The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-11-13
Fruitful or Fruitiosr.

Fruit is the organic result of the inner
life OF the tree. IL is not tied on. Many a
lazy tree might enjoy sending to the near
est market and buying goodly supply OF
oranges OF apples and having them last
ened on at the proper time for fruit to ap-
pear, without further trouble, while it used
its roots for legs and travelled about the
earth during the delightful summer wealth
er, only feeling down into the earth for a
little nourishment occasionally when it
could not live any longer without it. But
q. tree Is not made that way. 1t must
abide in one place. 1t must be one with
the soil from which il gets its nourishment.
Neither can its branches take vacation.
You cannot remove branch from q tree
and use it to-day to decorate your house,
and put it back in place tomorrow to go
on with its legitimate work of fruit-bear-
ing. 1t must abide in the tree If it would
bear fruit. 1t must live through the long.
cold winter with the tree and face the
same blasts that beat upon the other
branches. 1t must be there in the spring
to drink the first sweet sap that the trunk
sends up to il, to catch the first spark Of
new life from the heart of the tree and
carry it on to it's fiber ends. 1t must spend
its whole time in getting ready for and
producing the fruit, which is the great and
final purpose of its presence on the tree.
And should branch with an eye to ap-
pearances work thriftily at the task Of pro-
ducing leaves alone, thinking to hide the
fact of little fruit by its luxuriant display
of foliage, II finds out its mistake when the
gardener comes by, for he prunes away this
fine smart prodigy of green, thereby indi-
eating TO the branch that here is expected
instead rosy apple or a luscious pear
And branch that will not take this hint
is by and by cut off to make room for one
that will
There is another thought in connection
with this close relationship of the branch
kk. In H.. al
torn away, or il it has been engrafted with
the tree, 1t is most carefully bound to the
main trunk and the edges where it is joined
sealed with clay or wax that no foreign
substance can get In and interfere with
this close connection between tree and
branch until the growth is fully estab-
lished. There is frequently mach talk
when young Christian comes into tho
church and is united to Christ, about
worldly amusements whether he may or
may not safely indulge in questionable
things thereafter, and some say yes, and
some say no, and some will leave 1t to each'
individual to decide. Would it not be well
TO apply the gardeners rule here, and safe
ly seal the young Christian from anything
which can come between him and Christ,
until his growth is fully established, leav-
ing the decision Of such questions for him
to take up later when he feels that Christ's
life is in his life, and that whatever infu-
ence may come about him, whatever i'll
winds may blow, or harmful substances fly
about, nothing can enter between him and
Christ, because his life is grown into his
Masters and become part OF it.
So many Christians never attain to
true understanding of that union with
Christ that He Himself has said is essen
tal to growth in the Christian life. Not
that they are not united to Him; lacking
that they could not be Christians. But
they often fail to understand the laws that
govern the transmission of spiritual life,
and thus fail to reach that fulness OF life
which otherwise might be theirs.
1t is evident that our duty in the Chris
tian life is fruit-bearing, and that our busi-,
ness in the matter is TO keep ourselves inl
such connection with Christ that our God
given powers may perform their functions.
1t is equally true that we need not worry
about the results, for He says it is He that
has chosen us for this great work, and He
will see it through. We have but to ask
Gin His name" and He will do it. There
fore, IL your fruit does not abound, look
to the end of your branch that lieth next
the vine, for it may be some enemy has
stolen in and worn your bark away until
the sap is being lost.--New York Mail and
Express. .