142 • MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Not a tree left, except the wild, to tell the tale of studying- the na- 

 tural habits of the plum. Our only consolation is in the Wild Goose.. 

 Lesson : While man in his native wild depravity is healthy, grows and 

 is happy in his primitive condition, the improved, refined, intelligent 

 and enlightened, cannot prosper amid the rigors of winter, the storms 

 of summer and the malaria of autumn, unless surrounded by means of 

 protection commensurate with his moral, social, intellectual elevation. 

 So the grafted and budded varieties of fruits can thrive only under 

 conditions in harmony with their improvement and refinement over 

 their originals. 



LESSON IX. 



Failure and Success. — Thus far failure marks every page ; and dis- 

 appointment each special effort. What of it? Though we may fail to 

 grow fruit as we desire, though we may fail to sit beneath our own 

 vine and fig tree, though we may fail to realize our fond hopes, though 

 failure may be the "finis" of every enterprise of this life, and though 

 as we retrospect the years of our pilgrimage failure beclouds life's set- 

 ting sun ; if we have trusted in the lion of the tribe of Judah, and have 

 labored to promote " peace on earth, good will toward men," spreading 

 sunshine in gloomy hearts, Aviping tears from weeping eyes, doing good 

 in the name of our Father in heaven, as the light of life goes out the 

 pearly gates of the celestial city will open wide to our redeemed spir- 

 its, and as we sit beneath the tree of life, eating its ambrosial fruits 

 and quaffing from the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, as it 

 flows from beneath the throne of God, we shall realize that a life of toil 

 and love for God and love for man, though a failure here, is not a fail- 

 ure there, but a gTand and glorious success in heaven. 



We may not scale the dome of the temple of Fame ; we may not 

 attain to honor and renown; the glory of this world may not be ours ; 

 thorns may spring instead of flowers; success, as a phantom, may flee 

 from our grasp ; the fruits of our labor, like apples of Sodom, may 

 turn to ashes on our lips ; disaster and disappointment may crown 

 ever^^ efiort; happiness, as a mirage, may recede at our approach, and 

 death may claim us in the meridian of brilliant expectations, but no 

 sacrifices are useless, no labor unprofitable, no life a failure that se- 

 cures us an abundant entrance through the pearly gates into the temple 

 and city of God. IMake sure, then, of heaven. 



