Despise not little things, they may become great. This is proved by the acorn, which is a small thing, and yet it becomes great in the earth. I could carry a number of acorns in my pocket, and yet when one is grown to a tree, how small am I compared with it. The birds roost and build nests in its branches. Thousands of insects feed on its leaves, bark, and roots. Hogs eat of its fruit; and cattle find a shelter beneath its branches: and Charles the Second, king of England, found a safe hiding place in an oak, when pursued by his foes. Its branches are made into hurdles, gates, posts, rails, stiles, and many other useful things. The carpenter makes stools, chairs, tables, desks, forms, benches, cottages, hovels, stables, barns, houses, mills, and ships of the oak. All this is produced from the acorn! and this is not all the wood of the oak as fuel in this country, is of great service; and even the bark tans our leather, and after that, serves to make fires in lieu of turf, and is much used by the poorer class of citizens. Thus the oak, both wood and bark, makes good fires to broil, roast, and bake our food; it dries our clothes, and cheers the village family on a cold winter's evening. Of the oak, the cooper forms casks to hold beer, wine, cider, beef, pork, flour, and many other articles. Let us adore that Power, who causeth so small a thing to produce such a great number of articles for our use, Who art thou, O man! that presumest on thine own wisdom? or why dost thou vaunt thyself on thine own acquirements? The first step towards being wise, is to know that thou art ignorant; and if thou wouldst not be esteemed foolish in the judgment of others, cast off the folly of being wise in thine own conceit. As a plain garment best adorneth a beautiful woman; so a decent behaviour is the greatest ornament of wisdom. The speech of a modest man giveth lustre to truth, and the diffidence of his words absolveth his error. He turneth away his ear from his own praise, and believeth it not; he is the last in discovering his own perfections. Since the days that are past are gone forever, and those that are to come, may not come to thee; it behoveth thee, O man! to employ the present time, without regretting the loss of that which is past, or too much depending on that which is to come. Whatsoever thou resolvest to do, do it quickly; defer not till to-morrow, what may be done to-day. Words of four Syllables, accented on the first. ac ces so ry ac ri mo ny ad mi ra ble ad ver sa ry al a bas ter al le go ry am i ca ble an ti mo ny an ti qua ry lap i da ry mal le a ble rev o ca ble sec ond a ry sec re ta ry ē cus tom a ry pat ri mo ny plan et a ry sai a man der tab er na cle ā Ve he men cy Ĭ per son a ble pul mo na ry sub lu na ry suf fer a ble vul ner a ble ū Lu min a ry nu mer a ble su per a ble aw For mu la ry hos pi ta ble Dic tion a ry dil a to ry dislu ble pur ga to ry Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful: but his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away; therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein: for he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. : Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, Oye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. |