The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-23
IRON TEMPLE.


the Act and the Effect of Growing
Flowers for Gods Parndise-Sermon
by the Rev. DIR. Scudder.
DR.. Scudder's church was full yesterday morn
ing, notwithstanding the dubious state of the
weather. Before the sermon there was beautiful
group of children presented for baptism DR..
Scudder announced that next Sunday would be
children's Sunday, and that he should preach q
sermon for children. He then said that he did not
want the older people to run away, but be present
with their children; he said 1t only came once in
two months and that they ought to make it a sort
OF jubilee. He then selected his text from the
third chapter OF the second epistle OF Peter
eighteenth verse-"But grow in grace, and in the
knowledge OF our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen"
We listen with interest to the last words OF great
men. When the wise and good and experienced
and the inspired depart from this world we expect
in their final utterances they will leave us some
wATCHwoRD OF HOPE,
and we treasure up words they soernly speak
when they on the brink of another world.
The text select this morning is the last words of
Peter. Listen to it; it is quite worthy -'But grow
In grace and In the knowledge OF our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ To Him be glory both now
and forever. Amen.' This sentence may be con-
densed in a single word-growth. This season is
the most active in work All vegetation is grow
ing now. Our gardens all in bloom, the prairies
have put on their richest ralment. 1t is the time
OF growth. All nature speaks to us and says, care
you growing also9'
There are two different aspects ofgrowth-growth
OF the crop and growth Of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
and individual growth. In the latter sense we
must accept these words OF Peters. First let us
look at the conditions OF growth. plant must
have soil to stand in 1t must have also air to ex
pand in, an elastic element mebile-with breeZes
to ian 1T: 1t must have moisture, and above all,
the plant must have sunlight to battle in.
IS THE SOUL A PLANT?
Must 1t not then have soil to stand in That soil
is truth, the perfect soil is the Book, the sacred
1t thrives. 1t contains all the other elements too.
Jesus Is the sun OF righteousness, shining down
Having observed the conditions OF growth let us
observe the act OF growing. Every plant Is
worker They send out their roots to gather mois-
ture. The plant needs carbon; it gathers it from
the air; it takes nitrogen from the soil. Most
beautifully pertinent are these symbols The
ing. Third-The effects OF growth: plant by
growing perlects Itself, makes itself attractive,
and snake are exactly snake
verts the good food which it eats into poison and
the plant converts good fruit out OF the very soil.
There Is collective and vitaliZing effect pro-
duced by working We are constantly breathing
out carbonic acid gas and that Is poison. Plants
carbon to themselves, and so make the atmosphere
pure. How vast and peneacent is this processl
The tendency OF the present Is towards idolatry
OF nature. There Is q man, great writer, who
writes and prints the word God with little "g."
He does not believe in
AN INDIVIDUAL GOD,
and so publishes his disbelief with his little "g.u
Those processing themselves to be wise make
themselves fools. Now in opposition to all this
and mark this-the antagonism to Christianity Is
no new thing, only the dead aptagonlsms Of the
past galvanized into short life. The Apostle tells
us to grow in knowledge OF God. knowledge Is
light Grow in grace, as plant does. There is q
typical form for man, and that is Christ-that is,
we are to grow in knowledge and grace till we re-
semole Christ. Here we have the whole process
laid down in H. Peter L., and besides this giving
all diligence add to your faith virtue, and TO virtue
knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to
temperance patience, and TO patience goodness,
and to goodness brotherly kindness, and to broth
erly kindness charity.
Now, In the last place. recognize and seek the
influence OF Him who fashions our souls. DO now-
ers know what they do! The spirit OF God lives in
flowers, just as 1t does IN the human heart. The
spirit OF God dwells in plants. They have no Will
But the spirit OF God will not dwell in our hearts
unless we will IL, and If we seek 1t He will make us
flowers for his own paradise Will close with two
thoughts First is that all growths are nom Titles
therefore be intent upon growing; be intent to
add to yourselves one ring each year, the trees
do. Lastly, look az the limit of this grow th, to
what Peter eXhorts us. Every plant has its limit;
every animal has its limit You can teach dog To
take penny to q bakers and get bun for it: but
get more buns
But how is it with man9 In BODY he Is limited,
but the mind has an unlimited sphere. The more
we know the more room have we Tor knowledge.
So IL is with grace. IL Gods children we shall
grow in grace and knowledge.