The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-04-19

tween this world und the better World, DO
you not suppose your departed friends
know what you do with their bodies2
Why had God planted "goldenrod" and
wild flowers In the forest and on the prai.
rle, where no human eye ever sees them.
gences to look at and admire, and when In.
visible fntelligences come to look at the
wild flowers OF the woods and the table,
lands, will they not make excursion and
see the flowers which you have planted In
affectIonate remembrance OF them?
When am dead, would like to have a
handful Of vlolets-any one could pluck
them out OF the grass. or some one could
lift from the edge Of the pond q water lily
nothing rarely expensive, no insane dis
play, as sometimes at funeral rites, where
dren's mouths and the clothes from their
backs, but something from the great de.
mocracy OF flowers. Rather than impertl
cataialque OF Russian Gear, ask some one
whom may have helped by gospel sermon
or Christian deed to bring sprig OF ar
butus or handful Of China asters.
It 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
cnor VI uoWeCS, suggesting tho Surlsliou
hope which we have as an anchor OF the
soul, sure and steadfast. Cross Of flow.
ers, suggesting the tree on which our sins
were slain. III had my way, would Gov.
er up all the dreamless sleepers, whether
In golden handled casket or pine box,
whether kings mausoleum or potter's
field, with radiant or aromatic arbores-
cencs. The Bible says, "In the'midst OF
the garden there was sepulchre." ]
wish that every sepulchre might be in tue
midst of the garden.
II you ask me the question, What are
flowers good for7 answer, "For religious
tural fora? The Bible Is m arbcretum, 1t
OF exquisite beauty. II you want to illus.
trate the brevlty OF the brightest human
life, you will quote from Job, "Man comerh
forth as flower and Is cut down." Oryou
will quote from the psalmist, "As the flower
OF the field, 80 he perishetb;the wind pas,
seth over It and 1t Is gone" Or you will
quote from Isaiah, Gall flesh Is grass, and
the goodness thereof Is as the flower o!
the fold" Or you will quote from James
the apostle, Gas the flower Of the grass, 80
he passeth away" What graphic Bible
symbolism!
Flowers also afford mighty symbolism oil
Sl,W
queen the lily, and the modern queen. the
rose, when He saId: "I nm the rose oi
Sharon and the lily OF the valley" Redo.
lent like the one, humble like the other.
Like both appropriate for the sad who want
sympathlzers and for the rejoicing who
want banqueters. lowering over tho mar.
riage ceremony like wedding bell or
folded like cbaplet on the pulseless heart
OF the dead. Oh, Christ, let the perfume
OF Thy name be waftedlall around the earth
lilly and rose, lily and rose--until the
wilderness crimson into a garden and the
round earth turn into one great bud OF I'M
OF God! 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 cele-
brate the termination OF Christ from tho
catucombs. The flowers spell resurrection.
Thera Is not q nook or corner 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
The two white robed angels that hurled the
stone away from the door OF the tomb
hurled 1t with such violence down the hill
that it crashed In the door OF the worlds
and millions OF dead shall come
forth.
However labyrlnthine the mausoleum,
however costly the sarcophagus,' however
architecturally grand the metropolis, how
ever beautifully parterred the family
grounds, we want them oil 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
they must come out. Brothers and sistera
they must como out. Our darling chill.
dren-they must come out. The eyes that
with trembling fingers we. closed must
open In the lustre OF resurrection msrn.
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
it's ip1rmities, without its fatigues-it must
come up. Oh, how long 1t seems for some
OF you! Waitlns-waiting for the resur.
rectionI How lonel How long! make
for your broken hearts to-day cool, soft
bandage OF lilies. 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
passed on amid the sob5,ng OF nation.
There were thirty trumpetefs stationed at
the 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
did not wake the dead. He slepI right on.
But have to tell you what thirtytrumpet-
ers could not do for one man one trum'
peter will do for all nations. The ages
laI ho ~ wnrlh'q
destiny strikes 9, 10. IL. -. and time shall
be no longer Behold the archangel hover
ingI he takes the trumpet, points 1t this
way, puts its lips to his lips, and then
blows one long, loud, terrific. thunderous.
and resurrectlonary blast!
Look, look! They rise! The dead, the
dead! Some coming forth from the fam.
lily vault, some from the city cemetery,
some from the country graveyard. Here
a spirit Is Joined to Its body, and there an:
other spirit is joined to another body, and
millions Of departed spirits are asserting
the bodies, and then reclothing themselVe'
III forms radiant for ascension.
The earth begins to burn, the bonfire OIL
a great victory. All ready now for ths
procession of reconstructed humanity
Upward and awayl Christ leads aud all
the Christian dead follow, battalion after
battalion, nation after nation. Up, upl
On, on! Forward, ye ranks OF God AL.
mighty! Lift up your heads, ye everlast.
ing gates, and let the conquerors come In!
Resurrection! Resurrection!
And 30 twist all the festal flowers OF
the chapels md cathedrals OF all Chrlsten-
dom into one great chain. and with that
chain bind the Easter morning OF 1899
with the closing Easter Of the worlds MIS-
tory-resurrectiou May the God OF peace
that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great Shepherd OF the sheep
throu sh the blood OF the covenant make
you perfect in every good work to do His
will!
Inn nnn rn Tile MEEnX