The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-05-30 00:00:00

" FLOWER " SERMON IN LONDON.

According to an annnal custom which has been
observed for twenty-three years at the church of St.
Katherine (tree, in Leadenhall- street, la anion, a special
service was held there on Tuesday evening, when a
sermon was preached upon flowers. The idea ori-
ginated with the present rector, the Rev. Dr. W.
Meynell Whittemore, who very happily conceived the
subject of flowers to be a favourable one by means of
which to convey Scriptural truths and moral lessons
to the minds of young children, cf whom the congre-
gations on these occasions are chiefly composed. The
great feature of the service is, that all who attend
carry a bouquet of flowers, while upon the rector's
pulpit is placed a bouquet which has been the gift of a
lady of the congregation every year since the corn-
nienceMelit of the nervieex. Ott Tuesday the church
was better tilled than it had been on any previous oc-
casion, the majority of the congregation being children,
all of whom were provided with nosegays. Hymns
having special reference to the subject of the service
were sung in place of the ordinary selection from the
hymn-hooks.

After the usual service Dr. Whittemore, addressing
his "dear young friends," said he was heartily glad
to see them there again for he recognised many faces
that he had seen before. His remarks would be
addressed to the children chiefly, for his happiest
moments had been spent among the young. His text
would be Exodus Ai, and part of the 23rd verse,
"Sweet cinnamon." The preacher, after giving a short
account of Ceylon, where cinnamon is grown, with a
description of the flowers, fruit, and bark of the plant
itself, together with the method of its preparation, went
on to explain the lessons which might be de-
rived from a study of its growth and use. One
was that we were not to estimate the character of
people by what was simply ornamental about their
aspect, exemplifying this by the fact that both the
cinnamon flower and fruit, though attractive to the
eye, did not constitute the value of tne plant, but the
bark, Whiell would be hut little nott:ed. Our judg-
ment should he founded upon something better than
outward aspect alone. Another lesson they should
draw was that the best time to give themselves to the
Redeemer's service was when they were young, and
not to wait until; they were grown obi When was
the cinnamon tree gathered? When it was about
seven or eight years old. There were many there of
seven years old ; perhaps eight or nine. Let them be-
ware of delaying to nerve God until too late. Old age
would come with its infirmities and its loss of vigour,
keeping them further than ever from the Saviour's
service. Other lessons to be drawn from the cinna-
mon tree were that very great care should be em-
ployed in watching over children and in not allow-
ing them to come into contact with the world
too soon; that, as the choicest of the cinnamon
plants were employed in making the holy oil for
the anointing of the priests, so our choicest gifts
should be devoted to the service of God; and our gifts
should not be despised or looked lightly upon, because,
like the cipnamen plant, they appeared at first sight
of no great value.

The sermon, which was instructive and interesting,
was listened to with great attention by a large congre-
gation of children. The children of the parish school
in connection with the church were present in their
school dress.