Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-05-30

READ AT THE MEETING OF kENNEBEc
County W. c T. IT,, CHINA
BY Mrs. Edna Hunneweu.
The Flowers Mission first originated with
Miss Jennie Casseday of Louisville, KY,
an invalid sister who knew by experience
the comfort and joy to be found in these
silent messengers of Gods love. Ia 1873
she organized Flower Mission in her own
native city; about four years after this, Miss
Francis +. Willard, our National President.
was in Louisville attending a convention of
the W. {. T. U. With the quick percep-
ton and resdy insight for which she 10 80
remarkable, she saw how it might be
grated on to Temperance work, and
bring forth rich harvests of good. She
at once established Flower Mission De-
partment of the W. c. T. IT,. and put At
its he I'd Mise Jennie Csssedsy As National
Superintendent. 1t has grown to large
proportions, as does sll the work that has
Gods call behind it. Some may ask. what
is Flower Mission? l answer, it is q mis-
sion whose aim is to lead burdeued souls
up to Christ. and to teach them to cast their
cares on Him who careth for them; whose
work is to cheer and comfort all who
poor to help themsolves; and whose
text is Bear ye one snother's burdens, and
so iul I'll the law of Chri.t." Think Of one
lying shut in with pain, surrounded with all
the III conditions of poverty. nothing to
brighten or alleviate lonely hours, and Of
what it routd be to have q tender hearted
woman or bright-faced young girl come
with little knot of something white
something bright, and som thing sweet. and
lay it on the pillow or in the hand. in
ssine a hospital aith rev sfer row fi,ied
with sufferers. FArcy the Flower Missions
entering the ward with baskets of helitrop-,
rose birds, sweet violets lilies, nsav hued
and fragrant, fresh and ;ool with the dew
Of the day. See how eagerly pale
hands are ou's.retched to receive
them. with whst glad delight thy clutch
the beautiful flowers and press them to
their faces, as If to drink in the message
they carry.
TIL. let Us follow the Flower Missioners
to the Ill We enter dark and dreary
prison. with walls of cold grey stone.
stone floors. inside walls Of iron pierced
at regular intervals by iron doors.
little oblong windows, closely barred
and rot mere than foot in heighr.
Within these irJn walls are poor degraded
N, n and women. pri-oned in the cells, for
saken, disgra: d. d so~ned. what, think
YOU. must il be to these poor creatures by
the outer world neglected, to have gentle
Chri.t-like women come to them, to til
{ EN- how Jesus loves them, aad lonSs 10
save the m, hos He semi. the pure b. auty
of the flowers into their darkeued lives
steep ped in crime? TIE fragrance brings
to them tender associa ions of the
old home, of Notte-. and Of DAYS agon.
when all the worIl was fair to their inno-
cence and youth The he art in this soften.
mood. is ready to receive the words of God
heard in those better times, and they come
with the ring of truth from Heaven, and
speak 10 them in tones Of love. The Holy
Spirit seals the impression, and eternity
alone, can reveal the result. In . letter
from Miss Cssseday she sends our Miss on
ers q golden text for the summer, found in
Gen. 2sth and 18th AMI behold, an with
thee, and will keep thee in all places,
whittier thou goest. and will bring thee
again into this land; for will not Iesve
thee. until h.ve done that which | have
spoken TO thee Of
May He Who "seeth not ~ man see.h"
help Us each to m. nit the conmenda,ion Of
one anclently. "She bath doue VIA, she
could"
What the flowers say:
The red Rose says, BE- sweet,
The Lily says, be pur-,
The hardy, brave, Chryssuthmum,
Be patient and endure.
The violet Whisper, give,
Nor grudg~, nor coant the cost;
The voodbine. keep biosr oming
In spite Of Geld and frost.