, 1924-04-03
CHlLDREN'S CORNER
Edited by DR.. Jas. A.. Fraser
DRY ROT

Once upon a time in Il certain Village where l lived, Il great
storm blew out of the north. The wind blew very very hard. 1t
came whlstling through the streets and sent people hurrving
to their homes. Tie leaves were torn off the trees, and many
great branches were broken down. One of the most beautiful
trees IN the town was broken and lay across the street. We
were all very sorry too, because the tree was a stately one. and
Old. 1t was the pride of the village. We wondered why the
talest and oldest tree should be broken, so after the storm was
over, we examined it. What do you think we founds The cen
ter Of the tree was all dry and ~crumbly. 1t had a rotten heart.
The disease of dry rot had worked havoc with the tree. 1t
looked helathy enough on the outside, but inside, the heart was
eaten out.
Builders of houses and ships have often n painful ex-
lerlence OF the havoc which can be wrought by unseen pests.
Science has been able to Icy bare their workings. 1t has traced
tie destruction to Il small fungus which, unlike most of its or
der, has the power of planting its spores in trees or fresh tim
Der: Inns fungus grows in the dark, and its presence is not
suspected till the falling Of the trees or beams display their
rottenneSs. 80 many a good tree has fallen owing to the work
Of this deadly devastator.
~ rotten heart! A tree with a rotten hearth Well NV
young friends, there are people who may get to be like the trees
I'm the outside they seem healthy nough. Outwardly thy look
like people who are fine and strong: They have very pleasing
manners and can be very agreeable. They can lauph and nlov
like you and me. But something is wrong inside.
l. Perhaps unclean thoughts were there. A boy listens
to a nasty story and laughs at it. He tells it to his companion
and before long his character is rotdng; it becomes corrupt
ferhars Jealousy has eaten into the heart. The girl
at school is jealous of another girl who, perhaps, has been more
faithful than she herself, and has made Il better record. One
day the girl WHO has let that Jealousy creep into her heart will
be tempted to say mean, untrue things to hurt the one she is
jealous OF, and she will do it before she stops to think.
j. 1t may be dishonesty that is causing the trouble. Here
- Souleoh VINO thinks that II does not make any difference as
TO beng exactly honest in little things. They seem SC small
mat they do not count; and besides, who will ever know So
perhaps. one boy copies another boys exercises and hands ii
IL ior ms own, or hides the truth a little when he gets into a
ugh' place; Then after a while the big temptations come and
say, But he always seemed so good and nice, and he was 50
pleasant looking. We cannot believe he has fallen like that ),
lhey do not remember the tree with the rotten heart.
what do we want any way: Hearts that are clean and
sound; sound IN the thoughts of God. Then we shall never
fall when the winds of temptation blow.
at is strange; but lfe's currents
Lead us so gently and so swiftly on.
That we scarcely notice the changes
And how many things are gone,
And forget while today absorbs us
How old mysteries are unsealed,
How the old ties are loosened
And the old wounds are healed,
Search me, . God, and see my heart; trv ne. and know
my thoughts; and see if there is any wicked way in me md
ieaa me IN the way everlasting" We mist work at self
rAhillhation' exploring the dark cellars and dusty corners of
our hearts to see what plague is working there.