Year: 1875

tne uu0bt OF theul, ana because these early
mend dfies stay with us always think we
shoulvbe very careful Of what sort they
are. 81 oi1t, t


My friends,it is good thing to talk
about our cattle, the best methods of pro.
duCiugh perfect article Of butter, and that,
IL we Keep the ultimate end, the well-being
OF the family always in view. There is
demau9 for the best things in any market
One Who can produce a perfect article that
the world stands in need Of is rich in the
good things Of this life. The one who can
furnish mau or woman, Of which the world
stands b sore need always is richer still,
for he vill receive wages from earth aud
heaven, We love our children. We would
add TO their lives besides TIE one thing need
fal, all the pleasant things this world affords.
But if we are not able to procure for them
the golden key which unlocks the worlds
iavors, If We cannot secure for them the
training Of schools, which seems so desirable,
there are better things yet that we can do
for them. We eau furnish them with pure
and happy memories Of home and childhood,
memories that will serve to keep their hearts
warm always that will serve 10 keep alive
their faith in good people, in God and
heaveD., .


do not believe there was ever a misan-
thrope, or an iniidel Il use this term in its
broad sense) who had a happy home in his
youth, or pleasant childhood.


Does the poetry of farm life change into
prose a. We grow older, as the hard, real
work of life begins If it does my friends,
| "a
The fields do not lose their beauty as our
lives advance. The mountains, like the
Righteousness of God, are round about US
always. The sky above remains as glorious
as when the morning stars first sang together
in its uniathomable depths. And into the
very presence chamber OF nature 10 the
midst Of such mystery and beauty that one
who sees puts oil his shoes, the farmers work
brings him. Is it small thing to minister
daily in such temple?


The associations that cluster around this
work Of tilling the soil are many and ro-
mantle. The first man, the ideal man fresh
from the hand of his Creator, given the do
minion of the whole earth, was set at an
ideal employment, aud that employment was
farming. His farm was garden of great
extent and his work was to dress and to
keep it.


The graudest of the grand old Romans
whom the boys when they 20 to college never
tire Of telling us about, were farmers. Tie
Roman people choose their rulers from
ploughmen. Their shopmen, tradesmen and
mechanics were pebeian their agricultu-
rlsts patrician, honorable. .....


When our Savior was on earth his lessons,
illustrations, parallels, were drawn SO often
from the work OF the husbandman that kind
Of halo gathers around it, | wonder that
the thoughtlul man can go from his morning
prayers to his work in the spring time with
out thinking OF the sower who went forth 10
SOW or watch the gradual growth Of the up
springing plant without remembering how
like the kingdom of heaven it is, coming not
with the observation, but slowly. silently, :,
first the blade, then the ear aud the full corn
in the ear.


1t must be that farm work is good-good
for the body-good for the soul.


How is it that | hear complaints from
young men and young women--from men
aud women who are older-of its drudgery,
its monotony?


When our city friends say unpleasant
things of our life here, can smile. They
do not know.


But when the farmers themselves are dis
contented, and repine at their lot, am sad.
Not that would have one pretend to enthu-
siasm that he does not feel, or swallow down
his fate like bitter pill, holding his peace,
aud making no sign. This is not content
ment it Is endurance, aud God has given
the dairymeu of Vermont too goodly an in-
heritance, for them simply to endure their
lot. =


If there is no beauty, no happiness, no
rest 10 our lives, let US search for the thing
that binders. DO | not know that ones
back may be so bent with labor that he can
not see the sky or the mountains? Ones
time so filled with digging that he is never
free to find out what the Romans thought,
or even what Christ has said And then
what if farm life be full OF poetry, and the
farmer have no music in his soul ? What
it the world be full of beauty, and the wor-
shipper be blind? What if there should be
celestial music in the wind-harps, and the
one who should listen be deaf2


My friends, it there is a man who leads
his daily life in the presence of our grand
hills and mountains, and never feels his heart
stirred within him one who goes TO tho
field in summer time, day after day, unmind.
full of the songs of birds, or the thousand
harmonious voices of nature one who looks
out upon our winter landscape, when the
sunlight has glori6ed it, and does not feel
his whole soul awed aud hushed az 10 the
presence Of d power outside himself, supe-
rior, mysterious, divine, let him pray ear
nestly that bis blind eyes may be opened,
that his deaf ears may be unstopped. and
that he may be born again Of the spirit.


And so | am glad when hear the proud
boast from conventions like this that their
first business is to raise men when learn
of their inviting the president Of our Uni
versity to talk to them about their boys and
girls, and when your president pays the COM
pliment to suggest that they may have some
other work in the family than tho mere
drudgery of it, aud asks us humber people
to talk about home life upon the farm.


Home life, and l have kept you out OF
doors good part Of the time, racing through
the fields, romping in the barn, aud looking
at the scenery. Well, dear lady friends il
is good place to be 10. ln the millennium
expect women will always help rake the
hay, bind the oats, husk the corn, and that
"hred men" will take a turn at the washing
! and scrubbing in DOORS 1t is good thing now
to anticipate the millennium, by frequent
walks and rides in the fields. Not that the
{ work indoors is unpleasant or unpoetical, il
managed right-if you let the sun como into
: your Kitchen windows, keep the green grass
growing around your back door, and brighl
flowers. Don't be afraid TO stop to read I
{ newspaper, either, or let some one read aloud
. while the work goos on TO this day
. never eat bit Of new cheese oT fresh gras'
D butter but get breath Of the roses that
z grow around our back door, and am dimly
- n I----- IL. 4. Al. LA Ia N,