THE CRAZY MAN AND HIS WATCH. A POOR crazy fellow, one day, on finding his watch half an hour too slow, insisted upon it that the sun had gone down that evening half an hour sooner than it ought to have done; when a soberminded neighbour of his assured him, that, be that as it might, he would find it wiser and easier to regulate his watch by the sun, than to attempt to order the sun's revolutions by his watch. How many conceited Socialists, how many vainglorious Deists, and how many proud Atheists, are acting as this poor crazy man acted! Poor, purblind, mortal creatures would do well to remember, when cavilling at the word and works of Almighty God, that it is much more likely, than the contrary, that Wisdom, Power, and Goodness, should be right, and that ignorance, weakness, infirmity and folly, should be wrong. THE BANIAN TREE. WHAT a mercy it is, when our faith and love towards the Redeemer are strong enough to enable us, like the bee that gathers honey alike from the rose and the thistle, to gather instruction, comfort, and encouragement, from every thing around us! Then it is that we can rejoice "with joy unspeakable," in the midst of manifold blessings; then it is that "Meekly, humbly, bending low, The mingled mercies of our God." On reading, the other day, an account of the Banian tree, I was struck with the comparison which might be made between this tree, and the humble and sincere Christian, who lives a life of faith in the Son of God, and seeks not only to know, but to do his will. The Banian tree is found in more beauty and perfection in the scorching clime of India, than in 80 other places. THE BANIAN TREE. It is sometimes called the Burr tree, or Indian fig, and is different from any tree that grows in England. Each tree is in itself a grove, and sometimes spreads to an amazing extent; hardly ever decaying while the earth affords it sustenance. Every branch from the main body throws out its own roots several yards from the ground: these, at first, are thin, slender fibres ; but they grow thicker until they reach the surface, and then, striking into the ground, increase to large trunks, and become parent trees, shooting out new branches, which produce roots, and trees, in the same manner as before. Thus the tree grows, every branch producing a succession of stems, until the whole assumes the appearance of a grove. A Banian tree, with its many trunks, forms the most beautiful bowers and cool recesses that can be imagined; its leaves are large, soft, and of a lively green; its fruit is a small fig, which, when quite ripe, is of a bright scarlet colour. It affords sustenance or shelter to the monkey, the squirrel, and the peacock; as well as to various kinds of small birds. We can hardly form a proper notion of the extent of these trees. On the banks of the river Nerbudda, a Banian tree grows, which, if measured round its principal stems, is nearly two THE BANIAN TREE. 81 thousand feet in circumference. It has three hundred and fifty large trunks, and more than three thousand smaller ones; and it is said that seven thousand persons may find ample room to repose under its shade. Green wood-pigeons, doves, peacocks, monkeys, squirrels, and large bats find a shelter among its branches. The Banian tree flourishes and throws out its green leaves beneath the radiance of the sun: the Christian throws out his graces beneath the beams of the Sun of righteousness. The Banian tree spreads wide its branches, which, taking root, produce other trees: the Christian extends his influence, his faith, his love, and his hopes, which, through mercy, taking root in other hearts, influence them to grow in grace, and to become Christians like himself. The Banian tree becomes a grove of goodly trees pleasant to gaze upon: the Christian, blessed from above, spreads abroad the gospel of the Redeemer, and thus multiplies the followers of Christ, till he forms a band, a goodly company of faithful worshippers. The Banian tree brings forth fruit, beautiful to the eye and the Christian bears fruit also, far more lovely than that of the trees of the field. The Banian tree is a shelter to the creatures that seek its protection: the Christian man, too, by his love unfeigned, his zeal, his fidelity, his prayers, and 82 THE BANIAN TREE. his praises, is a shelter and protection to all whom he can assist and serve. But while we thus draw the resemblance between the Christian and the Banian tree, let us bear in mind, in reference to ourselves, that, "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit:" and also, that " "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire," Matt. vii. 18, 19. |