Telegram-herald., 1888-04-02

Al. ~ frienslS let Eo< tas pFoFAeeles &
t1s GQ~ers "a yo1r seaalng ezy - false
uTephee-es. Be bl1ai ~ s1ch olaeTs lzl.Is.
Azks tas nek q eacn .oIhers ezoslseooss-
AboFs az d Eo< bo1h get mad 81 once, ks-
memosr tae ss~s ths rag "a fhe thlra sager
~ tAs lelt aaild, s1d ths b~aedseIscn q ths
ealla h8ias
III Ii yo1 insiSt % asking me the quesCl01.
" A4E are Eo~sIs good lcrs | answer, they
are good - 12ll0r aa1 comfort fhs 0hsequies.
TIE worst CASA ever H&ads iRte the s-ls =
o1r poor earth i ths Essh q ths grave. It
: - deep. II - ~ eruel Z = - inuuTaDis that
Is neesis soalstAlng - ccser II ap- Flowers
Tor tae easket. flowers for ta= bsxrse, flowers
for ths csg.etsry.
What = contrast betseen grave IN coua-
try ehurebyard, @Ith tie fence broken
doan, and the tombstone sslant, and the
neigkboring cattle browsing amid tns mui-
len stalks aud tks Canada thlstles, aud
June morning IN Grseawcods ina waves OF
roesate bloom rolling 70 the top Of the
mounds, snd then breaking IEto fo4ming
crests o. Wkite f0~srs all around the pillows
q dl.sr Il IS tie differences between sleeping
under rags and slssping under al enbroid-
cred blankst We want Old Mortality with
his chiseI 20 go through al TIE gravsyards Of
Christendon, and while he carries ebisel in
one hand, We want Old Mortality 70 have
some flower seed IN the palm of the other
hant
oh" YOU say, "tse dead don't know: il
makes no difference 10 them think you
are mistaken There are not 20 many steam
ers and rail trains coming TO any living city
as there are conveys coming from heaven 70
"A
slant communication bet~ss this world and
the better world, do YOU not suppose your
departed friends know what you do with
their bodiesi Why has God planted golden
rodn and Wild flowers IN ths forest and on
tho prairie where no human eye ever sees
theml lie planted them there for invisible
intelligences TO look az and admire, and
whsn invisible intsligences come to look at
the wild flowers OF Ihs woods and the table
lands, viii they not make excUrsions and see
tho flowers which you have planted IN affec-
tioDate remembrance OF themi
When am dead ] would like 10 have a
handful OF vioiets-any one could pluck them
out OF tho grass, or some one could lit from
the edge OF the pond water hly-nothing
rarely expensive or insane display, as some
times AZ funeral rites where the display takes
the bread from the children's mouths. and
tho clothes from their backs, but something
from the great democracy of flowers. Rather
than imperial catafalQue OF Russian czar,
ask some one whom | may have helped by
gospel sermon or Christian deed 20 bring a
sprig OF arbutus or handful OF china asters.
IL was left for modern times 10 spell respect
for the departed and comfort for the living
in letters OF floral gospel Pillow OF flowers,
meaning rest for the pilgrim who has got 10
the end OF bis journey. Anchor of flowers,
suggesting the Christian hope which we have
/ as an anchor 20 the soul, sure and steadfast.
, Cross of flowers, suggesting the tree on which
our sins were slain.
II had my way, would cover up all the
/ drearnless sleepers, whether in golden han
/ died casket or pine box, whether a kings
mausoleum OF potter's field, with radiant
and aromatic arboresence. The Bible says,
| in the midst OF the garden there was sep
ulcher. wish that every Esepulcher nigh,
| be in the midst Of garden.
| ~. If you insist on asking me equestion
What are flowers good for! | answer. for
| religious symbolism. Have you ever studied
| ScrIptural doral The Bible is an arbetum
| il is q divine conservatory it is a herbariuIr
| of exquisite beauty. IL you want 10 illus
trate the brevity Of the brightest human
life, you will quote from Job: "a mar
cometh forth as flower and is cut down.
Or you VIII quote from the psalmist: 'AI
the flower OF the field, SO he perisheth; the
wind passeth over it and it is gone" Or yoI
| viii quote from Isaiah: 'All flesh is grass
and the goodliness thereof is as the flower
o. the field" Or you viii quote from Jane:
the Apostle: "As the flower OF the grass, 81
he passeth away" What graphic Bible sym
bolism
All the cut flowers of this Easter day vii
soon be dead, whatever care you take of them
Though morning and night you baptize then
in the name Of the shower, the baptism will
not be to them a saving ordinance Thel
have been fatally wounded with the knif
that cut them. They are bleeding their lif
away; they are dying now. The Fragrance
in the air is their departing and ascending
spirits.
Oh yes. flowers are almost human Bot
anists tell us that flowers breathe, they tax
nourishment, they eat, they drink The,
are sensitive They have their likes and di.
likes. They sleep, they wake. They live il
families. They have their ancestors an
their descendants, their birth, their burial
|
the one. and the storm digs the trench 70
the other. The cowslip must leave its gold
the lily must leave its silver, the rose mus
leave its diamond necklace Of morning dew
Dust to dust SO we como up, We prosper
we spread abroad, we die, as the hower-a
the iowerl
Change and decay on all around see:
o thou who chaugsst not, ab.de with me!
Flowers also afford mighty symbolism c
Christ, who compared himself to the az
cient queen, the lily, and the mo'ler
queen, the rose, when be said: " | am th
rose OF Sharon. and the lily Of the valleys.
Redolent like the one, humble like the othel
Like both, appropriate for tie sad who wal
| sympathizers, and for the rejoicing wh
want banqueters lowering over the maj
riage ceremony like a wedding bel, or folde
ike chapIet on the pulseless heart Of Ii
dead
Oh. Christ let the perfume yof tag nan
Be waited around the esrth-lily and ros
lily and ross-unti the wilderness crimso
into garden, and the round earth turn int
one great bud os immortal beauty lsi
against the warm heart OF God. Snatc
down from the worlds banners eagle an
hoa. and put On lily and rose, lily and rose.
But, my friends. flowers have no grand'
use than when on Easter morning We eel
brafs the termination Of Christ from Il
catacombs. AL the flowers II today spe
resurrection. There is not a nook or corn,
in all the building bat IS touched with the 4
csnse. Tie women carried spices TO q
tomb Of Christ, and they dropped spices q
around about the tomb. and from tho
I =