Article January 2, 1904 Issue

Invisible but Infinite

JESSE B. TWISS.

As I sat concealed near a large tree I saw a mother robin in billowy flight glide easily to her nest above me. Four hungry voices rose in clamoring appeal, and four hungry mouths were opened in wide expectation; but no plump morsel fell from the mother's mouth to theirs. In its place a lecture seemed to have been provided and precept upon precept was poured out to the fledglings. Soon, one by one, four young robins had climbed upon the edge of the nest and opened a quartet of questionings. Then one boldly spread his wings, let go his grasp, and floated, not too gracefully, to a nearby twig which was clutched desperately as he began to chirp his amazed but grateful pleasure in the enjoyment of a new-born liberty. Then another and another launched out upon the unseen air with uncertain, fluttering movement, and all landed triumphantly on the neighboring branches.

The fourth was not so easily persuaded; he waited long, questioning the mother's wisdom, and seeming to say, "You tell me of God and the wonderful air He has made, but where is God? and where is His air? I see no God, I see no air, I cannot trust myself to nothing. I love my life too well to be so rash. True, I saw my brothers in their flight, but it was only a happy chance that led them where they are, and perhaps next time they will just fall plump and hard on that terrible rock down there,—I can see no reason why they might not. Yes, you say God cares for all His creatures, but why should He take any care of a bird who is so foolish as to let go of all he has to sustain him and just drop down into nothing at all until he strikes the hard earth, and, maimed and helpless, becomes perchance a prey to cruel animals. For my part, I will just cling to my nest until I see something else to grasp." The little fellow became so excited during the delivery of this "commonsense" statement of his belief that the very nest on which he stood began to tremble and suddenly it slipped from its moorings and he was thrown into space. Then with instinctive haste he spread his wings, and the invisible air in which he had put no trust, became a wondrous support, in which divine Love conveyed to him a happy freedom from his false beliefs,—a glorious liberty to mount heaven-ward whenever he would.

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