Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-04-13
LETTERS TO UNCLE JED.
Jeremiah's Vision.


Dear Uncle Jed: 1 think it would
prove a difficult task to find a boy or
girl who does not like figs. 1 am very
fond of them. Large quantities of
them grow in Guernsey, where l used
to live.
Vast quantities come from the Ned
iterranean, the choicest kind being
those grown in the neighborhood of
Smyrna. Fig culture is one of the
principal industries throughout most Of
that district, and it has been SO from
the earliest times.
to many times in the Bible, as I have
nearly finished reading the Old Tesla
ment, and the fig is also referred to in
the New Testament.
Hezekiah in his illness was told by
the prophet Isaiah to make use of
plaster of figs, and that he would then
speedily recover. Nathaniel chose the
quiet shelter of fig tree for prayer
and meditation.
During nearly the whole of Jere-
miah's life the Jewish nation passed
through exceedingly troublous times,
owing to their forgetfulness of God
command. The prophet warned them
again and again of their danger, but
they scOrned all his appeals and went
on from bad to worse. 1t seems prob
able that at length they even stoned
him to death. Finally a vision or pic
ture is held up before the prophets
eyes, and while jeremiah is looking
closely at it he hears Gods voice say
ing:
what seest thou?"
The prophet replies that he sees two
baskets of figs In one basket the
figs are all of them very good, but in
the other they are very bad; in fact,
so bad that they could not be eaten.
Now, of course, this vision or picture
was meant by God to teach the prophet
represented those Jews who had truly
repented of their sin and who had
sought the forgiveness and favor of
God. The bad figs, of course, repre-
! scented those who remained careless
and Observation-Disclosures to whom still
| heavier punishment would most GER
tainly come.
Pupils at Sunday school may rightly
be called figs and the classes to which
they belong the baskets. But there is
one striking difference between these
Sunday school figs and those in the
| prophets vision. When jeremiah look
| ed closely at the picture he noticed that
| all the good figs were collected to-
| gether into one basket, and all the bad
ones into the other. This, however,
could not be done very well in school.
So if there are bad figs they are to be
| found in the same baskets Cor classes)
with the good ones, but God knows
| them all. He is never deceived by ap-
| pearances, though we very often are,
| The kind of children that may be
| compared to good figs are those who
/ are truthful. self-denyinS, forgivinE
| and prayerful. Those who are just the
| opposite are compared to bad figs.
Another difference between the figs
| which the prophet saw and children
which is of great importance in the
case of the good figs, is that the good
| figs remained good, the bad ones re-
manned bad. This need not be the case
! with children who feel that they are
numbered with the bad figs. The bad
fig may be transformed into a gooC
fig; the boy or girl who has caused
anxiety to parents and teachers MAY
bring them happiness and comfort
but in order that such may be the cas-
there must be a change of heart. d.
not rest until you obtain this. and theI
your whole life will be bright anC
happy. Others, too, will share in tn,
happiness, for you will prove a bless
ed help wherever you go.
JESSIE L. BREHAUT.
East Norwich, ". Y.