The Newtown bee., 1906-03-16
LITTLE SERMONS.
A PARABLE OF sPRING.-BY o. O.
 WRIGHT.

Nal. Az. Unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with heal ing in it's wings"
 Spring is the great battle-ground between the powers of wintry darkness and death, and the life-giving energies of summer light and heat. The gloom of winter, when we contrast it with the joys of the past season of natural life, begins withsthe melancholy days of Autumn" and it is not until some time after the birth of the new year that we begin to look and hope for release from the cold embrace of the season of sleep, and the bondage of night. Then we watch for the rising of the Sun, out of the South, and long for the returning light and warmth of the lengthening days.
 We live very different kind of life in the winter from that we have in the summer, so far as the animal is cOh- cerned at least; and more or less as respects the whole human nature. It is more artificial than natural, more constrained than free. We are shut in, and dormant in many respects, like the rest of the physical world. Most | people, l think, have a sense of the
 loss of natural energies and physical enjoyment by the time of the winter SOlStice, and begin to sigh for more
 light and heat, the open balmy air, ,and
 the odors of the teenfing soil.
 The changes and contrasts of the re-
 volving seasons give us the most vivid
 impressions, and the keenest enjoy
 ment of each and all. We appreciate the renewing and up-springing of all
 the varied forms and conditions of
 life all the more because of the long
 season of rest and torpltude; and so
 after the long season of labor and free
 active enjoyment we welcome the time
 of repose, and the quiet life of depend-
 ence upon the bounty of heaven which
 we have gathered in store.
 trial and conflict, and struggle, in the
 natural world. The Sun is the source of all natural life; and the rising d
 the Sun so that it's life-giving energies shall fall directly upon us to quicken . and renew the latent and Slumbering
 forces of the earth is our greatest
 present need and hope. And yet, the 7 spring time, in itself, is season which we naturally dread more For less be- cause it is the time of the warning of } the elements of the earth against the overpowering force of the Sun.
 The spring time is the season O1 } hope because we anticipate the , growth, and beauty, and happiness o1 the future summer which we believe : shall follow. But before the freedom and comfort, and bounty, and beauty ; and joy of the year can come, the snoW upon the mountains, and the ice upor r the rivers, and the frosts beneath th' valleys, and the sleet and chilly mists t and the clouds and darkness, and Sul , len gloom of the ftful days must al be overcome and banished, or convert 7 ed by the ascending power of the Kins of day, to the healing and nourishin, 2 of the cold and slumbering earth. k What wonderful release iron j bondage there is between the last day of winter and the first days of summer e What quickening and renewing o o all the forces of the natural life. Wha a sense of freedom it gives when w n feel that the Sun has once more assert 7, ed undlsputed sway over the world 0 s nature, and we go forth in the Ope1 n air and dwell in sympathy and unio ", with world full of life and happiness y It is a parable of the Kingdom ( r. heaven in it's relations to the world. # The summer growth and harvest ar io the great divine ends of all season: ir and the fogs, and mists, and clouds
 and Sleet, and snow, and rain, an Ie winds, and frOStS are the fitting syn st bols of our moral and spiritual preps l. ration and discipline, temptation. an ly schooling, and the putting away of oU pr sins by turning unto the Son of Righ
 eousness with prayer and humiliation Io And ''unto you that fear my nam a, shall the sun of righteousness aris . with healing in his wings"