The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-04-09

consider the lilies, now tney
grow" This divine injunction means
that we are not simply to look at
them admiringly, but to look into
them, expend thought upon them and
explore their spiritual meanings.
The lily in its beginning is a very
unpromising plant. 1t starts from an
ugly bulb, In size and shape like an
onion. Treasured in its bulbs is re-
serve of nutriment. It's root is in it.
self.
II can grow in hard places. So the
best people, who have the real stuff
and stamina in them, will bloom on in
the world though not set in an Eden
garden.
The lilies of the field are not idle;
they grow and grow In trustful grace.
They trustfully lay hold Of the sun
and air. The nourishment Of the soil
spreads about their roots and the
gentle night mist brought upon the
wings of Gods winds wrap them with
eoolness and refreshment.
These lilies trustfully lay hold Of
these things and grow and so fulfill
the meaning OF their lives. The Mas
not belong to the lilies belongs to us.
The lily's mission is to stand still and
grow. To us 1t is given to fill our
lives with industry. There is no COM
tort for idleness here.
Babies, sick and infrm persons
m iUn do nd hn
for as they are, but hearty people,
with active brains and strong hands,
will be poorly cared for If they live
the lily's way
The lilies are satisfied with the
place in which God has put them.
Though there are flowers out In the
middle of the garden, the lilies do
not fret at their lot. Though some
are larger, the lily is satisfied with
being little plant that can grow in
the shade and, though the roses have
their marvellous red, the lily Is salts
fed with the pure white. And so we
have another lesson the lily teaches
Don't worry.
He was wise traveller, who, when
his horse died, said: We'll | must
walk now" and trudged on cheer
fuzzy. Yet a great many people would
have sat down beside the dead horse
and spent days In bemoaning their
loss. Sadness units us for duty.
Regret never restores what has been
taken away. James Whitcomb Riley
Eweetly sings:
Oh heart Of mine, we shouldn't
Worry 80.
What we've missed Of calm we couldn't
Have, you know.
What we've met of stormy pain,
And OF sorrows driving rain,
We can better meet again,
IL 1t blow.
We have erred in that dark hour
We have known:
When our tears fell with the shower,
All alone
We're not shine and shadow blent
As the gracious Master meant?
Let Us temper our content
With His own
Our worst misfortunes never befall
rs. They exist only in a diseased I'M
hglnation. 1t is easy to see through
one pane Of glass, but through ten
pieces placed one on the other we
cannot see. This does not prove that
each one is not transparent, nor are
We called upon to look through more
than one at time.
The lilies love to grow in retired
places-they stay in the background
You will find them all alone in the Sc
elusion of their shady retreat.
When the lily grows It hanss its
head as though it wanted to hide H.
self, and when its beautiful flowers
have reached their full growth they
hang their heads as If ashamed OF
their beauty, and felt as though they
had nothing to be proud of - as
though God had meant the form and
attitude of this flower to teach us hu.
nility-that low, sweet root from
which all heavenly virtues shoot.
The lilies OF the field grow castinf
benignant shadow; the create around
them, by the shadow OF their leave,
and blossoms and by the moistur,
which they attract, conditions suit
able for the growth of other plant,
less richly endowed.