Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-10-11

rsxt,-we all do fade az leaf. H., si:s.
lam aware that from one point Of view,
mis- is not a very cheering text. 1t bears
,,ace OF melancholy. But il truthfuIly
,sprssents one aspect of our life, and
rhsther the thought cheers or sobers us, 4
think il fit that we should occasionally sit
and mediate in its company. Certainly il
;ss time of year when it is suggested to us
bv A most beautiful symbolism. What a
rare circumstance that on the verge of
winter, Just as the leaves are to fall, so
many OF the trees burst into bloomi The
fading green OF the wood Is set with bright
color, as II nature, having accomplished
her work, were indulging in short deco.
rative holiday.
God has made every season beautiful
The whole year round the earth is full of
charm. 1t needs only an appreciative eye,
an outward-Iooking mind. But at no
time OF the year, in our latitude, is this
perennial beauty OF the world made so
emphatic as now. 1t Is never SO thrust
upon us as IL to force us to look outwardly
in appreciation. What eye can escape the
sppeal Of the autumn foliagel II we are
never so self-absorbed, yet the brilliancy
of il before we are aware will capture our
attention.
Nevertheless, there Is a solemnity in all
this gorgeous scenery. Somehow It does
not set the pulses beating as does the
fresh green of springtime. By it one is
thrown into q reflective, meditative mood.
II Is due, | think, to an undercurrent OF
hat ult h 10 Ia afs,l.
The spark brightcns ere IL vanishes. The
trees dress themselves in crimson and
gold ere the frosts strip them bare We
feel it TO be the end of q process. Some
thing is finished and is passing away. 1t
possesses the solemnity which pertains to
the word farewell. Hence the fitness
of taking this sutumnal episode as a
symbol of the vanishing character of
human life.
do not know whether Isaiah had in
mind the annual passing OF the leaves
when he coined the words OF our text,
or was thinking OF the occasional shrivel-
ing of the foliage in his own land due to
excessive droughts At any rate, we,
every year, have enacted before our eyes
at this season most beautiful and inn
pressive parable. IL recalls us, as we read
between the lines, to the fact that our life
is a passing experience. We have here no
fixed condition. The grace of the fashion
of life perisheth. As the leaf fades, so
do we.
do not think one should try to hide
this fact from himself 1t is the part OF a
child to cover his eyes in the presence of
some notwithstanding form. full
grown man should deliberately face the
whole truth concerning himself, though
there be aspects OF it he does not like.
He should openly face this present truth:
''Yst few days and Thea
The Ali-beholding sun shall see 10 more
In all his course"
it is the fact OF our mortality. Each is
predestinsted and foreordained to pass
through the valley of the shadow of death.
Some day each shall leave his mirth and his
employment; the merchant leave his store,
the mechanic lay down his tools, the man
ager depart from his factory, the lawyer
cease from his desk, the teacher leave off
the school: and these places shall know
them no more forever.
II any one thinks this is truth to be
kept hidden amid the fogs of conscious
ness, lest 1t disturb the thoughtless Sc
renity of our spirits, l cannot agree. To
me 1t seems infinitely better to live life
with as clear a consciousness as possible
OF all the essential facts it contains. II
death is inevitably in the order OF exist
ence, then we attain q higher dignity OF
personal life as we grasp the truth and try
somehow to adjust ourselves to IL. Let us
have the courage to blink nothing of SO
vast consequence to us as this manifest
fact Is.
1t is said of the ostrich, that 1t buries
its head in the sand when pressed by dan
ger. To Danish this present fact from con-
seriousness would be an imitation of its
folly. Rather, with open countenance, let
us look at the truth. Let US reiterste it
until 1t becomes one Of the familiar fur
nishings of our minds. Let us try TO
make the best of 1t, to win good cheer in
the presence OF it, TO endeavor for greater
wisdom of living in view of it. This
surely is the worthier attitude. We all do
fade as leaf. Let us receive it as one of
wv sciitirS pi puE OWN fNISouai
ence- And il we do so receive it, let us
ask then: What effect this consciousness
should have upon us?
suppose the first thought will be, that
1t makes toward melancholy. WIN it not
disturb our peace? How can one be joyous
OF spirit, buoyant Of heart, keeping COM
pany with the thought that that awful
mystery is approaching with the swiftness
OF the days, and he knows not how far or
near it is? Well. even il we were dumb
in its presence, and could see nothing but
its shadow, and could feel nothing but its
chill and the creeping sadness of it, yet /
still would prefer to look full at ii and
anticipate its coming. There might even
then be grim fortitude possible, which
would be better than the serenity of igno-
rance Rut fhara arc imnliaat ions in