The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1899-04-14

propTInteness Mt ObscqnIes.
TEx1: "ItIben God so clo;ha tho grass
which is to-day in tho field and to-mor.
row IL east into tho oven, how much moro
will lIe clothe you, . 80 OF little iaith?"-
Luke Kill, %.
Tho lily Is tho queen of Bible flowers.
The rose may have disputed her throne in
modern timesnnd won 1t, but tho rose orig
ina!ly had only five petals. 1t was under
the lorS continued and intense gaze OF tho
world TINT the rosc biushed iuto its pres
ent beauty. IN tho Eible train cussin and
hyssop and frankinconse and myrrh and
spkrnard md camphor and the rose fol-
low tho lily. Fourteen times in the Diblu
Is the lily mentioned; only twice tho rose.
The osc may now hnvo wider empire, but
tho lily reiGned in tho time OF Esther, in
tho timo OF Solomon, I'm the timo of Christ
Cesar had his throne on tho hills. The Illy
lad her throne in the valley. In tho great
est sermon that was ever preached there
was only ono flower. and that a lily. The
Bedford dreamer, John Bunyan, entered
the house OF the interpreter, and was
shown II cluster Of flowers and was told to
consider the lilics."
We may study or reject other scicncss Mt
our oltion-it is SO with astronomy. it ts
so with chemistry, It Is so with juris-
prudence, it is SO with physiology, 1t is so
with geology A-hut tho science OF botany
Christ commands us to study when Ho
says, Consider the lilies" Monsurc them
from root 10 tlpof petal. Inhale their
breath. Notice The graccfulness OF their
poise. Hear the wi isper OF the whilo Iips
OF the Eastern and the red lips OF tho
American lily.
Belonging to this royal family or lilies
nre the lily OF the Nile, the Japan lily tho
Lady Washington OF the Sierrus, the Golden
land lily, tho Giant lily OF Nepnul, tho
Turks cap lily, tho African lily from tho
Cnre OF Good Hope. All these lilies have
the royal blood in their veins. Gut tako
the lilies OF my text this morning us typical
OF all flowers, and their voicO OF floral
beauty seems to address US, saying, "Con-
slider the lilies, consider the nzalens. con-
slider the fuchsins, consider the geraniums,
consider the fvies, consider the hyncInths,
consider the hcliotropes, consider tho
oleanders." With, delcrential md grateful
and intelligent and worshipfnl souls con-
slider them. Not with insipid sentimental
ism or with sophomore vaporing, but for
grand and practical and everyday and, IL
need be, home!y uses, consider them.
The flowers are tho angels of the grass,
They al have voices. Wien tho clouds
speak, they thunder; when the wh,rlwinds
speak they scream, whom the cutaructs
speak they roar, but when the flowers
speak they always whisper. / stand here
TO interpret their message. What have
you TO say TO us, o yc angels Of the grass?
This morning mean to discuss what flow
crs are coed for. That is my subject,
"What are flowers good for?"
remark, in the first place, they are good
for lessons OF Gods providentinl care.
That was ChIist's first thought. All those
flowers seem to address us to-day, saying,
GOD will give you apparel and food" Wu
have no wheel with whic. TO spin, no loom
with which TO weave, 10 sickle with whicii
TO harvest, 10 well sweep with which to
draw water, but God slucks our thirst with
the dew, and God feeds US with the bread
OF ,he sunshine, and God has appare!ed us
With more than Solomonic regality. Wo
Gre rrorhctCsses OF adequate wardrobe.
III God so clothed us, the grass OF the field,
Will III not much more clCthc you, o ye OF
littlc fn:,nt" M,n and women OF worldly
Enxictirs, tnko - message home with
you. How long has God taken care OF you'
Quarter OF the journey OF life? HALF tho
journey OF life? Thrcc-qunr;er5 tho jour
ICY Of lie? Can you net trus! Him theTcst
OF Tie way? God does not promise YOU
anything like that which the Roman en-
leror had on his table ut vast expense 500
i'"htirEGles' tonSues-but ii has promised
10 '"He care Of you. Ic las promised yon
WY necessities, not the luNurics-bread,
NOT cnke. it God 80 uxuriantly clothes
the grass OF tho n.,I. will Uo not IroyiIr
Tor you, His living ana immortal children?
lie will.
No wonder Mart n Luther always Ind q
mower II bis writiEg desk for inspiration!
Through The cracks OF the pr!son floor n
flower grew up TO cheer picrlola. Muugo
Park, the great traveller and nxp,":rr had
his lie saved by II flower. lie sank down
In the desert to die; but, seeing 4 flower
near by, Ii suggested Gods mcrciful care
and hc got up VITA new courage ana
Travelled I'll TO safety. / said tho flowers
are tho angels OF the grass. I add now they
are evanGels oi the sky.
II you ask mo the question, What arc
flowers good for? j respond, they are
good for tho brda! day. The bride must
huve them on her brow and she must
have them in her Land. The marriage
altar must hc covered with them. A wed.
u i,., rst n
printe rs q wedding without music. Al
such time they nie for concrutulation
ard prophecies Of good SO much OF tho
pathway OF life is covered up with thorns,
We ought to cover the beginning with OF.
Rrgo blossoms.
Flowers arc appropriate on such oc-
t,,,sions. for IN nincty.nino out Of 100 cases
- tho very best thing that could have
maNrcGed. Tho world may criticiso and
pAopLce 1t IN innItiludc and may lift
its eyebrows IN surprise and think it might
suggest something better, but the God
who sees the twon!y forty, Rfty years OF
welded life before tkry have begun mr.
ranges for tho best. SO that flowers, In
nlmoat ell casca, nro appropriate for the
marriage day. The divcrgepcps OF dispo-i-
tion Will become cOriespOndences, rcck-
lcssness will become prudence, frivClity
| will be turned into lrncticality.
T!!erc has been many an aged widowed
\sou! who hGd carefully locked bu-
Neau and In the bureau u box and in tho
Nox u folded paper and In tho folded
lnrer hall lloWn rose, slightly fragrant,
carefully pressed. Sho put 1t
tEcre forty or nty years ago. On tho
anniversary day OF her wedding sho
will 80 to tho bureau. she will lift the
box. she will unfold the paper and 10 her
eyes will DO exposed tho half blown bud.
md the memories of the pnst will rush
upon her and u tear will drop upon the
flower nnd suddenly Il ~ trnnsilgured, and
10 m eli |, lru n IN inf lt.r n M