Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-11
ward blossoming of immortality, the

cred calyx, the soul shall 60 forth as
winged seed"
/ confess to profound respect for
sacred forms and ceremonies; for the
rite of baptism by which soul is
consecrated to the highest; for the
solemn act of ordination by which
man is set apart to the Christian
ministry; for the services of dedica-
ton by which a temple, made with
human hands, is consecrated to the
worship of God. l like the church
tablets with their inscriptions worthy
of being written in gold all these are
sacred-but when l walk forth for
meditation in Gods outer temple,
whose dome is the deep blue sky,
frescoed with clouds OF silver and
gold-whose tablets OH the green
crested mountains are inscribed by the
finger of omnipotence, whose choir is
the millions OF living creatures his
own hand hath made. whose Bible is
the record Of his thought and kindly
purpo G above, beneath, abroad and
everywhe1e-when | saunter in gar
den, on meadow, in copse or glen and
see with what baptism OF beauty,
more sacred than holy water. he has
consecrated this great temple of the
world-how in grass, foliage and flow
er, in the scented air, i'll luscious
fruit and precious grain, in the spon-
taneous song of joyous life, in tower
ing mountain, ripping stream and
rolling ocean, he seems TO be almost
personally present, confess to feel
ing of reverence and awe-a sense OF
nearness to God that never expert
enced in the most magnificent cathe-
dral ever consecrated to his name.
1t may we'll be doubted whether
regular religious service was ever be-
fore held, whether on the face OF the
earth Christian church ever before
assembled amid environments and
of our planning. Tomorrow, and for
some time thereafter, this hall will be
used in continuance of this fine ex-
hibit OF citrus fruits; and it was seen
that to remove all these fruits,
flowers, plants and tables and
put this great auditorium in
its usual condition for US to-day and
then bring them back and arrange
them in good order for tomorrow
would involve vast amount of
trouble and considerable expense.
The question therefore presented it.
self to one OF our true friends, why not
hold onr regular ervices amidst the
choicest gifts of the God OF nature;
and sure enough, why not? Could the
divine presence, power and goodness
be more signally displayed than they
are here and now. Can scenery the
grandest of the world, can providen-
tial coincidence the most remarkable,
can Holy Writ, OF whose meaning we
are not always sure, impress the
thoughtful mind, the reverent heart
as profoundly as do these beauties
and bounties of the earth, these direct
creations OF the power that animates
nature.
Had it been given to prophet or
apostle to witness such spectacle as
this, what expressions OF glad amaze
ment, what eXclamations of
adoring wonder, what songs ofylevout
Thanksgiving would have been left on
record for our inspiration.
say that not many exhibits like this
have ever been held and certainly we
ought to feel the exceptional char
acter of this. We are worshiping
amidst the most suggestive associa-
tions. The tint and fragrance OF these
flowers, the color and quality of these
various fruits, the uniqueness Of these
semi-tropical plants, came from the
thought and finger OF God.
And yet, without irreverence we
may say that unaided God never
made such fruits and flowers as these.
How wonderful the fact that he in
vites man into partnership with him
self, most directly in producing the
innumerable things that minister to
our comfort and happ ness. God
never made a steam engine, a printing
press, telegraph, a piano, a city di
rectoiy, dictionary or a Bible. He
never made good orange, Muscatel
grape or tea rose; but how
faithfully. constantly, grandly. he
has worked with us while we have
been improving upon natures meth
DDS and productions.
Everything that helps make this
spectacle wonder and delight was
produced by com ination of divine
and human forces; an illustration OF
our relation to all the forces that pla Y
through the universe. God never
made perfect man, and it may be
doubted ii He ever made perfect
angel. He creates human and an
efaliy 10 1otI a
grape and crab.apple-susceptible of
wonderful improvement by cultiva-
lion, and thus honors us with the
prerogative OF unfolding our own
germinal powers and completing the
work which He only began. Blessed
prerogative Who would have it
otherwise? Who would prefer to
have no part in the toll and the re-
sponsibility, and, therefore, have no
share in the honors and emoluments
OF his own manhood?
All mechanism, all artisan
ship, all fine work is high
ly educational. l admire the
the skillful workman, and yet l would
rather be the arbiter of my own good
fortune, rather help mould and fashion
a grand type of manhood for myself
than to be the architect OF st. Peters
or the inventor of the steam engine;
and, in like manner, with all the
risks, and all my liability to mistakes
and failures, by analyses Of soil, by
Experiments with modes of irrigation
and ways of cultivation, by the cross
ing of blood, l would much rather
cooperate with God in producing such
fruits as here delight our eyes, than,
without an effort on my part, to have
it created, nicely packed and laid at
my door. AS the men who by toll
and care, and ingenuity and persist
ency are producing these golden,
luscious fruits, are themselves i'm
proving more rapidly than their
orchards or their methods, and, there
fore, it is passing into proverb that