Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-08-20
BY REV. F. C. CLARK.

But remember that God has strown flow
ers all over the earth. He has adorned this
abode of sinners-thiS great scene of our pro-
bation-this vast human penitentiary-with
every natural attraction. This is wonderful.
As sinner, find myself in this world as in
a great reformatory institution. l am put
within the high walls of restraint and disci-
pine. | am confined, chastened, thwarted,
controlled by power which l feel to be ire
sistible. [ suffer pains and disappointments
l am conversant with sorrow, tears, and
death. All this l know to be the result of
sin; for it is written all over the walls which
enclose me, that my unhappiness and peril
are only sins fair wages. In such circum-
stances-living in an accursed world-toiling
at tasks which are in sense penal-somehow
reading in every furrow of the field, "Cursed
is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt
thou eat of it all the days of thy life; tlorns
also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee
in such circumstances, | should have expect
ed that all nature would be somber and men
acing; that the hills would rise around me in
bare, black, volcanic crags; that the scenery
of earth would everywhere be such as my
sins deserve; and that voices of reproach and
of whitening shame should reach me from eve
ry quarter. But is it not wonderful that God
has filled this world with fowers He has
covered the hills and checkered the crags with
verdure. The wild flower smiles to us from
Alpine submits. The fields are brilliant
with lilies. Under our feet everywhere are
growing most exquisite creations of God.
Stoop now and take. up a little flower. Pom
der Who made it? Examine it; its beauty,
variety, completeness, ingenuity, adaptation to
charm your taste. Reflect. 1t is a MASTER
piece of living mechanism. Chance never
put such lines and such hues together 1t is
no result of wholesale mandatory, which
dispenses with care and attention. 1t i'm
presses us with the conviction that intelli-
gence, and taste, and sympathy, and desire
to please us have somehow been enlisted in
its creation. 1t speaks to us. 1t says: Your
Maker loves you; he would win you; he
would prove by this gorgeous floral drapery
of your prison, that he respects you in your
ruin that he would win you to a normal self
respect and hopefulness; that he would eIe-
vate your tastes and affections, and make
earth's flowers and earth's songs to be con-
slant remembrancers of the Paradise lost and
symbols of the Paradise to be regained
But cannot trust myself to linger here.
Time presses. | repeat my argument. Here
is more than infinite skill. Here is moral
power. Here is an appeal to the most deli
cata susceptibilities of my soul. Here is a
voice to my heart. As adjuncts and scarlet
robed attendants of religion, these things are
adapted to elevate my affections and to edu-
cate my nature for the scenery of heaven.
Let none misunderstood nature is not reve-
lation; beauty is not piety; taste is not holi-
ness Nor will flowers and all the exquisite
gifts of nature do for the soul what the power
OF the cross alone can do. Let India, and
South America, and Bishop Heber witness to
this =