Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-05-21
The Flower Missions.

| L Welfe JnouSanu TWO nunureu ana one
bouquets-each with mission. Whence
came they,whither do they go, and what did
they do?
God sent the sunshine and the rain upon
the soil in the gardens and greenhouses, in
the valleys and on the hillsides of Webster
Groves, a beautiful suburb of st. Louis, and
that soil responding bountifully and beauti-
fully to these tender touches of sun and
shower, brought forth last season these
twelve thousand two hundred and one bou.
| quets. 1t was a most natural and fitting
thing for mother-earth to lay some of these
flowers in the lap of Spring, with others to
clothe the fair form Of Summer, and with
Others still to deck the golden brow of Au-
tumn.
This answers the first question, Whence
came these bouquets The second and
third questions can be answered in word
These flowers all went into the city, some to
one place and some to another, to the City
Hospital, to the Female Hospital, to the
Newsboys' Home, to the Good Samaritan, to
the Orphan Asylum, to the Blind Asylum,
to the sick among the poor and neglected.
Going into such places what could these
flowers do but carry gladness to the sick and
suffering? This was their mission. A
business man superintended the collection,
transportation and distribution of these
evangel-bearing messengers.
repeat that each one of these bouquets
has history; by which statement it is not
meant that all the facts in the brief lives of
these fair-faced and sweet-breathed evange-
lists have been recorded. Yet each has a
history, though many OF these histories are
unwritten. And in this particular this com.
munity of bouquets is not unlike commun.
~ nt gntn1c fnr -, ~ Il
there are but few individuals whose history
will ever be written. But each has a history,
and the unwritten histories of some of those
lives would read like romance, and furnish
us many lesson of wisdom and warning.
goodly proportion of these bouquets has a
recorded history, the facts of their brief,
bright, sweet existences having been traced
out and set in the orderly array of continu-
GUS narrative. Such facts as these are at
hand, and can be easily authenticated in
what soil some of these bouquets grew, by
whom planted and watered, by whose hands
gathered and put into graceful form, how
many and what kinds of flowers entered into
their composition. Distributed among these
12,20l bouquets sent from this village, it is
known that there were ,595 carnation pinks.
1t is further known that $50 tea-roses had
places of honor in $50 of these bouquets.
But other and very different facts have
been traced in the history of some of these
frail and shortlived missionaries. After
setting out on their errands of love, these
flowers have been followed by watchfu
eyes, and report has been brought back of
much good done. One of these bouquets
found its way into the City Hospital, went
to the bedside of little boy who had but a
few moments to live. 1t drew from him a
sweet smile of gratitude, and brought bright
ness to eyes that were growing dim. Not
long after he was found sleeping the long
sleep with one hand firmly grasping the
bouquet, which was the last earthly mes
senger that brought him a heavenly mes
sage. Another bouquet was carried into
garret in which was woman seventy years
old in dying, destitute condition. 1t
proved TO be to her token of that loving
care which never forgets trusting soul in
the hour of EXTREMIST need.
Facts like these are numerous enough TO
make quite a volume of biographical history.
But my object is not to write history 1t is
rather TO stimulate other communities to do
what this little suburban village has been
doing. If all suburbs on all railroads cen
tering in our large cities would take part in
this form of ministry, what a constant in
and fragrance into city smoke and bad odors.
Into how many sick rooms, never or seldom
made bright by the presence of flowers,
would there flow daily an unfailing stream
of comfort Into how many rooms that
never get CLEAN of sunlight would there
shine beams of joy almost above the bright
ness of the sun. How many eyes that are
not weary of looking upon bare walls day
after day would find joyful rest by looking
into the faces of these fresh flowers. Dying
children, innocent and pure as the June
blossoms, would have the last hours of lonely
sickness made bright. Aged souls who
have long trusted him whose hands have
arrayed the lilies of the field in garments
goodier than kings robes, would find their
hopes made brighter, that they would soon
be clothed with the beautiful robes of i'm
mortality. Nor is it too much to hope that
some unrepentant souls may in the hour OF
EXTREMIST need receive from these silent
messengers that message of mercy which
they have often rejected when delivered by
the mouth of man. God only knows what
silent, secret tidings of hope he has COM
missioned the flowers to carry to the sin
sick and suffering. No doubt that lost pu-
rity has often been restored TO a tainted
SOUL which has been brought to tenderness
and tears by looking INTO the clean, innocent
faces of flowers. With commissions sealed
to the eyes of those who send them, these
evangelists often bear life-giving words to
dying, despairng souls.
Here is form of ministry into which all
may enter. 1t requires no laying on of
hands to fit one for this Office of love. The
Springtime call now comes again to many
who have hitherto not needed it. The Win
ter is past the time of the singing of birds
is come, and the flowers have appeared on
the earth. Now is the time TO make plans
for entering into this sacred ministry.
Flower missions are established in all our
large cities. and should be in many smaller
ones. lie who clothes the lilies of the
valley and furnishes all the flowers of the
field, says to those of us who are well
Children, go gather these flowers, and
carry them to the SICK your brothers and
sisters in suffering" Hearing this call, lei
us all heed-Selected.