The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-01-26
THE GARDEN OF THE LORD

meaning ana aHlrm tndI Ihe Wnoic
round world is still the garden of the
Lord, in which all he has done since
the world began bears the impress OF
his hand, from what We call the
worthless weeds-because We know
no better-to the oaks and elms and
pines, and from the thorns and briars
TO the finest fruits that crown the
years-alI good to his vision who
sang the morning song of the crea-
tlon."
Talking of the worthless weeds in
the garden, DR.. Collyer showed how
each had its purpose according to di-
vine plan; then turning from the
earth TO man he asked, shall We not
dare TO believe for his sake, who is
the Father of us all, or for PHYS sake,
when such a faith fails us, that this
garden of the Lord, over which the
seer sang so grandly, holds good our
human kind?
Let US admit, as must, that there
are myriads in this world who are to
me as the sagebrush on the great
plains. as the thorns and briars and
the weeds and worthless vines. Men
and women, yes, and children, too,
God bless them, whose life seems to
be all warps and worthless, so that
we are tempted to say to the Most
High, Why hast thou made them thus
and, now they are made, what can we
do with them In thy garden?
$50 while the question confronts us
of this great human garden, / can i'm
agine the answer we may give touch
ing the fruits and flowers within our
own home lot and within the gardens
all about US. Easily, then, we may
say to those who stay within the
fence of their saint, John Calvin:
Your home lot must be the choicest
and best TO your thinking, because
the plot was laid out and the planting
ordered in the divine predestination
and election. nor have you failed to
give proof Of your worth in raising a
strong and noble manhood, which has
made the world your debtor.
All Have Done Good
"And 10 the Baptist brotherhood:
Your garden plot by the river of wa
tiers is a right noble heritage, also,
and the fruits and flowers of--let us
say-the Roger Williams and Robert
Hall varieties. are all the heart can
desire, sweet and round to the core.
And to my mother Methodism we
can say: What an ample space you
have fenced in from Gods great gar
den and how we'll the plants have
thriven on the wide, sunny slope chos-
EN- by your saint, John Wesley, and
how sweet and large has been the
fruitage in all these years.
And TO our church of the Episco-
pate: How high some of the plants in
your garden do grow, to be sure, in
these last times, and how you love to
mass that fine color, while We who are
tion and love for the fruits and flow
ers of the Dean Stanley and Phillips
Brooks varieties, so large and gener-
Gus they are. and so welcome to the
good and true in all the gardens, no
matter what the name of the denom-
inationl'
Yes, and to the great church of the
ages: Your garden plot may we'll be
the best TO your mind, also, and in
deed 1t Is true you have ripened fruits
and bloomed forth in flowers which
well may challenge the best the world
ever has seen. But is not this true
some of your wisest men are saying
under their breaths that you will
have TO change your methods in our
new world and time or your great old
garden has seen its best days
$50. easily, | say, we may take the
truth of the garden as it covers al
the plots fenced in and held through
our common Christendom, while we
may also believe that this plot which
bears our name is the best for you
and me. though so far it may be
among the smallest.
All Are Needed
But when this has been said We
must still face the question of what
We deem the wild and worthless
things in this garden of our human
kind, and what shall we say to these;
This question / would try to answer
by asking another. Can we believe
any human creature ever lived whose
life did not in some way, which vel
may lie beyond the limits of our rea
son. but still may lie within the hear
Of our faith in the Most High Cod, oul
Father. and in HIS eternal providence
and lOve-has any human creature
ever lived. / repeat. whose advent die
not in some wise serve the world