The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-02-02
!. !. r i. y X 4 J. I. !. : 4. j
COUNTRY CHURCH I
COLUMN :
+ i i 1. 4 4. e. i. 4 4 i. Il !. !
(By Ezro r. Newcomb)
A PARABLE OF THE NEW
BIRTH
"Ye must be born again. .

It tuubJ uS DOlu dbdihs
John 3
| strolled one summer afternoon |
through the meadow, pondering deeply
as walked, on the new birth" A
bright-hued butterfly, gracefully poised
on clover blossom nearby, drew my
attention. Butterfly" said /, have
you been twice born?-once of your
insect parents and again of the SUM-"
"Yes," said the butterfly. Are you
sure?" | inquired. "Can you clearly
recall the hour of your second birth?
Are you sure of the hour?" "Am ]
sure of the hour?' echoed the butter
fly, and l thought for little that
detected hesitation and confusion.
Then her wings, which she had held
high, free from the touch of earth,
opened and upward the butterfly rose
on the breeze. / watched her flying
for a moment against the blue sky.
Then she flew along the brook above
the grassy bank and dropped safely
down among the buttercups. And l
said Life is the proof of life. He who
lives the life of the Spirit of love
and mounts UP on the wings of pray
er and faith TO heavenly places need
not trouble to prove In any other way
the past experience called the second
BIRTH What though he can not recall
the day and the hour when he emerged
from his chysalis past to newness of
life-he lives the spiritual life and
that is enough. 1t had beginning or
it could not be-"
turned homeward, thinking of
these things, and entered the garden
gate. A caterpillar was crawling
along the edge of the gravel walk be-
meath bush of roses. ! watched his
short legs carry him slowly along
among the fallen yellow petals. Cat
erpillar," / said, have you been born
a second time of the sum-" Eyes" said
the caterpillar, Il have" Are you
sure?" asked. am afraid that my
voice betrayed my skepticism. One
wants to be charitable, but surely that
was n caterpillar and not butterfly.
His crawl, his wingless, hairy, wormy
form-this could be no butterfly, born
of the sun. "Yes, ] am sure of it,
said the caterpillar. What makes
you so sure?"l ventured to ask. "Oh,
remember the time perfectly" re-
piled the caterpillar, II was going, half
starved, through parched and desert
land, when suddenly power outside ol
myself caught me up. seemed to pass
= through the air. Then ! came down
safely In this grassy spot with fair
roses and fragrant lilies about me
: a new world 1t was, a new world OF
beauty and plenty and security. There
is no doubt about my experienced"
: Just then little bird chirped vi
: from the hedge row and with merr,
twinkle in his eye, said 81 saw the
whole thing The caterpillar was
\ crawling along the dusty road when
mischievous school-boy came by ant
n CduBuI toDocu hihi O'Si thS
garden fence!"
And thought II wonder II there art
/. not people as we'll as caterpillars, who
have misinterpreted their experience!
. There are men and women who are
risking their chances of eternal life
| on their understanding of the nature
2 of some past experience. But the on
ly proof of having been born again Ii
I Godliness and Spiritual-mindedness.
a with heavy heart started dowr
l the walk toward the house, my eyes OF
4 the ground. Scarcely had taken two
\ steps when before me In the middle o.
e the walk, saw another caterpillar
!, crawling toward me. The old question
sprang to my lips "Have you beer
4 twice born.--not only of your insec
parents but again OF the SUM-" NO
said he. 81 do not need to be. an
!. better than most butterflies now. SEE
, how nimble my legs are, how stront
) and 1.-THE my form, how bright my col
n , OI, uOW tulCh ohHi ~ thOoO piioNiht
/, hairs!" l made no reply, but looked
!. sorrowfully at him. What could say
3 to one so pitlfully self-deceived.
thought of the wings he knew not OF
K and the flights he never could take
/. and the nectar he cared nothing for
How little he knew of the glorious but
tertiy life!
I All me! That men should boast o
their morality and miss God! "Thei
}, complacent ignorance and woeful self
:. deception shall bind them TO earth I'll
8 they die"
l. The evening drew her shadows abou
d me as pondered these things. AS
y turned to go into. the house, I saw
n soft gray miller light in the grass a
my feet. stopped and gently mad
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