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cluster of grapes brought up memories of Noali, who " began to be a 

 husbandman, and planted a vineyard ;" (alas ! that he became so de- 

 graded and dishonored by the product of his own wines,) and those 

 immortal words of the Son of God : " I am the vine — ye are the 

 branches;" " Do this in remembrance of me." Moie than thrice did I 

 hear a cock crow as loudly as that " which of old startled the penitent 

 Peter." Standing near a hive devoted to those insects, whose name is 

 synonymous with industry, I wondered if, in some unrecorded sermons, 

 the Savior, who came so near exhausting rural imagery, did not mate 

 the bee his frequent text. Certainly, it suggested themes worthy of 

 the lips of the holy speaker. It discoursed of faith in man, favorite 

 topic of the tongue, most God-like trait of the character of Jes\is. 



" The honey-bee that wanders all day long 

 The field, the TTOodland, and the garden o'er, 

 To gather in his fragrant winter store, 



Humming in calm content his quiet song, 



Sucks not alone the rose's glowing breast. 

 The lily's dainty cup, the violet's lips. 

 But from all rank and noisome weeds he sip» 



The single drop of sweetness aver pressed 



Within the poison chalice. Thus, if we 

 Seek only to di-aw forth the hidden sweet 

 In all the varied human flowers we meet, 



In the wide garden of Humanity; 



And, like the bee, if home the spoil we bear, 



Hived in our hearts, it turns to nectar there." 



My mind was not occupied long with the details of the Fair. It 

 aoon rose to the moral of the whole scene. Looking over the array of 

 goodly products of the earth, and the dense throng of sturdy kings of 

 the soil, and fair queens of the dairy, I was moved to feelings of great 

 gratitude to God, for his abundant supply of our temporal wants; for 

 the wise providence of Him who has so ordered the aflFairs of this world, 

 that seven-eighths of all civilized communities shall be devoted to ag- 

 xicultural pursuits — and for this grand annual festival, in honor of that 

 religion, which preaches peace on earth and good will to men. 



First : I shall speak of gratitude for the earth and its fruits. If I 

 had had an acquaintance, troubled by atheistic doubts, or one unable to 

 believe in the goodness of God, I should have invited him to accompa- 

 ny me to the Fair Ground. Single proofs of design in the construction 

 of the Universe, are not sufficient to give unto all minds a fii-m and 

 broad foundation for faith ; but when multiplied and accumulated, such 



