The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1919-06-12

I! way W H CNo 35 pnySlC8l a& ana mora
strength that may be obtained from !
loving study Of nature and her WAYS
and to the spiritual insight We NAV uas
!, obtain from her prof found philosop hy.
In Roxbury, Delaware County, New
4 York, in a house that stood near the Old
ancestral home John Burroughs was
born April 8, 1887. His boyhood DAYS
were spent on the farm, rowing the
4 fields and woods and attending the
/ district school. His mother was 81
Irish descent and a woman poss essinp
great emotion, not of afsunny DISPOSE
ton but given to brooding and to look
4 ing upon the serious, side Of life. John
Burroughs shared with her a longing
that is never satisfied. That which is
most valuable in his writings, the
background Of pity, Of feeling and Of
love, come from her. From her also
he has inherited his great Intellectual
endowment and his sensitive nature.
From his father he gets his superb
physique that has endured unimpared
for over eighty years. ), Y is sE
| His early manhood was spent in
farming. For twenty years he was
national bank examiner, yet during
this time part of each day he spent
studying nature. In this way he be-
came the real nature student Of the,
age. Since 1874 he has lived at River
by, Ulster county, New York. Here
he farms, raises fruit and does his
literary work. Most Of his observa-
tions have been made at Slabsides his
summer home "A. n
There is scarcely child in America
who is not familiar with his bird
stories. He has contributed largely to
our stock of literature and to our
love of earth's beauties. He has
taught us the habits and haunts Of the
wild things, making us love them and
watch for them. He is not SO much
the scientist who coldly observes and
classifes, as he is the true lover of
nature who interprets the knowledge
obtained through loving observation.
He makes us feel at one with all of
nature and her elemental forces. If
her laws seem wrong it is because we
either violate them or do not compre-
bend them. Natures laws are present
to US always and we know If we dis
obey the penalty will be quick and
sure. 81
John Burroughs says Expect We,
become as little children We cannot en-
ter the kingdom of nature" When we
want to study nature we should not do
so through a book, but rather we,
should go into the great out of doors,
into the open, otherwise we cannot
see nature in her bloom. All his life
he has visited with nature and absorb
ed it because he enjoyed it. We abb
sorb what we enjoy. knowledge alone
avails little, joined with enjoyment it
affords US emotional experience and
sympathy which in turn refine and ele-
vate. More than any other man John
Burroughs has shown us that God is
very near to all of us, in flower, in
bird, in tree, and sunshine; and to
love these is to love God.
: But nature has served him still fur
Their. It has kept him we'll and sane.
through a long life Of great effort.
He who would be we'll must not sit
over long in Office or schoolroom, Tor
like the giant Antaeus we renew our
strength each time our feet touch the
ground. John Burroughs is the Ans
taeus Of America, he has planted his
feet in the soil and has made himself
one with this star dust we call earth.
Mother nature has sent her strength
into his veins, and has whispered into
his ears the secrets which he. has 50
generously impaired to the world.
Not only through his loving ac-I
quairtance with natures children but
also through the light of science John
Burroughs at the age of eighty-one
looks upon the earth and calls it good,
ard now in the declining years of his.
life, with a poise and faith born Of
long communion with nature he can
give expression to that beautiful
thought,
Serene fold my hands and wait
Nor care for wind, or tide, or sea;
I rave no more 'gainst time or fate, 4
For 10! my. own shall come to me.
/ stay my haste, I make delays,
For what avails this eager pace
/ stand amid the eternal ways, "a
And what is mine shall know my face.
The stars come nightly to- the sky,
The tidal wave unto the sea;
Nor time, nor space, no deep, no high,
Can keep my own away from me"
81 r.. 4 y {
In so far as study Of nature re-
veals the universe just so far it re-
veals God. This revelation pictures
him more grandly than the ina gination
of man can conceive, and is worthy Of
our worship. On studying nature we
shall have revealed to us new won-
ders to excite our awe and thrill our
imagination. We shall have less sup
erstition and fear and more Of faith
and true goodness as a result Of our
greater knowledge.
May we not also go out into the
open and learn from the contempla-
ton of nature as did John Burroughs
until we gain something Of his poise
and supreme faith in life and God.
FREE CLASS PUPILS
APPEAR IN RECITAL.
The first recital by pupils from the
free classes in violin and piano was
given Thursday afternoon I'm the
Atheneum Society hall. Below is the