The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1920-11-19
Divine Lesson in
the Garnering Of
the Golden Grain

vest Is pdSl- Lie sdu SKIES, the UIcdn
fields, the bare trees, the raw winds
that whistle and groan and sob and
sigh their dirges mournfully remind Us
that the season of fruitage has gone
by and the time has come when we
can only turn away, each to himself,
and measure up our garnerings.
Nature gives US a seed time and a
harvest time.
But these would be meaningless to
Us did she not also send a season
when, at the warning touch Of winter
chill, we must measure our gains and
consider our losses.
But for the lessons OF this season
no man would labor; We would know
naught OF temperance or thrift; we
would go through the bright spring
only singing, and idle away the sum
mer In dreams.
So It is part Of the divine plan that
each Of us should now go apart anC
carefully separate the wheat from the
chaff, the flowers from the weeds, and
that which is good and sound and en-
during from all that perishes and
taints. 1t is now that each must hon
estly examine and weigh the product
Of his own works.
It were useless now to try to de
ceive even ourselves.
Now, IL at no other time, we see
the vast difference In value between
the picked fruit and the windfalls.
The one heap we proudly store
away, knowing 1t will keep sweet ani
whole to the winters depths, and the
other we cast aside, that 1t may no
contaminate as It rots.
It is a sad. sweet task-sweet fol
the counted gains, sad for the Oppor
tunities lost and to come no more.
And as we garner the gains we alst
garner wisdom.
AS we separate the wheat from th'
chaff and the sound fruit from th'
windfalls, so, whether we will or not
we must In the inner consciousness
separate the true from the false IL
principles of labor and living.
No man, even of three-score-aye
four-score and ten, has ever known
this law TO fail In single season. II
knows no variation in all the cycles OF
time.
But grains and fruits are not al
that we are garnering. Chaff and
weeds are not all we ought to sepa
rate and cast away. There are things
more important still. In the store
house of the heart and mind and soul
Is 1t not well TO seek, just as care
fully, though sometimes in vain, tC
keep only the better, the brighter. the
more enduring things? -
When the bleak November of life
comes we shall have need of them.
Dreary will be the winter to him
whose granaries are empty. But
drearier and more desolate still mus
be the winter of old age to the mar
or woman whose mind and heart aHC
soul have brought from the harves
only the joys that are chaff and tn,
virtues that are mere windfalls, at
tanned and adhered to only through
easy convenience.
When that winter comes, as 1t mus
TO many of us. we shall have only our
selves TO turn to, and we shall fine
only that which we have sown anC
harvested In the bright spring anC
golden SUMMERTIME good grain, tbs
sound fruit, the flowers, the high i'm
pulses. the sacrifices, the loves, yes
and the cheat. the chaff, the weeds, the
windfalls, the hates, the 1ealousies
the low pasSlOnS-all these and nothing
more. TO sustain us or to render u!
deSOlate.
We may. II we will, make each da,
cycle OF all the seasons. We SOW
each morning and reap each noon ant
garner each evening the fruits of oul
living In this little day. Day by day
II we strive on in right and hope ant
courage, must our knowledge and oul
strength, and our store increase. Da!
by day. through many failings ant
fallings, do we come nearer 10 thu
true manhood and the true woman
hood.-Charles Grant Miller In tn,
Christian Herald.