Creation begins the work. Culture continues it. There is but a beginning in natural fruits, and they never, when left to nature alone, reach beyond that point.
When a man finds a crab apple in the woods, he would not willingly find it more than once; yet, brought to his own orchard, it becomes a fine fruit. But did nature make the pippin? Nature had been trying her hand for years and years, and had never been able to get beyond the crab apple.
Man says to her: “You are a bungling apprentice; I will make you a journeyman.” Iron is created, but a sword is made. Nature does not create a jack-knife, a steam engine, a knife and fork, but bare, cold, dead iron. God intends that we shall only do the work of utilizing, He of creating, for that we can not do.—BEECHER.
