14
painted by the great Master Artist upon
the shifting canvas of the heavens, let him
become acquainted with the wonders of
earth and sea, let him watch the unfolding
mysteries of the changing seasons, and, in
all His works, learn of the Creatotr.”—Edu-
cation, pp. 100, 101.
3. To PROVIDE MYSELF WITH WORTH-
WHILE ACTIVITY.
John Burroughs has said, “To understand
patate is to gain one of the greatest
resources of life.”
“No one who is interested in nature is
ever bored by having nothing to do. No
naturalist ever has to kill time. He always
has a wholesome interest and a profitable
activity to engross his energies and occupy
his time. No matter where he is, whether
in city or country, whether it be a bumble-
bee visiting a roadside flower or a mud-
dauber wasp provisioning its nest with
spiders, or the common house sparrow
picking up its living in our crowded cities,
——there is always something at hand to
absorb his attention.
“In anyone's dooryard there is more than
he can master in a lifetime.”—G, Clyde
Fisher in the foreword to Nature Encyclo-
pedia.
Identifying Trees
NOTE TO SPEAKER: If possible use
slides to illustrate, (You can make slides by
using 3V4- by 4-inch etched glass and slide
inks of crayons available from Keystone
View Company of Meadeville, Pennsyl-
vania.) Or prepare large pictures; or use
the blackboard to illustrate the talk.
Today we are going to get acquainted
with some tree neighbors, Before we take
our walk, we shall discuss some facts that
should help us to know the trees.
We can recognize some trees by their
shape. The Lombardy poplar resembles an
exclamation mark, The American elm is a
beautiful fan or vase shape. The apple tree
looks like an apple with the stem end down.
(Illustrate these and others native to the
local area. Use outline drawings.)
Bark is a distinguishing characteristic
of several trees, Smooth gray bark, usually
with many initials carved in it, belongs to
the beech tree. You will know the shagbark
hickory by its shaggy, dark gray bark that
hangs in shreds along the trunk. The smooth
white batk of the birch ttee discloses its
identity, (Use drawings of a portion of
the trunk of each tree.)
Flowers and fruits also help us to identify
our tree friends. Acorns grow on oaks,
but we shall need to look at leaves and bark
to know which of the fifty species of United
States oaks any- particular tree belongs to.
Locust pods mark the trees of the locust
family. The flowering dogwood and the
redbud ate known for their flowers,
THE CHURCH OFFICERS’ GAZETTE
In summer leaves are an excellent means
of identification. You can match a leaf
from the tree with the pictures in your
tree handbook. (Show drawings of several
leaves of trees to be observed.)
After you get acquainted with a few tree
friends, you will want to learn more about
some other habits and traits they possess,
such as their buds and leaf scars.
This afternoon we shall observe the
bark, leaves, and general shape (and flowers
if present), of ten different trees.
“This Is My Father’s World
This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears,
~All nature sings, and ‘round me rings
The music of the spheres,
This is my Father's world;
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
‘This is my Father's world,
The birds their carols raise;
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world;
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.
—MALTBIE D. BABCOCK.
Used by permission of Charles
Scribnet's Sons, publishers.
Suggestions for Juniors Going
for Nature Walk
1. Know what you are looking for. Are
observing trees, flowers, or insects?
2. Observe safety rules at all times.
3. Follow your leader's instructions.
4, Walk quietly,
5. If you have a handbook of flowers,
trees, or birds, take ir with you.
6. Keep your eyes and ears open.
April, 1950
April 8
CHOOSING YOUR
FRIENDS
W. B. CLAWSON, JR.
ORDER OF SERVICE
OPENING SONG: “My Lord and 1,” No, 599
in Christ in Somg; No. 532 in Church
Hymnal,
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 18:24,
PRAYER.
REPORTS,
OFFERTORY.
DUET: “The Best Friend Is Jesus,” No. 50
in Christ in Song.
POEM: “Be a Friend.”
TALK: “Can You Make Friends?”
SYMPOSIUM: Quotations on friendship.
STORY: “George's Friends.”
PoEM: “Friendship.”
ERIEND-O-GEMS: To be read by a group
of Juniors,
CLOSING SONG: “I've Found a Friend,” No.
531 in Church Hymnal.
BENEDICTION,
Be a Friend
Be a friend. You don’t need money:
Just a disposition sunny;
Just the wish to help another .
Get along some way or other;
Just a kindly hand extended
Out to one who's unbefriended;
Just the will to give or lend,
This will make you someone's friend.
Be a friend. You don’t need glory.
Friendship is a simple story.
Pass by trifling errors blindly,
Gaze on honest effort kindly,
‘Cheer the youth who's bravely trying,
Pity him who's sadly sighing:
Just a little labor spend
On the duties of a friend.
Be a friend. The pay is bigger
(‘Though not written by a figure)
Than is earned by people clever
In what's merely self-endeavor.
You'll have friends instead of neighbors
For the profits of your labors;
. You'll be richer in the end
Than a prince, if you're a friend.
—EDGAR A. GUEST.
In Collected Verse of Edgar A.
Guest, copyright 1934 by The
Reilly and Lee Co, Chicago.
Can You Make Friends?
Have you ever wondered why it is that
some other girl—we'll call her Joyce—is
so much more popular than you are? It
has nothing to do with brains ot looks or
being good at games. You can beat Joyce
in all these points. Yet wherever she goes,
Joyce is the center of a laughing, chattering
group, while you ate nor,
What is it about Joyce that draws people
to her?
It is simply this. She has learned the art °
of making friends. That is her secret—a
very precious one—and because of it Joyce
will always walk on safe ground.