The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-27
THE BIRDS AND THE LILIES.
Rev. DIR. j. ID. JOrdan's Sermon at the
First Baptist Church.

First Baptist Church.
''The birds and the lilies" was the sub
ject Of profound and interesting sermon
at the First Baptist Church yesterday
morning by the pastor, Rev. John D
Jordan.
The text was from the verses in tho
sixth chapter of Matthew, referring to the
fowls of the air, which neither sow, reap
nor gather into barns, and yet are fed
neither toll nor spin, and yet, even Solo,
mon in all his glory, was not arayed like
one of them. Many pronounced the ser
mon as among the most eloquent and 2ogi-
cal yet delivered by Dr. Jordan.
Il do not take this text In order to give
a disserta ton on ornithology or botany,
Or. Jordan said for if l had the incli-
nation to do So this would be neither the
time nor place for it, 1 desire 10 get before
cur minds the great teacher and unique
preacher, Christ Jesus. AS the natural
poet found poems in beggars, herds, calves.
dogs and mice, and prayers on life and
DEATH as well as in brooks, rills, noun
tains and hills, so the great and natural
teacher found sermons in everything. To
Him the mustard seed, the least of all seed,
bore likeness to His Kingdom. The far
minded him of the kingdom of heaven: the
golden wheat, ready for the sickle and ripe
for the sheaf, reminded Him of the world s
readiness and need of the gospel The
birds of the air, the lilies of the field and
the fishes of the sea- were subjects to Him
for divine discourse. The fig tree and its
leaves, the vine and its branches, the
fisherman and his net and the merchant
man seeking goodly pearls, were themes
from hich He drew scriptural truths.
I'm the little child He saw the char
acter of the kind" continued DR.. Jordan
that be of the Kingdom of God; in the
thief and the watchmen, He saw things
to forecast His final coming; in the rich,
the poor. the blind the lame the dead,
He found texts for sermons and subjects
for miracles. A troubled heart gave occa-
sion for presenting Himself the great COM
forter, who shall abide forever.
abide with me. Fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens-Lord with me
abide
When other helpers fail and comforts fee
Help of the helpless, o abide with me-"
The birds and lilies, and lessons from
them, are what L wish to speak about
especially" he continued. Worry and Dor
rowed trouble produce much of the I'M
happiness of the human family. Much of
this comes from the question of food and
raiment. But if God clothes the lilies and
feeds the birds, will He not much more
clothe and feed His children? If God
takes care of birds and lilies, can we not
trust Him to take care of us? Like as a
father pitieth his children, so the Lord
pitieth them that fear Him 1t is not
enough to simply trust in the Lord, but
we must do good and constantly strive to
broaden His Kingdom"
DR.. Jordan concluded with a strong ap-
peal against selfshness. He said selfish
person was always unhappy, and that the
righteous and unrighteous alike, were in
clined to this fault. He asked that all
seek the mind and spirit which prompted
Jesus to become as sinner to save sin
rers, to become poor that He might save
the world.