Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-18

4 Dreatn affair anu CuurCu suh tuiO"s 49,
garlands are swept away and there IS
nothing left but faded bud and q
trembling hand folding 1t up
| for the box and the box set back
IN the drawer and the drawer locked
with sudden click that ends the scene.
Let not the prophecies OF the flowers on
your wedding day prove false prophe-
| cies. Be blind TO each others faults.
Make the most OF each others excellen-
ciss. Don't both get mad at once. Re
member your vows, the ring on the
third finger of the left hand and the ben
ediction OF the Gala lilies.
Again you ask, what are flowers good
for, and answer,
To Comfort the oossauies.
The darkest cash even made in the side
OF the earth is the cash OF the grave. 1t
| is so deep, so cruel, so incurable that 1t
needs something to cover it up. Flowers
for the casket. Flowers for the hearse.
Flowers for the cemetery. What con-
trast between the grave in country
| churchyard with fences broken down
| and the tombstones aslant and neigh
| boring cattle browsing among the mul'
| len stalks and Canada thistle and June
morning in Green wood, the wave OF
roseate blue rolling up to the top OF the
mound and breaking in foaming crest
of white flowers all about the pillow OF
dust. The difference is between sleep.
ing under rags and under embroidered
blankets. We want "Old Mortality"
chisel in hand, to visit all the dilapidat-
ed grayeyards Of Christendom. You
saw, at makes no difference to the dead
and that they do not know"
think you are mistaken. There
are not so many rail trains and
steamers coming to our living city as
there are conveys from Heaven to
earth, and constant and instantaneous
communication between this world and
better world, OF course your departed
know what you do with their bodlesF
Why have there been planted myriads
OF golden rods and wild flowers in the
forest and prairie that are never seen by
human eye? l suppose God plants them
for invisible intelligences 10 look at and
admire. And when they come forth to
see the wild flowers OF the woods and OF
the table lands, they will not fail to make
excursions to see the flowers planted in
especial affection for their memory.
When | die i should like to have at
least handful of violets. Any one can
pluck them out OF the grass, or some one
from the edge OF the pond could lit
water lily. Nothing expensively rare,
not the insane display that sometimes
in the last rites takes bread out OF the
children's mouths and clothing from
their backs, but something from the
great democracy OF flowers. Rather than
imperial catafalque OF Russian Gar
would / have some one whom l had
helped by gospel sermon or Christian
deed bring sprig OF trailing arbutus on
a cluster OF China asters. Ii has been
left for modern DAYS 10 spell out respect
for the departed and comfort Tor the
| living in letters Of floral gospel, pillows
| of flowers suggeting rest Tor the pilgrim
lust ended his journey, anchor of flow
| ers suggesting hope which we have as an
anchor, cross OF flowers suggestive oi
that tree on which our sins were slain.
Ii mad my way would cover up all the
dreamless sleepers, whether in golden
handled casket or pine box, whether In
Kings mansoleum or Potter's field with
radiant and aromatic arborescence.
Again You ask, what are flowers good
fort And / answer,
For Religious Symbolism.
Have you ever studied Scriptursl tloraP
| WHY, the Bible is q herbarium; it Is
| divine conservatory; it is an arboretun
| OF beauty. Do you want to illustrate
| the breyity OF the brightest life you will
| quote FROM Job: "Man cometh forth
| ike a flower and is cut down; or will
| ouote from the Psalmist: "As flower
| OF the field so he flourisheth, for the
| wind pssseth over it and it is gone;" or
from isiah: "All flesh is grass, and oil
the goodliness thereof is as the flower OF
the field :" or you will quote from James,
the Apostle: "As the flower oil the grass
he shall pass away.
Flowers afforded graphic
Symbolism to Christ
who compared himself to the ancient
queen, the lilv, and to the modern
| queen, the rose: 81 am the rose OF
| sharon and the lily OF the valley" Red
olent like the one, humble like the other.
Like both appropriate for all places Of
sadness where they need consolation,
aud all places Of Joy where they want
| sympathixers. lowering over the mar
riage ceremony like wedding bell. and
tasted into chsplet for the pulseless
heart. Let the perfume Of his name be
waited all around the world, lily and
rose. till the wilderness becomes q gar
den, and the round earth turn into one
great bud of immortal beauty laid
syainst the warm heart OF God. Take
off the worlds banners, eagle and lion,
an put on lily and rose.
4 n..s a. havsa a,n andar rel
use than when on Easter morning We
bring them TO
Celebrate the Termination of Christ
from the catacombs All the flowers OF
TO dsy spell Resurrection. There is no
nook in all the house but is touched
with tine incense OF their grateful breath.
The spices hicl the women brought to
Christ's sepulchre were dropped all
around and inside the tomb and from
that seed grew all the flowers of resur-
rection morn. The two angels in white
that rolled from Christ's grave the stone
/ flung IL with such violence down the
| hill that il crushed in the door Of the
worlds sepulchre, and the millions OF
stark and dead shall come forth. How
ever labyrinthine the mansoleum, how
ever exquisite the sarcophagus, how
ever architecturslly crowned the family
vault, however ornamented the grounds,
we want them all broken by the Lord
/ of the Resurrection. They must come
/ out--those whom We have with
broken hearts buried. Father and
mother they must come out. Husband
and wife-they must come out Broth
ers and sisters they must come out.
Son and daughter-they must come out,
Those eyes We closed with trembling
fingers must open in the lustre OF resur-
rection morn. Those arms We folded
for last sleep must join ours in en-
brace Of reunion. That voice that was
hushed must be retained. That beloved
form freed from all infirmities and
iatigues must rise. Roll on sweet day,
| roll On last 0raat Es.,ar ,,,o~n;,,, "a az I.