Sanders' Union Fourth Reader Part 78

FRUIT' AGE, collection of fruits.

WAX' ES, grows; increases.

JU' BI LANT, joyous.

TINGE, imbue.

GLO' RI FI ED, exalted to glory.

UN WA' RY, incautious.

FAM' ISH ED, afflicted with hunger.

BAN' ISH ED, driven out; expelled.

RE NEW' ED, made new again.

MA TUR' ING, ripening.

VINT' AGE, produce of the vine.

DIS LOY' AL TY, unfaithfulness.

BE QUEATH' ED, left by inheritance.

CON SID' ER ATE, thoughtful.

RE VIV' I FY, (RE, _again_; VIV, _live_; IFY, _to make_;) to make alive again, to bring to life; renew.

WE ALL DO FADE AS A LEAF.

GAIL HAMILTON.

1. "_We all do fade as a leaf_." Change is the essence of life. "Pa.s.sing away," is written on all things; and pa.s.sing away is pa.s.sing on from strength to strength, from glory to glory. Spring has its growth, summer its fruitage, and autumn its festive in-gathering. The spring of eager preparation waxes into the summer of n.o.ble work; mellowing in its turn into the serene autumn, the golden-brown haze of October, when the soul may robe itself in jubilant drapery, awaiting the welcome command, "Come up higher," where mortality shall be swallowed up in life.

2. Why, then, should autumn tinge our thoughts with sadness. We fade as the leaf, and the leaf fades only to revivify. Though it fall, it shall rise again. Does the bud fear to become a blossom, or the blossom shudder as it swells into fruit; and shall the redeemed weep that they must become glorified'? Strange inconsistency'! We faint with the burden and the heat of the day. We bow down under the crosses that are laid upon our shoulders. We are bruised and torn by the snares and pitfalls which beset our way, and into which our unwary feet often fall.

3. We are famished, and foot-sore, and travel-stained, from our long journey, and yet we are saddened by tokens that we shall pa.s.s away from all these,--away from sin and sorrow, from temptation and fall, from disappointment, and weary waiting, and a fearful looking-for of evil, to purity and holiness, and the full fruition of every hope,--bliss which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived,--to a world whence all that made this dreary is forever banished, and where all that made this delightful is forever renewed and increased,--a world where the activities and energies of the soul shall have full scope, and love and recognition wait upon its steps forever.

4. Let him alone fear, who does not fade as the leaf,--him whose sources are not in G.o.d, and who does not draw his life thence,--him whose spring is gathering no strength, whose summer is maturing no fruit, and whose autumn shall have no vintage. Is not this the real sorrow of us all? not a dread of change, but a secret consciousness of wasted power,--of disloyalty to G.o.d, as the supreme object of our love and service.

5. Yet even here the fading leaf brings hope. Our future is always before us. The past is fixed. No tears can wash away its facts. Let us waste no vain regrets upon it; but, from the wisdom which its very mistakes and sins have bequeathed us, start afresh on the race. Though yesterday we were weak, and selfish, and indolent, let us to-day--at this moment--begin to be strong, and brave, and helpful, and just, and generous, and considerate, and tender, and truthful, and pure, and patient, and forgiving. "Now" is a glorious word. "HENCEFORTH" is always within our grasp.

QUESTIONS.--1. To what are we compared? 2. What is said of change? 3.

What change takes place in the leaf? 4. What, in man? 5. Who have reason to fear? 6. What is said of the past and the future?

LESSON CXIII.

UN HEED' ED, not regarded.

EX POS' ED, unprotected.

EX HORT' ED, urged; persuaded.

AT TUN' ED, put in tune.

ES SEN' TIAL, real; true.

AN NOUNC' ED, proclaimed.

TEACHINGS OF NATURE.

POLLOCK.

1. The seasons came and went, and went and came, To teach men grat.i.tude; and, as they pa.s.sed, Gave warning of the lapse of time, that else Had stolen unheeded by: the gentle flowers Retired, and, stooping o'er the wilderness, Talked of humility, and peace, and love.

The dews came down unseen at evening tide.

And silently their bounties shed, to teach Mankind unostentatious charity.

2. With arm in arm the forest rose on high, And lesson gave of brotherly regard; And, on the rugged mountain brow exposed, Bearing the blast alone, the ancient oak Stood, lifting high his mighty arm, and still To courage in distress exhorted loud.

The flocks, the herds, the birds, the streams, the breeze, Attuned the heart to melody and love.

3. Mercy stood in the cloud, with eye that wept Essential love; and, from her glorious brow, Bending to kiss the earth in token of peace, With her own lips, her gracious lips, which G.o.d Of sweetest accent made, she whispered still, She whispered to Revenge, Forgive! forgive!

4. The Sun, rejoicing round the earth, announced Daily the wisdom, power, and love of G.o.d.

The Moon awoke, and, from her maiden face Shedding her cloudy locks, looked meekly forth, And, with her virgin stars, walked in the heavens,-- Walked nightly there, conversing as she walked Of purity, and holiness, and G.o.d.

5. In dreams and visions, sleep instructed much.

Day uttered speech to day, and night to night Taught knowledge: silence had a tongue: the grave, The darkness, and the lonely waste, had each A tongue, that ever said, Man! think of G.o.d!

Think of thyself! think of eternity!

6. Fear G.o.d, the thunders said; Fear G.o.d, the waves; Fear G.o.d, the lightning of the storm replied; Fear G.o.d, deep loudly answered back to deep.

And, in the temples of the Holy One, Messiah's messengers, the faithful few, Faithful 'mong many false, the Bible opened, And cried: Repent! repent, ye Sons of Men!

Believe, be saved.

QUESTIONS.--1. What do the seasons teach? 2. What, the trees?

3. What, the sun and moon? 4. What, Messiah's messengers?

LESSON CXIV.

BE DECK' ED, adorned.

AR RAY', dress; attire.

MAN' TLED, spread; rushed.

DE VO' TION, attachment.

I DOL A TROUS, excessive.

SEV' ER ED, rent; sundered.

EN CIR' CLED, inclosed; surrounded.

SA' BLES, mourning clothes.

GIFT' ED, talented.

FOUND ED, established.

AL LURE', (AL, _to_; LURE, _draw_;) draw to; entice.

Pa.s.sING UNDER THE ROD.

[Footnote: These lines are founded on the following pa.s.sage of Jewish history:--"It was the custom of the Jews to select the tenth of their sheep after this manner: The lambs were separated from their dams, and inclosed in a sheep-cot, with only one narrow way out; the lambs hastened to join the dams, and a man, placed at the entrance, with a rod dipped in ocher, touched every tenth lamb, and so marked it with his rod, saying, 'LET THIS BE HOLY.' Hence, G.o.d says by his prophet, '_I will cause you to pa.s.s under the rod_.'"]

MARY S.B. DANA.

1. I saw the young bride, in her beauty and pride, Bedecked in her snowy array; And the bright flush of joy mantled high on her cheek, And the future looked blooming and gay: And with a woman's devotion she laid her fond heart At the shrine of idolatrous love; And she anch.o.r.ed her hopes to this perishing earth, By the chain which her tenderness wove.

But I saw, when those heartstrings were bleeding and torn, And the chain had been severed in two, She had changed her white robes for the sables of grief, And her bloom for the paleness of woe!