The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-10-21
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
The Season at Hand.

The Season at Hand
Mr.. Editor Turning aside for the
present. from the line of thought pur-
sued in my last communication, let me
call attention to the sermon now being
preached by one Of natures evange-
lists. Spring speaks to US Of the res
direction. Summer of the bOunties
of our Heavenly Father but Fall, that Is
speaking to US now reminds US of the
ingathering and of the approaching
winter of death. More than three
thousand years ago the great evangel-
istic prophet, as he gszed down the
dim vista Of futurity took up the dole
tui lamentation of the destruction of
Jerusalem and the sins of Israel tina
had caused it. They had become cor
rupt The body Of the people was like
a leper who was ceremonially unclean
anu hence debarred from the courts of
the tabernacle. Their devotions were
cold. their prayers were neglected or
negligently performed.
In consideration of this unhappy
moral condition he says 1--WE all do
fade as a leaf. This then is the voice
of our evangelist at this time to US.
We wither and lose former beauty for
we drop off like the leaves in Autumn.
Our loud profession becomes lifeless
and we bring forth no fruit unto holi-
ness. Our spiritual prosperity with
ers and we fall from our exalted posi-
tons despised and contemplate in our
own eyes for our iniquities like the
wind have taken US away and carried
US into captivity, just like the autrr
winds blow off and carry away
cIlsp and Withercd leaves of the forest.
Many generations have passed down
into the valley to return no more. since
the seer uttered these melancholy
words, 1--WE all do fade as leaf. "
Everyday of our lives this sad lesson is
impressed on our hearts. Every sea
/ son of the year has something that
calls th.s 10 our minds, but none that
LIS and so constantly im-
.. @.., or mortality as the
Autumn
In moments Vi sadr- SIZE '-. .f
sins and utter this truth and ths me-
ancholy strain becomes the digao vi au
nature, when the summer is past sod
gone and the lingering sun drags him
self little later each day above the
horizon and hastens earlier to his place
in the west, ike the traveller, who as
though weary of life, is loathe to leave
his couch in tic morning and so comes
orth little later and seeks it again IN
. the evening q bit sooner each day. As
summer closes, we gaze on its linger-
ing flowers reluctant to give them up
for few brief months. The brilliant
hues Of autumn flame out on every hill
side and ia every valley, the vine gives
forth its rich clusters and casts Off Its
heavy green robes as if it required the
sacrifice Of its hfe to give its fruit to
cheer the heart of man, and as these
companions of the summer fade away
it seems that their huas have photo
graphsd on the heart OF man the WORDS
of the prophet we all 30 fade as q
leaf
/ The woods are painted gorgeousIy;
. the sky is kinded and the hills are
frightened with glance Of autumn s
eye. He has scattered his rich fruits
with an unspsring hand and has gath
cred the golden corn and now from the
earth he wrests its velvet robes and
summons the flowers and leaves of the
spray away. The joyous song of the
huttering bird no longer fills the depths
of the grove for it has sought another
cline as the quivering drapery Of
branches that overshadowed it is now
tossed in the air
''Heaped in the hollow Of the grove,
The whitening leaves lie dead;
They rustic to the edying wind and to
the rabbits tread
No longer can we boast of our lol
summer days; of the Frightening hues
and strong fibers Of our woodlands, for
autumn's chill blast is relentless both tc
Yigor and beauty
1t touches the young and tender and
Immediately they wither and die, show
ing US that nothing is too young or
lovely to die.
The timid quails in coveys wander
through the leafess underbrush that
skirts the woods. The cawing of the
crow is hushed, but the frsky squirrels
chatter at sunrise and gnaw at the full
grown nut.
The ash is crimson in color; the
twiggs Of the birches are tingci with
yellow and crumped by the frost The
maple exchanges its silvery foliagy far
orange scarlet, while, while the sturdy
oak yielding to swift winds as youths
pride does to the duties of manhood.
strews the ground with the glories of
summer strength and feeds the earth
with the remnants of his leafy honors
/ III, -,,,- -. Al 1