The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-05-22 00:00:00

A FLOWER SERMON.

In London, on Tuesday night, a crowded congregation
assembled in the church of St. Catherine Cree, Leadenhall-
street, to hear the Rector (Rev. Dr. Whittemore) preach his
annual flower sermon. There were sweet scents and bright
colours throughout the building, for nearly everybody
brought flowers; and to these charms before the service
began was added that of sacred music from the bells. All
the hymns had reference to flowers, and three of them had
been specially written.

Dr. Whittemore was assisted in the service by four
brother clergymen. He began his sermon by stating
that he should speak specially to the children, and
to impress the latter he several times caused them
to repeat some of his words. His text was from
-Ist Kings, iv. 33: "The hyssop that springeth
out of the wall." There had been some uncer-
tainty as to the plant meant, but he supported-the
opinion that it was a little wild bush founS in
Palestine and parts of Europe—a bush with glossy
green leaves and small white flowers, from which
hung a tassel of Ileep violet. Having explained
that the hyssop had always been supposed to have
healing virtues, that it was used for sprinkling blood
in Jewish religious services, and that dipped in
vinegar it was presented to Christ on the Cross, he
drew from the great associations of this modest plant
the lessons that the humblest life might some day be
worth taking about, and the smallest child might have
some share in serving Christ. The spines of the hyssop
he compared to imperfect moral character. Thorns
were leaf buds changed by some adverse influence.
Poor children growing up in the haunts of vice and
trained by wicked parents to wicked ways were thorns
which God intended for buds. But many children
were not so trained, and it would be their own fault
if they did not bring forth leaves, fruit, and flowers.
Why had God made flowers so beautiful?
Within the last few years botanists had begun to
laugh at people who thought that flowers were beauti-
ful simply to give pleasure. New lines of inquiry had
changed botany from a dry to a delightful staidy, a
wonderful revelation of God's wisdom and good-
ness. Flewers were now believed to be sweet and
beautiful in order, for one reason, to attract the in-
sects.

•
Having explained how insects being attracted to
flowers earry the pollen from plant to plant, causing
them to fertilise, DI r. Whittemore dwelt on the Divine
wisdom thus exhibited. But though to give pleasure
was not the sole end of beauty in flowers, it was part
of the Creator's design. Pointing out that flowers
teach the uses of adversity, the preacher said that
when a plant had all the food it could take it pro-
duced nothing but leaves. But for the trials and
sorrows of life the flowers of resignation, humility,
faith, and hope would not appear in the human plant,
and if children wished for brilliant flowers in their
lives they must expect trials and disappointments.
In conclusion, Dr. Whittemore expressed unabated
delight in the flower service, though he had conducted
it so often • and he was glad that it had been imi-
tated elsewhere.