TWO boys were roaming through the woods one day, when they saw a bird’s nest high up in a tree. Now, their parents had told them not to hunt for nests, or to climb the tree for them, as it was cruel to take away their tiny houses; and if Alfred and Frank had been obedient boys they would have remembered this and left the nest where it was.
But Alfred was determined to get the nest almost as soon as he caught sight of it. With some difficulty he managed to climb the trunk and reach the upper branches where the nest was lodged. He was pleased to find four pretty eggs in it, and at once began to pull the nest away from the twigs by which it was held.
While doing this, however, he did not notice that he had placed his foot on a dead and rotten branch; and as his weight began to bear more directly upon it, a sudden crack was heard, and before Alfred could save himself by grasping another and firmer branch, he dropped the nest and the eggs, which were all smashed on the path, and he fell nearly twenty feet to the ground.
Poor Alfred! This was a sad ending to his expected pleasure, but it was well earned by his disobedience, and although Frank had not, like him, been up the tree, I think he was equally at fault, for he did not seek to help Alfred to do right, and he looked on with equal interest while his brother sought to get the nest.
Alfred was not really injured, but was much bruised and shaken by his fall and unable to walk home so that Frank had to do his best to carry him on his back. This was a slow way of returning, as Frank had often to stop and rest.
I think both boys will remember that day, especially as they could not hide from their dear parents what they had been doing. I trust it will remind them that all wrong-doing will meet its due reward. The Bible says, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:2323But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)), and “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” This is the course of things; the punishment may be withheld for a time, but will be sure to come at last, unless there is confession of our sins, and the happy result of confession—forgiveness. O, how sweet is forgiveness, and if my readers have not tasted it, I trust they may soon do so.
ML 09/09/1917