Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-03-03
CHAPTER XIV.
ast-the sprlngtlme cameI

! tracted sleep, caused the seeds to swell
r and burst in the bosom Of earth, ant
sent the blood courslng through Da
vtd's veins, quickening all his intellec
tual and spiritual powers,
And then, the end of his exile wal
nearl In a few weeks he would have
, vindicated the purity of his purpose tc
attain the divine life. and have provet
himself worthy to claim the hand o.
, Pepeetal
All the winter long he had piled his
axe. Once more, now that the snow
had vanished he set fire to the debris
which he had strewn around him, and
saw with an indescribable feeling OF
triumph and delight the open soil made
ready for his plow He yoked team
Of patient oxen to 1t and set the sharp
point deep into the black soil. Never
he the earth smelled so sweet as now
r "a the broad share threw 1t back In
h continuously advancing wave. Never
had that yeomans Joy Of hearing the
ripping Of roots and the grating of iron
against stones as the great oxen set
tied to their work, strained In their
yokes and dragged the plow point
through the bosom of the earth. been
half so genuine and deep. 1t was good
to be alive. to sleep, to eat, to toll!
Cities had lost their charm. David's
sin was no longer withering and
blasting, but a chastening and re-
straining memory His clearing was
kingdom, his cabin a palace, and he
was soon to have a queen! He had
reserved his sowing for the last day
of his self-imposed seclusion, which
ended with the month of May.
On the day following, having accom-
plished his vow. he would go to the
house of God and claim his bride!
This day he would devote to that SOL
emn function of scattering the sacred
seed Of life's chief support into the
open furrow!
No wonder a feeling Of devotion and
awe came upon him as he prepared
himself for his task; for perhaps there
is not single act In the whole econ
omy Of life better calculated to stir
thoughtful mind to its profoundest
depths than the sowing Of those gold
en- grains which have within them the
promise and potency Of life. Year after
year, century after century, millions
of men have gone forth In the light of
the all -beholding and life-gtving sun
to cast into the bosom Of the earth the
sustenance OF their children! 1t is a
sublime act of faith, and this sacrifice
Of a present for future good, an ac-
tual for potential blessing, is no less
beautiful and holy because familiar
and old The Divine Master himself
p1ok 20 Vrfth
ton and was inspired by 1t to the ut
terance Of one of his grandest para
bles.
And then the field itself inspired SOL
emn reflections and noble pride In the
mind of the sower. 1t was his ownl
He had carved 1t out of a wildernessl
Here was soil which had never been
opened to the daylight. Here was
ground which perhaps for a thousand,
and not unlikely for ten thousand
years, should send forth seed to the
sower; and he had cleared it with his
own hands! Generations and centuries
after he should have died and been for
gotten, men would go forth into this
field as he was doing to-day, to SOW
their seed and reap their harvests.
He slung his bag of grain over his
shoulder and stepped forth from his |
cabin at the dawn Of day. The clear
ing he had made was an almost per-
feet circle. All around 1t were the |
green walls of the forest with the |
great trunks of the beeches, white |
and symmetrical, standing like vast |
Corinthian columns supporting green
frieze upon which rested the lofty roof
OF the immense cathedral From the
organ loft the music Of the morning
breeze resounded, and from the choirs
the sweet antiphonals OF birds. Odors
of pine, Of balsam, of violets. of pep
permint, of fresh-plowed earth, of
bursting life, were waited across the
vast nave from transept to transept.
and foated like incense up to heaven.
The priest, about to offer his sacri-
fee, the sacrifice of broken heart
and contrite spirit, about to confess
his faith; In the beautiful and symbol
Ic act of sacrificing the present for the
future, stepped forth into the open
furrow.
His open countenance, bronzed with
the sun, was lighted with love and
alteration; his lips smiled; his eyes
zlowed; he lifted them to the heavens
in an unspoken prayer for the benedic-
ion Of the great life -giver; he drew
nto his nostrils the sweet odors, into
lis lungs the pure air, into his soul
he beauty and glory of the world. and
hen, filling his hand with the golden
yrain, he flung 1t into the bosom Of the
waiting earth.
All day long he strobe across the
clearing and with rhythmical swinging
Il his brawny arm lavishly scattered
he golden grain.
As the sun went down and the sower
reared the conclusion Of his labor, his
motions became deeper and yet more
eep. He entered more and more fully
nto the true spirit and significance of
Ifs act He felt that It was a sacra-
nent. Thoughts OF the operation Of
he mighty energies which he was
voking; OF the Divine spirit who
rooded over all; of the coming into
his wilderness Of the woman who was z
D be the good angel Of his life; OF the 4
eremony that was to Ls enacted IN
he little meeting house; Of the work r
D which he was dedicated in the fu- :
IRE kindled his soul into an ecstasy
Joy. He ceased to be conscious Of
is present task The material world '