Journeys Through Bookland Volume X Part 9

_The Rainbow_, VI, 91.

_A Child's Thought of G.o.d_, VII, 418.

_Who Stole the Bird's Nest?_

The obvious purpose of these verses (Volume II, page 399), is to create a love for birds by making things appear uncomfortable for the boy who steals their nests. Perhaps the lesson is too obvious. The people who never steal nests and who always treat birds lovingly will approve of the verses, but the boy to be reached is the one who does destroy nests and frightens or kills their owners or the boy who is liable to be led to do such things. Such a child may have no interest in the verses, may laugh at the sentiment, even if he can be induced to read or listen to the rhymes. Sometimes interest can be created and good effects produced by making prominent every feature except the moral. This can be made into a little play or dialogue with the following characters:

The Yellow-breast The Cow The Dog The Bobolink The Sheep The Crow The Hen A Bird Mary Green Alice Neal The Little Boy

Unfortunately, there is only one boy character and he is any boy, in fact almost every boy, at some time in his life. But he is so ashamed that he doesn't speak, not even to give his name. Suppose, then, we don't mention him at all. Just leave him off the list. If he isn't mentioned and is in the audience, he'll remember what he has done and feel ashamed and go home and perhaps hide behind the bed and resolve never to steal another nest. Yes, we are inclined to agree with you that the poem might be better if there were no last stanza. So the little drama, in outline, is something like this.

_The Yellow-breast._ Who stole my nest and the four eggs I laid?

_The Cow._ I didn't take your nest. I wouldn't do such a thing. I gave you a wisp of hay.

_The Yellow-breast._ Who stole my nest? Bobolink, who do you think stole my nest from the plum tree?

_The Dog._ (Interrupting). I didn't; I wouldn't be so mean. I gave my hairs to make the nest.

_The Yellow-breast._ Now listen to me. Who stole my nest, Bobolink?

_The Bobolink._ Yes, who stole the Yellow-breast's pretty nest?

_The Sheep._ Not I. I wouldn't treat a bird so. I gave my wool to line the nest.

_The Yellow-breast._ Who stole my nest, I say?

_The Bobolink._ Who stole her nest?

_The Crow._ I should like to know the thief. Who was it?

_The Hen._ Don't ask me. The chicks and I each gave a feather and she used them. We would be ashamed to intrude on her.

_A Bird._ Let's all make a stir and find out who it is. Then we'll cry "For shame!" together.

_Mary Green._ I wouldn't rob a bird. I never heard anything so mean.

_Alice Neal._ It is very cruel. I wonder if the thief knew how sad the Yellow-breast would feel.

Boys do not steal nests because they are mean and want to give pain.

They admire the pretty eggs, they like the skilfully built nests, and they do not realize that anything suffers real pain. That is a lesson they must be taught. Can you teach kindness by cruelty? Is it not rather cruel to say right out before Mary Green and Alice Neal and the other girls that the boy was so ashamed he hung his head, hid behind the bed and wouldn't tell his name?

_Lead, Kindly Light_

NOTE.--John Henry Newman, the author of this beautiful poem (Volume V, page 110), was born in London in 1801. He entered Oxford before he was sixteen and achieved the highest distinction in his college course. He entered the Church of England and became noted for his wonderful sermons. After some years of prominence in his calling, he was convinced that his belief was wrong, and in 1845 he entered the Roman Catholic Church. In 1879 he was created cardinal by Pope Leo XIII. but he continued to reside in England, where he died in 1890. Besides his great influence as a spiritual thinker, Newman's writings and sermons were characterized by a forcible and elevated style and by remarkably melodious utterance. _Lead, Kindly Light_ shows these traits.

Some words and phrases in the hymn may be made clearer by explanation: "Kindly Light."--"The light shall shine upon thy ways." (_Job_ xxii, 28.) "The Lord is my light and my salvation." (_Psalms_ xxvii, 1.) "The Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended." (_Isaiah_ lx, 20.)

In the Bible there are many other instances besides those just given in which there is a figurative use of the word _light_. It is a natural and beautiful figure. A person in doubt intellectually or spiritually looks upon himself as in darkness, and light to him is an intellectual or spiritual awakening. The light that came to the poet was a _kindly_ light; it removed his doubts and comforted him.

"_Garish day._" The dazzling or glaring day.

"_Moor and fen._" While these words seem new and unusual to us, we must remember that in England they are as common as the terms _marsh_ and _swamp_ are with us.

"_Those angel faces smile_," _etc._ The subject of this clause is _faces_, and the verb is _smile_.

Children will love this hymn though they cannot appreciate its full significance till maturer years have brought with them the deeper experiences of life. Still they should know and love the poem and may be led to a partial understanding of its beauty in sentiment by means of interpretation carried not too far. By comment and reading somewhat in the following manner may the most be accomplished:

1. The poet had reached mature years and had felt the oppressing influence of questioning and doubt, but had reached a sublime faith in the power and love of G.o.d. He still feels, however, the need of the personal care and guidance of the Almighty, and asks that it may continue through life. So we may imagine him in one of those thoughtful moments which come to every one, musing thus: Darkness and night surround me with their encircling gloom, and I feel that years must pa.s.s before I reach my heavenly home, so--

Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead thou me on; The night is dark, and I am far from home; Lead thou me on;

While he no longer doubts the care and protection of G.o.d, yet he feels that his own strength is not sufficient; that he may err and stumble in the path he has chosen. He does not ask that all should be clear, nor that he should see the long course of his life, but is content to pray--

Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me.

2. After this invocation and prayer, his thoughts turn back into the past, and he remembers that in youth he had not this divine faith, nor did he wish to place his reliance in G.o.d. He preferred to lay out his own course and to plan his life far into the future, without the feeling of dependence that now rules him. So he sings:

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou Shouldst lead me on; I loved to choose and see my path, but now Lead thou me on;

He remembers that then he loved display and ostentation and was proud, wilful and self-confident; nevertheless, there were times when for a moment he feared, but in spite of that timidity, he went on in his masterful way:

I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, Pride ruled my will:

The thought of his self-complacency, his pride and arrogance brings out the plea, the supplication, "remember not past years."

[Ill.u.s.tration: SIR FRANCIS BACON JONATHAN SWIFT CARDINAL NEWMAN DANIEL DEFOE CARDINAL WISEMAN CERVANTES FATHER RYAN]

3. He remembers that through all his rebellions he has been surrounded by the power and goodness of G.o.d, who has led him through all his devious paths, and the feeling comes that the same protecting influence will surround him till doubt is swept aside.

So long thy power hath blessed me, sure it still Will lead me on O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till The night is gone.

He is confident, too, that the same power will lead him through the dark night of doubt till the angels of love and faith, in whom he once trusted but whom he has doubted for a time, will come about him and smile their welcome to the light:

And with the morn those angel faces smile Which I have loved long since, and lost the while.

_Poor Richard's Almanac_

It is doubtful if _Journeys Through Bookland_ contains any other selection so full of meat as this extract (Volume VI, page 407) from the writings of Benjamin Franklin; in fact, it is so full of wisdom on so many homely subjects and contains so much practical advice that no one can master it in a single reading.

It is condensed to the utmost limit and every sentence should be weighed and considered. The wise maxims and old saws need to be expanded in thought, ill.u.s.trated by example and applied to the reader's personal experience.

As a whole it is not particularly attractive to young people, but every child can be attracted to parts of it. A little of it to-day, more of it next week, a third part some time in the future, and in time the whole will be a.s.similated.