
SONS comes the fruit developing
stage. If the life of. the vine is al
lowed to iced the branch, how
quickly the fruit responds and devel-
ops day by day. But again, so many
blighting conditions arise to inter-
fere with this important period in
Fruit Bearing that many who pass
the blossom stage and see the form
ing fruit fail to bring it to full and
luscious ripeness. Oh, what a re-
sponsibility! Not enough to bios
som for Christ, not enough to form
fruit for Christ. Our responsibility
does lot End until the harvest comes
and the full ripened fruit is placed in
the Masters hand.
The Prunihg.-And then the hus-
bandman purgeth and pruneth the
branch hat it may bring forth more
fruit; for it is the branch that has
shown fruit-bearing possibilities that
is pruned. The branch that bears
only promising blossoms is cut off
and cast away. The branch that
stops at green and sour grapes is
little better, but is cut off and cast
into the fire. 1t is the branch which
brings the little fruit to perfection
which is lovingly pruned that it may
bring forth more fruit. The pruned
branches in the springtime are not
attractive. 1t is not pleasant to be
cut; to be seemingly deprived of
growth in this direction AND that,
but as the summer days lengthen
into the autumn and we see the
larger clusters of more luscious
grapes on the pruned branches we
realize the wisdom of it all, and re-
ioice in the husbandman's skill and
f~aithfulness. So it is in the Christian
life. mo Christening for the pres
ent seemeth to be joyous, but griev-
- ~.~-41.11ar ~ 81 rxx,n rI - xin1I-