Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-08-17

faithfully nature ministers to man, ir
respective OF his moral or religious con-
dition. But Jesus does not plead with
US to Consider the lilies OF the field"
Tor the superficial and material sratifi-
cation OF man. He wants us to con-
slider them for the deeper spiritual les
sons which they may teach us.
90 ONSIDER the lilies OF ri, feId
- because they speak OF Gods
faithful care. because they reveal a
sweet faith. a humble trust. a willing
obedience and a glorious mission. God
the Creator on His part giving to the
little plant all IL needs. And the Gre
ated thing on its part patiently. trust
fully. humbly waiting within the cir
Gle of the Divine will. there to be made
glorious and beautiful. whether il is
sunshine or storm, whether il is the chill
and darkness OF the night or the scorch-
Ing heat OF the Gay. And If God doth
so clothe the grass of the field. which
to-day is, and tomorrow is cast into
the oven, shall He not much more clothe
you, o ye of little faith?" There is vital
and intimate relationship between God
and the lilies Of the field. but between
God and man there is the barrier OF I'M
oelief. OF cisobedience. of willful impa-
tence. Between God and nature there
Is cordial fellowship. but between God
end man that fellowship has been sew
cred through mans forgetfulness OF
God and his mad. eager rush after the
L. a., l.
the lilies are speaking to your heart
Gods message as you think beautiful
and sentimental thoughts OF God and
nature and prate about Gods care and
love universal. The likes speak heart
searching message. 1t is one man does
not like to hear. il is one which his heart
is not sensitive to understand. Think
you that you have heard the message
when you rush back 10 the city ard
plunge with greater eagerness than be-
lore after the material things OF this
life, and worry and fret because they
do not come faster. or become discour-
aged and morose because Of the misfor-
tunes and privations of life? Think you
that you have Seard the message when.
the fields behind you and the pavement
OF the city's streets beneath your feet,
you forget God and the lilies and seek
first man and mammon. and care not so
much about method as that the coveted
goal is reached?
HE proof that the message has
been heard and understood Is
found in the seeking first the Kingdom
OF God and His righteousness. and prov
ing the truth of Gods assertion that
all else needed for this life shall be add
ed. And as the beautiful dress and
fragrance of the lily which God so free
~ gives it make IL a creation of exQui-
site perfection, so man in character and
life would be as beautifully clothed
and provided for as the lily if he put
God and His righteousness first and
mans desires and seeming interests
second. Man robs himself day after
Gay because he does not learn the mes
sage Of the lilies of the field. Our lily
OF the field might, if her will and pur-
pose were not so firmly rooted in the
place where God had planted her, roam
the world over seeking the softest of
SILKS and satins, choosing the daintiest
OF colors which man could obtain, living
to crafty every selfish wish and am
bition, and she would fail, miserably
fail. There would be no admiring
Slances at her beauty. there would be
no fragrance in the air How she would
rob the world and Cod And man is
doing that very thing. He talks OF
Gods care and love and yet he does not
know what it means, because unlike
the lily he is not willing to abide in
Gods will; he is not willing to I'LL the
place God intended: he is rebellious at
conditions and privations; he Is bound
to have his own will and seek his own
way. The lily speaks of sweet. simple
faith in God, of obedient surrender to
all the forces which will make FOR splen-
did growth and glorious fruitage, OF pa
tient waiting through every experience
in life, whether il is the heat OF tempta-
ton or the darkness and chill of priva-
tion's hour; whether 1t is the glad sun
shine and refreshing shower Of prosperi-
ty or the prostrating wind and hail OF
adversely. 1t is the sweet. abiding trust
in God which brings that peace and JOY
which passeth all understanding.
A ND the lily of the field in the light
n of Chrlst's solemn words declares
to the soul of man that If he 5oes not
belong TO Christ, If the regenerating
power Of the Son of God Is not felt. IL
His life is not flowing through the
human life that that life is dead and
withered as far as the eternal and en-
during things OF God are concerned.
That flower is the glory OF the plant,
and God has declared that He has
created man for His glory. But how
could the lily apart from the plant re-