The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-17
A LAY SERMON.
By A LAYMAN.

The north wind doth blow,
] And shall have snow.
1 And what win poor robin do thenF
He'll sit in the barn
] And keep himself warm.
And hide his head under his wiDg.
! It is always an important matter that
people should be informed as to the con-
dition OF the Weather in the future, in
order that they may be prepared for
whatever may come No man can tell
what day may bring forth. To-day the
air may be quiet and balmy, the sun
/ bright, and all things look pleasant and
/ hopeful; but we know not how soon the
rain may descend in torrents, or that de-
structive winds and snow may come, or
Billiards may arrive threatening the lives
/ OF men and animals. These considera-
/ tons have in all ages induced efforts to
ascertain what viii be the condition OF
/ the weather in the future. one device was
what Is called the Weather Bureau.
which assumes that by scientific methods
/ the world may know what the weather
will be on tomorrow. / say on to
morrow because / believe that te be as
willing to venture 1t has been observed
that with all the scientific appliances
which the bureau employs its forecasts
| frequently fan short of the mark. and
| 1t rains or SHOWS when fair weather Is
predicted, and IS bright and clear when
rain or snow is foretOld Some of the
most terrible storms have visited Wash
ington of which no predictions were made,
and storms said TO be coming have failed
to reach US. Indeed, 1t may be said that
not much Importance is now attached
/ 10 these pretentiOus forecasts. Evidently
the bureau has discovered this. and now
I the forecasts are not infrequently couched
/ In such words as probably rain, or
! probably snow, or unsettled weather. "
leaving the reader TO fan back on his own
judgment.
We do not require the Gid of the learned
Weather Bureau TO know that when the
winds are from the north, II the seasons
are favorable 10 snow and the clouds
advancing it may snow, the weather be
ing cold. and preparations made to meet
/ the conditions.
The author of my text was doubtless a
person of humane disposition. and when
he saw that conditions pointed to cold
weather he naturally turned his mind.
not TO those whose circumstances enabled
them to provide fuel and other comforts.
but what will the poor do? How shall
those whose lives have not been so fortu-
nate be provided for?" His mind even
turns to the poor robin. which had
I r-fr-
mer months. singing sweetly and gayly
and seemingly anticipating no change.
What will become OF him and the poor
human beings who. passing along the
streets, gaze into the windows of the rich.
lighted with gas or electricity. and en-
Toying the warmth produced by So coal
and SO wood when ina his lOwly habitation
his wife and children are lowering around
a few sticks picked up IN the streets?
Robin can sit IN the barn and keep HIM
self warm. but there is no barn in which
these poor unfOrtunates can sit They
must sit on a cold floor. I'm front OF coal
less fTeplaces. and wonder why IL is when
God has filled the earth with coal ana
the forests with firewo0d. even the birds
can finG warmth and shelter in barns,
the foxes have holes. and the birds OF
the afr have nests" human beings have
He sits ga the barn and keeps himself
warm. and hides his head under his wing
Why should he hide his head under his
wing Why should he hide his head at
all, II may be- that he did this I'm order
20 keep his head warm. If be were an
intelligent being 7 think ] can see other
reasons why be should hide his head He
might hide &c iu order 10 conceal from
MS sight the many thousands of suffering
people who are unable on account OF the
avarice OF coal operators and coal deal
ers, who, 10 crafty their unh0ly greed.
have 50 raised the price of coal that il Is
out Of tie power of the poor 10 buy it,
I wonder whether those coal dealers.
when they see the cold wave coming
with ITS icy winds sitting in their warm
and Well-furuished offices contemplating
their large gains. ever think Of the lonely
and low ones whose windows are dark
and whose dreplaces are cold and cheer
less during the bowling Of the pitiless
storm and think Of the suffering their
eXtortion has Produced If not. then
wei might they hide their heads in
shame
IL is possible that the owner Of the barn
IN which poor robin sat and warmed
himself If be had found a man IN his barn
taking shelter from the storm, would
have turned him out or had him arrested
as a trespasser or thief But let US hope
that there are few such men even i'm this
day Of avarice, greed. and cOmmercialism
It is said that God takes notice even OF
a sparrow in It's fall. Jesus IN His journey
ings never turned away from the poor
and needy. He regarded even the sinner
and the beggar with pity and compass
sion. The author of TING text evidently
had a kind and compassionate heart. and
took pleasure in contemplating poor robin
as he sat ia the barn protected from the
storm. He taught US that il is one OF
the nOblest attributes of man to afford
sympathy, compassion and help 10 the
poor, the needy, and the helpless.
Carlyle, in his celebrated essay on Rob
ert Burns, says. How touching II is. for
instance, that amidst the gloom of per-
sOnal misery brooding over the wintrv
desolation, without him and within him.
he thinks OF the 'ourie cattle and silly
sheep and THEN. sufferings in. the pitiless
storm.
! thought me ON the ourie cattle.
or silly sheep VIVA hide this brattle
a. wiutry war;
OR through the drift deep lairing sprattle
Beneath o scaur.
Tx mapping bird, wee helpless thing
That IN the merry months o spring
Delighted me 20 hear thee sing
What comes o. thee:
Where wilt thcu c9u'r thy chittcring wing
Aud close thy e'eF
This is worth several hOmilies on
mercy. for il is the voice of mercy her