St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-29
AT WOODLAND PARK CHURCH
His Text From the Song Of
Solomon, 81 Am the Lily
OF the Valley"
BEAUTY OF THE CHURCH
Likened Unto the Fragrance
Of the White FioWeP--A
Large Congregation.

The following sermon, full of poetic
beauty and convincing thought, upon
"The Lily of the Valley" was
preached yesterday morning at the
Woodland Park Baptist church by the
pastor, Rev. Addison Moore:
Choosing his text from the Song
of Solomon, H., 1, 81 am the lily of the
valley" he said in effect.
In the wonderful drama from
which the text is taken, these words
are attributed to the bride, who, in
speaking to the king, likens herself,
in spirit of humility, to the lowly
lily. Happy in his fellowship and
love, and remembering her humble
origin, she feels all unworthy of the
exalted position to which he has raised
her, and, with her eyes upon the wild
flowers about, says: 81 am but
wild flower of the field, a humble lily
in the valleys" To which the king
most lovingly replies: "As lily
among thorns, so art thou in compar-
ison with all Others
In like manner does the church, the
bride Of Christ, humble herself be
fore Him, saying
How should it be, Thou heavenly
King,
That Thou shouldst us to glory
bring?"
And none the less lovingly comes
His quiet response Of tender assur-
ance, bringing comfort and peace,
and teaching us that the church is
indeed lily among tflorns, an oasis
in the desert, spring in the wilder
ness, a source of refreshing to the
weary souls.
The beauty Of the church. as Of the
lily, lies in it's purity. White flowers
for bridal and burial are not mean
ingless, but always convey the inn
preston Of something sacred; and,
in Hkening the church to the lily, the
same sacredness is implied. ''Ye are
a peculiar people, a people set apart
as the bride Of Christ. 1t is only
right, therefore, that He should re-
ceive pure hearts love, and find the
life of the church ::e;
FREE FROM BEEMISH.
Whatever of evil there may have
been, must be shrouded and sepul-
chred before the king can come and
reign.
Blessed are the pure in heart; for
they shall see God is the ideal as
sertion of the necessity of purity.
And the ideal is not. impossible of
realiza ton, for we are sanctified and:
made pure by the word of truth
which we receive from Christ. His
word is like the green Of stem and
leaf; it comes before the flower; and
out from the excess of life in the
green plant the white flower springs.
Let the word of God dwell in you
richly and out from it there will
come not only the purity, but the
fragrance of the lily.
AS the SWeet-Scented flower fills
the atmosphere and attracts the
weary traveller, or the idle wanderer,
to its bed of restful grace and silent
beauty, SO the church is to shed
abroad the fragrance Of the Savfor's
love, and draw to herself the wan
derers and the -idlerS that she may
teach them lessons Of life. 1t is her
mission to exercise benefcent in
huence over others, and to diffuse
a moral fragrance which will make
her presence a blessing. The church
sends out her influence as the lily
sends its perfume, to be a benefac-
ton wherever it goes. To proclaim to
weary, sin-hearted men that the gar
den of the Lord is filled with fair
flowers, among which they can find
"a safe refuge from the evils of life.
Chantilly is the game preserve os
a hunter prince, and everything
about 1T is ordered for the chase.
The wide, open, glossy glades stud
ded with birch and oak scrub are
haunted by the deer. The roads are
plowed afresh every spring time lest
they lose the lightness beloved by
the horsemen. Every May, however,
a beautiful fault illustrates this
skillful venery, for thick and sweet
the lily of the valley springs in all
the brakes and dells. The scent of
the game will not lie across these
miles of blossoms. The hounds lose
the trail, the hunters are in despair,
and the deer, accustomed always ITO
be vanqufshed, beholds himself at
last befriended by the sweet, white
lily that every May time sends the
huntsmen home.
Such a refuge is the church to
men. She will protect them from the
attacks of the adVersaries of mems
souls; she will rescue them and hide
them from devouring sins, She calls
men away from the snares of doubt
and darkness and offers to them the
green pastures and the stills waters
of Immanuers land
cart thou weary, art thou languid;
Art thou sore, distressed?
Come to me- saith One, and, COM
ing,
Be at rest"