The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-02
EASTER FLOWERS.
Rev. DR.. Talmage's Sunday Sermon.
The Lilies of the Bible and How
They Grew.
The Lessons To Be Found In Field
and Garden.
The Question What Are the Flow
ers Good For2" Answered.
Their Symbolism of Christ-The Luster
Of the Resurrection Morn
The Last Great
Day.

form and galleries OF the tabernacle this
morning profusely decorated with flowers
On the previous evening the church had
been open to prepare the decorations, for
which the congregation had been invited
10 bring flowers.
The immense audience-room Is not large
enough to contain the people ON ordinary
occasions; IL must be left to the imagina-
ton TO suggest the throngs, both inside
and outside the church, ON this great festal
day.
The Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage, D. D., took
for his text Luke XII. 2s: "If then God so
clothe the grass, which is today in the
field and tomorrow is cast into the oven,
how much more will he elothe your" He
said:
The lily is the queen Of Bible flowers.
The rose may have disputed her throne in
modern times, and won IL, but the rose
originally had only five petals. II was
under the long continued and intense gaze
Of the world that the ruse blushed into its
present beauty. In the Bible train cassia
and hyssop and frankincense and myTh
and spikenard and campfire and the rose
follow the lily. Fourteen times in the
Bible is tho lily mentioned; only twice the
rose. The rose may now have wider
empire, but the lily rcigned In the time Of
Esther, in the time Of Solomon, in the
time of Christ.
Caesar had his throne on the hills. The
A. 4 a.. ..,lla.. In ~.
greatest sermon that was ever preached
there was only one flower, and that lily.
Tho Bedford dreamer, John Bunyan,
entered the house Of the interpreter. and
was shown cluster OF flowersand was told
TO consider the lilies"
We may study or reject other sciences
at our option. II is so with astronomy, ii
Is 80 with chemistry, Il is so with juris-
prudence. Il Is 20 with physiology, IL Is so
with geology but the science Of botany
Christ commands us TO study when he
SAYS Consider the lilies Measure
them from root TO tip OF petal lnhale
their breath. Notice the gracefulness OF
their poise. Hear the whisper OF the
white lips Of the eastern and OF the red
lips Of the American lily.
Belonging 10 this royal family OF lilies is
the lily OF the Nile, the japan lily, the
Lady Washington Of the Sierras, the
Golden Band lily, the Giant lily Of Nepaul,
the Turks Cap lily, the African lily from
the Cape Of Good Hope. All these lilies
have the royal blood in their veins. But
take the lilies OF my text this morning as
typical Of all flowers. and this Easter day.
garlandcd with all this opulence Of floral
80 I'D 40 fn0
"Consider the lilies, consider the aZalias,
consider the fuchais consider the gerani-
ums, consider the iyics, consider the hya-
cinths, consider the boliotropes, consider
the oleanders" With diherential and
grateful and intelligent and wonhipful
souls, consider them. Not with insipid
sentmalism, or with sophomore vapor-
ing, but for grand and practical and every
day, and, II need be, homely uses, con-
slider them.
The flowers are the angels Of the grass.
They all have voices. When the clouds
speak they thunder; when the whirl-
winds speak they scream, when tire cata-
racts speak they roar but when the How
. ems speak they always whisper. ! stand
here 10 interpret their message. What
have YOU 10 say, o ye angels Of the grass,
10 this worshipful multitude?
This morning mean TO discuss what
flowers are good for. That Is my subject
"what are flowers good forG''
I. ! remark, In tho iirst place, they are
good for lessons Of Gods proyidential
u care. That was Chrisi's first thought. All
these flowers seem 10 address us today,
saving: "God will give you apparel and
food. We have no wheel with which TO
spin, no loom with which 10 weave, no
sickle with which 10 harvest, no we'll.
sweep with which 10 draw water; but
God slalCcs our thirst with the dew, and
God feeds ms with the bread OF The sun.
shine, and God has apparelled us with
more than Solomonic rcgality. We are
prophetcsses Of adequate wardrobe. II
God 30 clothed us, the grass Of the field,
win he not much moro clothe you, o ye
OF little faith7'
Men and women OF worldly anxictics,
take this message home with you. How
long has God taken care Of your Quarter
Of the journey Of life? hall the journey Of
lief thrce-quarten the journey OF life2
Can you not trust him the rest Of the wayl
God does not promise you anything like
that which the Roman emperor had on
his table nj vast expense--hve hundred
nightingales' tongues-but he has prom
ised 10 take care Of you. lie has promised
YOU the necessities, not the Injuries
bread, not cake. II God 20 luxuriantly
clothes the grass Of the field, win he not
provide for you. his living and immortal
children7 lie will.
No wonder Martin Luther always had q
flower on his wrtingdesk for inspiration.
Through the cracks Of the prison floor O
flower grew up TO cheer Picciola: Mungc
Park, the great traveller and explorer, had
his lie saved by flower. He sank down
IN the desert 10 die, but seeing a flower
near by, II suggested Gods mcrciiul care,
and he got up with new courage and irav'
elcd on to safety. said the flowers are
the angels OF the grass. | add now they
are the evanecls Of the sky.
2. II you insist on asking me the cues
ton, What are flowers good fort l 70
spond: They are good for the bridal day
The bride must have them ON her brow
and she must have them In her hand. Th'
marriage altar must be covered with them
A wedding without flowers would be a
inappropriate m wedding without music
Al such time they are i0f congrainlafioI