Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-01-22
A Courtesy We Owe the Farm.

A Courtesy We Owe the Farm.
(American Farmer.)
Into each life on the farm will come
hours and times of encouragement,
times when all things seem to conspire
in casting q gloom over the present;
when the heart seems to hutter and
throb like a bird beating its wings
against prison bars, then hopeless to
sink in silent discouragement, and for
the time at least, ceases to struggle and
to yield to the tempter.
We use the word tempter advisedly,
for such frame of mind is to be resist
ed, treated as we would treat any other
or disease and overcome by
honest effort on our part, just as quickly
as we can possibly do SO. The great
danger in yielding to this state of feel
ing-of allowing it to repeat itself from
time to time, lies in the fact that this
repetition infallibly appeals to one OF the
strongest laws of our nature.
The power of resistance is weakened.
the force of habit is strengthened, until
at last we find ourselves hopeless in its
grasp. The weakness may be INDUCED
IN until il becomes sin, and sin con-
stantly indulged in will destroy all in
fiuence which we might have had for
good in the world. mo man liveth to
himself" is plain declaration Of an
eternal truth. Every day we see 1t
influence which one
Individual has over another and hence
the absolute necessity that in early life
correct habits should be formed, and
for the individual who has unfortunate
ly formed those which are not correct,
the necessity of breaking away from
such is equally imperative.
Another reason why this state OF mind
is 10 be resisted with determination and
is found in the fact that to
most people it does not seem to be sin
to be INDUCED in, or if it is to be regard
ed as wrong in itself, it is considered no
one but the individual himself is affect
ed by it. This is grave mistake; all
with whom we associate are more or less
influenced by the traits of character
our lives.
Our farms and the business Of farming
deserve that we speak of them in terms
OI pTdlStt IL 10 q S1ditCcy We WV WV
farm that we pass along the word OF
farm life to our neighbor, that we may
lead him into the beauties, rather than
by our words of fault finding we lead
him to see the dark side.
CheerfulnesS has been enjoined upon
the people, especially upon the ministry
it is also especially obligatory upon the
farmer; farmers should be cheerful In
their warfare that they may be joyous in
their triumph.
Consider how much the last sentence
contains. Cheerfulness in their war
fare. Warfare implies opposition
things are not always going our way,
and people are not always going to do
by us as they would have US do by them.
This we expect from the world, and II
we were wise students of nature we
would expect it of her. The wheat and
tares are to grow together until the end
and we must expect warfare to continue.
From all eternity we have been contend
ing with opposition, but though possess
ing all power, God has not put this ele'
ment out of any of His creations. Certain
ly He has not out of the earth which we
inhabit, for it is a force, a power, or
whatever we may please to term it, with
which all nature as we'll as man has to
contend. The mighty trees of the forest
have gained their strength amid the con-
slant rocking of opposing winds and the
fiercer blasts of hurricane and storm, the
ocean has maintained and enlarged Its
bounds by dashing it's foam crested bill
lows against the jagged, impregns6le
rocks of the mighty upheavals OF the
past, but the leaves Of the forest sing IN
gladness and the trees toss their
branches defiantly in the gale, and the
waves of the mighty deep give back the
light and sunshine from their myraid
sparkling ripples and waves.
Why should the farmer bow his head
and go mourning all the day? The tares
must be there, but the wheat will be
also; be cheerful, no matter what may bt
the provocation to cause you to be other
wise. There is a reason given in the
following poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
for this cheerfulness, without which the
warfare we encounter cannot be success
fully waged:
IL all the end Of this continuous striving
Were simply to attain,
How poor would seem the planning and con
irving,
The endless urging and hurried driving
OF body, heart and brainl
But ever In the wake of true achieving
There shines the glowing trail;
Some other soul will be spurred on. conceivlng
New strength and hope In Its own power benev
ing.
Because thou didst not fail.
Not thine alone the glory or the sorrow.
III thou didst miss the goal;
Undreamed Of lives In many q far to morrow,
From their weakness or their force shall borrow
On, on. my struggling soul.