Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-06-25
GOD KNOWS HOW.
Spiritual Lessons from the Growth of
Chinese Lily-Weu-Roote
Then Splendid Growth.

1t was our FIRST Chinese lily. We
lad seen them III other homes, but
Concluded that we must have one of
our own. So we sent for a bulb, filled
4 glass dish with fossils, gypsum crys-
tails and stones of various sorts. and
placed the bGlb in little nest in the
center When the dish had been filed
win water we were ready to oversee
the process of growth, says Craig S.
|tchoms, Phi. d.. in Baptist STANDARD.
FULLY week passed. but there was no
sign; another. ana there was only a
Sllmmer of hope. which seemed to US
more like an expiring breath than the
beginning of life. Since our neighbor's
oulb. meanwhile. had grown several
inches, we concluded that ours was not
quite healthy. and sent for another
by the time the second arrived how
ever, the first had begun to grow at
the roots, which ere many days had
lhtertWlned themselves among the
rocks and fossils until there was little
danger of the lily topping over. AS
the growth of the stem Increased the
weight of the top. the roots chung
with ever frmer strip. holding the lily
straight
1t made one think of the boyhood
days upon the farm; of the years
passed In hard work; of the impa-
uence to be away at school; of the
eager desire to grow. If only one
could grow his life in a glass dish.
so that he might see from beneath
now 1t is being rooted. Not until
long afterwards does he understand
that those were days of root-formipg.
Gays when the deeper INEQUALITIES
were clasping firm foundations. were
taking root in patient toll; in love of
nature; in joy of the cut-of-doors.
In the consciousness of God in fields
and hocks and growing crops: in the
sweet, deep love of a godly mother.
whose heart beat high with hone "a
she looked upon children whom she
had dedicated to God; in the old FAM
lily Bible the book in all the house
most valued and honored: in the fam
lily altar and in the confidence that
fathers prayers were heard i'm
heaven; in the deep and abiding con-
Sclousness, of God in everything. Fos-
Sis. some of these? There is no bet
ter material for the roots of the boys
nature to clasp. AS long as he is root
ed to these the man will stand upright.
When the roots of the lily had be-
come long, strong, much intertwined.
and had made sure their hold. tho
stem began to shoot up very rapidlv.
1t was an exact repetition of the
growth so often seen in green. awk
ward boys just from the farm. At.first
| there is little promise The improye-
ment is slow. Will they ever amount
TO anything? They are so easily out
stripped by the neighbors boy. Our
nelghbors lily. though a rapid grower.
proved to be single one, while ours
was double and fragrant. 1t is moi
always the most precocious youth who
reaches the greatest height or whose
Tile is most fragrant with blessing. hut
| oiten the more backward boy, whose
desires are pure and whose aspirations
are hlSh because the roots of his ma
/ lure are entwined about sacred things.
AS our lily grew tall and the stem
olV'ded, we feared lest the weight of
The heavy, slender leaves should bend
them over at the bulb and only the
round hower-stalks remain upright
But ere their weight was too heavv
Tor 'helr own strength, a sheath shot
up two or three inches above the bulb
clasping closely the bunch of long
! leaves and helping to hold them nm
I, right When the lily came to the cru
! cial time of Towering. God not only
clothed IT in beauty, but all the leaves
iairly leaped forward i'm their growth
/, 10 supply some need that was deeper
IMAM the eye could see. From first to
last, for each danger was given ade-
quate protection. for each weakness
sufficient strength. for each need am
pie supply.