190 PEARLS AND PEBBLES. 



spontaneously. So Christ is the remedy for the moral 

 weeds sown by our spiritual foe. 



That the plant possesses an energy within itself to 

 overcome obstacles that interfere with its growth may 

 be noticed. I have seen an elm or beech embracing with 

 its strong elastic roots a huge block of stone, binding it 

 down while it sent out its smaller fibrous rootlets to the 

 soil below. The tree itself had sprung into life from a 

 seed that had fallen into a crevice of the rugged stone, 

 but as it advanced in stature it required more support 

 and more nutriment. Firmly rooted, it now defied the 

 force of wind and storm. It threw out its cables and its 

 anchors, and then began to flourish more abundantly — 

 not by the large woody roots, but by the tender vege- 

 table tubes drinking up the food from the more generous 

 soil which they had entered to wait upon and feed the 

 tree, like faithful servants ready to cater to their masters' 

 wants. 



There is power in the living germ of a tiny seed. See 

 how the tender blade of wheat will pierce the hardest 

 clod. The seedling of some delicate flower will burst 

 through the environing mould, raising its soft plumy 

 leaflets to the light and air, while sending down its roots 

 deep into the earth, exerting a force from within its 

 tender frame that eludes the most cunning scrutiny of 

 the eye to detect. Silently and secretly this mysterious 

 action takes place in the sprouting seed. The sceptic 



