THE GUIDE TO NATURE 
15 ^ 
Ele pointed out examples of human 
parents doing too much for their chil- 
dren and not making them self-reliant. 
He showed that God provides material 
but we are to utilize it. 
“How suggestive is the empty nest 
of the old, forsaken, and decaying hu- 
man habitations which we sometimes 
see. For me there is nothing so kin- 
dles the emotions and awakens the im- 
agination as an old-time house, that 
has been left as a prey to the elements, 
and a symbol of the ravages of time. 
To look upon those leaning walls, that 
bending roof, those gaping windows, 
and that broken door, is to be reminded 
that the once proud and prosperous 
occupants are now no more. Their chil- 
dren, from the first to the third or 
fourth generation, have gone to live in 
homes elsewhere. Here was once the 
abode of happiness and prosperity. 
This house was once the object of great 
interest and care. Here was once the 
scene of parental labor and sacrifice, 
the playground of the highest human 
affections, the home joys and sorrows, 
the joyful home-comings, and the sor- 
rowful leave takings. Boys and girls 
were born and reared here who were 
to fill a large place in the community 
or the world. But it is now forsaken 
and desolate, awakening deep sym- 
pathy, and kindling the fires of the 
poetic imagination. We are not sur- 
prised that our poet Whittier, in view 
of such a scene, should have written 
that expressive poem, ‘The Home- 
stead.’ ” 
“In bird life it is first the nest, then 
the egg, then the nestling, then the 
fledgling, and then the full-grown bird 
of song. Jesus expressed it by the use 
of another example: ‘First the blade, 
then the ear, afterwards the full corn 
in the ear.’ The empty bird’s nest 
teaches us to be ever aiming and tend- 
ing toward the higher life and higher 
things.” 
We often wonder why, since the 
Master drew His lessons for His dis- 
ciples so often from nature, that so few 
sermons are preached on topics sug- 
gested by nature. Most sermons are 
too bookish, and with too little of the 
spirit of God’s great out-of-doors. I 
recognize that the few quotations from 
the sermon referred to do it scant jus- 
tice as a whole, but enough has been 
said to show that there are thoughts, 
morally uplifting thoughts, to be de- 
duced from the commonplace. 
Foolish Fiction Fancies. 
“The Amercan News Trade Journal” 
for January, 1922, contains an interest- 
ing article in reference to the sale of 
popular magazines. It is entitled, “Can 
Sam McClure Make McClure’s Maga- 
zine Come Back?” According to the 
essay it appears that “McClure’s Maga- 
zine” has in recent years been having 
ups and downs — mostly downs. Mr. 
McClure has not been connected with 
the periodical for the past six years. In 
the first quarter century or so of its 
existence he made it successful because 
he published entertaining articles on 
the serious questions of the times. The 
writer then says that he has been talk- 
ing with the circulation manager of an- 
other periodical in regard to the Mc- 
Clure position. The circulation man- 
ager said, “Nobody denies that twenty 
years ago when Mr. McClure was at 
his best he put out a magazine that 
made all the others sit up and take no- 
tice. But at that time people were more 
interested in magazines which dis- 
cussed serious questions. Today about 
all that folks care anything about is 
light fiction. They want stories and 
pictures and, with all due respect for 
the abilities of Mr. McClure — and no 
one has greater respect for his abilities 
than I — yet I believe that for one of 
his peculiar talents, he is coming back 
into the field at the wrong time.” 
Can it be possible that only a few 
persons are now interested in serious 
questions. Do the others care to read 
only fiction’s foolish fancies? Perhaps 
that is the situation and perhaps it ex- 
plains why The Guide to Nature has 
not yet obtained a million subscribers. 
Perhaps it is not the fault of the maga- 
zine but of the magazine readers. 
But the article referred to in “The 
American News Trade Journal” op- 
timistically predicts that Editor Mc- 
Clure can handle interesting, up-to-date 
questions in a manner to make them 
popular, but we suggest that Editor 
McClure shall keep his eyes steadily 
fixed on The Guide to Nature. We 
believe him to be not only a good editor 
but a lover of the outdoor world. 
Burgeoning in summer, 
In blossoms manifold, 
Gilding all the landscape 
With its fragrant gold. 
— Emma Peirce. 
