Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-23
PRACTICAL LESSONS FROM
 FOUR WISE THINGS
The Ant, the cony, the Locust and the Spider Made Topic for Rev. pr. Sioeum.

St0ShiIis
 The shop talk given by Rev. Joel E. l Slocun. D. D., at the plant of the l Crescent Firearms company at neon on Friday was well received by the men as were also the solos rendered by Mrs. George T. Lord. Rev. Dr. Sloc,Iul. who spoke on Four Wise Things, chose as the first of the four, the ant.
 Undou btedly the ant is the greatest builder in the world. There-ls a cer- tain kind called the telmite or African white ant that is ren1arkable for his accomplishments in this direction. This ant lives in an organized com munity of his fellows Among them there are regular classes of inhab- ita1lts and also special classes of sol fliers and builders One of the scien- lists who has made a special study of this ant says that to each one of these ant communities there are add ed each year, about thirty millions more from the new hatchIng- Out Of the whole number living together d very large proportion are builders. These builders are said to be without either wings or eyes; though the other classes of ants Tn the community have both of these luxuries. Yet these blind buildings in the world. They erect cone shaped structures that are about 12 feet high Taking into account the size of the ant. these mounds are higher by comparison with the build CTS than the EiffeI tower which is 9S4 feet high. The cone-l like building of the termite is of dimensions equal to one thousand times his length, he being but a quarter Cf an inch long. Keeping in mind that we are speak ing in terms of proportion to the size of the respective builders, man and the ant, the men who built the Eiffel tower would have to build it five times as high as 1t is in order to equal the proportion of the work of the ternaite ant in relation to his size. They tell us that the interior of this mound Is remarkable for it's construction and that the outside Is so solid that the heaviest OK you ever saw or heard of could stand on the mound without any danger of breaking through. The natives frequently use these cones for points of observation I have called your attention to this wise creature in order that we may get from it a practical lesson.
 The next wise thing wish to men
 tion is the cony. Solomon says the comics are but feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rocks. They know enough to select secure haDita tionS.
 Another wise thing is the locust
 Solomon said: ''The locusts have no King. yet they go IOrln all Ol them Dy
 bands. They are wise enough to know
 that they can't accomplish very much
 unless they get together and keep to- getller
 A fourth wise thing is the spider. The spider takes hold with her hands and is found in kings palaces If the spiders web is brushed down, he goes to work again and rebuilds. Having told briefly the story of these four wise things, Dr. Slocum ap- l pealed to the men to gather useful l lessons from each of them
 l The ant suggests industry, and the wisdom of making a good preparation | in view of the rainy day. While we
 have health and strength we ought to 1 prepare for the time when these pow | CTS are no longer at their best. And | not only to make physical but also i spiritual preparation for the time to 1 come.
 The comics in their rocky homes 1 suggest that we ought to have good l foundations for our lives; we ought to have protection of Him who is as 1 the shadow of a great rock in a weary ] land. We ought to build upon the
 great rock itself.
 The fact that even such insignifi- 1 together can accomplish marvellous 1 things, oueht to suggest that we in cur weakness should lay hold upon { eternal strength as made available for | us in the character of Christ. Co., operation IS the word of the age l And finally. let us not be discour- l aged if something tears down what we have built. Like the spider, let l us build again.