The Penn's Grove record., 1899-04-07

backs, but something from the great de
mocraey OF flowers. Rather han imperi
catafalque of Russian Gar, I ask some on
whom / may have helped by gospel sermon
or Christian deed to bring a sprig OF ar
butus or a handful of hint asters.
1t was left for modern times to spell re-
spect for the departed and comfort for the
living In letters of floral gospel. Pillow
OF flowers, meaning rest for the pilgrim
who has got to the end OF his journey. An
Choir OF flowers, suggesting the Christian
hope which we have as an anchor OF the
soul, sure and steadfast. Cross OF flow
ers, suggesting the tree or which our sins
were slain. II 1 had my way, 1 would COW
err up all the dreamless sleepers, whether
In golden handled casket or pine box,
whether a kings mausoleum or potter's
field, with radiant or aromatic arbores-
cence. The Bible says, "In the midst OF
the garden there was a sepulchre." l
wish that every sepulchre might be in the
midst Of the garden.
II you ask me the question, What are
flowers good for2 Ianswer, For religious
symbolism" Have you ever studied Scrip
tural flora2 The Bible is an arbc return, 1t
Is a divine conservatory, 1t is a herbarium
Of exquisite beauty. II you want to illus
trate the brevity of the brightest human
life, you will quote from Job, "Man cometh
forth as a flower and Is cut down." Or you
will quote from the psalmist, ''Asthe flower
of the field, so he perishetb; the wind pas
seth over 1t and it is gone" Or you will
quote from Isaiah, "All flesh is grass, and
the goodness thereof is as the flower Of
the field" Or you will quote from James
the apostle, las the flower Of the grass, so
he passeth away" What graphic Bible
symbolism
Flowers also afford mighty symbolism Of
Christ who compared Himselitoth the ancient
queen, the lily, and the modern queen, the
npa urhAn Ia oafdt fT m tho rAaa nF
Sharon and the lily of the valley" Redo
lent like the one, humble like the other.
Like both appropriate for the sad who want
sympathizers and for the rejoicing who
want ~banqueters. lowering over the mar
riage ceremony like a wedding bell, or
folded like q chaplet on the pulseless heart
of the dead. Oh, Christ, let the perfume
Of Thy name be waftedIall around the earth
lilly and rose, lily and rose-untll the
wilderness crimson into a garden and the
round earth turn into one great bud of i'm
mortal beauty laid against the warm heart
of Godi Snatch down from the worlds
banners eagle and lion and put on lily and
rose, lily and rose.
But, my friends, flowers have no grander
use that when on Easter morning We eele-
brate the termination of Christ from the
catacombs. The flowers sTall resurrection.
There is not a nook or -rner in all the
building but is touched with the incense.
The women carried spices to the tomb OF
Christ, and they dropped spices all around
about the tomb, and from these spices
have grown all the flowers Of Easter morn.
The two white ROBBED angels that hurled the
stone away from the door of the tomb
hurled It with such violence dow the hill
that it crashed In the door OF the worlds
sepulcher, and millions OF dead shall come
forth.
However labyrinthine the mausoleum,
H. ro-,1ntar,E hArratyar
INTELLECTUALLY grand the metropolis, low
ever beautifully parterred h family
grounds, We want them all broken up by
the Lord OF the resurrection. The forms
that we laid away with our broken hearts
must rise again. Father and mother
they must come out. Husbands and wives
must come out. Brothers and sisters
must CONS out. Our darling chill
dren-they must come out. The eyes that
with trembling fingers we closed must
open in the lustre of resurrection morn.
The arms that we folded in death must Join
ours In embrace OF reunion. The beloved
voice that was hushed must be returned.
The beloved form must come up without
its inhrmities, without its fatigues-it must
come up. Oh, how long 1t seems for some
OF you'll Waiting waiting for the resur-
How longi How longl l make
for your broken hearts to-day a cool, soft
bandage OF lilies. l comfort you this day
with the thought OF resurrection.
When Lord Nelson was buried in St.
Paul's Cathedral in London, the heart OF
all England was stirred. The procession
on amid the sobbing Of a nation.
There were thirty trumpeters stationed at
he door of the cathedral with instruments
Of music in hand waiting for the signal,
and when the illustrious dead arrived at
the gates OF St. Paul's Cathedral these
thirty trumpeters gave one united blast,
and then all was silent. Yet the trumpets
lid not wake the dead. He slept right on.
But I have to tell you what thirty trumpet
srs could not do for one man one trum-
peter will d. for all nations. The ages
have rolled on and the clock OF the worlds
destiny strikes 9, 10, II, IL, and time shall
De no longerl BsE6ld the archangel hover
.ngi BE takes the trumpet, points it this
way, puts its lips to his lips, n then
blows one long, loud, terrible. thunderous,
reverberating and resurrectionRry blast!
Look, lookl They rise! The dead, the
dead! Some coming forth from the fam
ly vault, some from the city cemetery,
from the country graveyard. Here
a spirit is joined to its body, and there an
spirit is Joined to another body, and
of departed spirits are asserting
the bodies, and then reelothing themselves
la forms radiant for ascension.
The earth begins to burn, the bonfire oil
a great victory. All ready now for the
procession of reconstructed humanity
Upward and awayI Christ leads and all
the Christian lead follow, battalion after
nation after nation. Up, upi
On, onl Forward, ye ranks OF God AL
Lift up your heads, ye everlast-
ing gates, and let the conquerors come I'M
Resurrection
And SO l twist all the festal flowers OF
the chapels and cathedrals of all Christen-
dom into one great chain, and with mat
| bind the Easter morning of 1899
with the closing Easter of the worlds his
tory-resurrectioni May the God OF peace
that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great Shepherd OF the sheep
through the blood OF the covenant make
you perfect IN every good work to do His
will