THE KING’S BUSINESS
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the air and to' feed as they do on sun and moisture. (The leader should show a flower, leaf or stem and point out the de sign and relation of the parts). His power that makes them to grow, and strengthens the great oaks and pines against the storms. His endless life, suggested by the great age of some trees, like the giants of California, perhaps 2000 years old. His goodness that made them useful to man; for shade and fruit, for building ships and houses, or for fuel. His love of beautiful things; for He must love trees and flowers or He would not have made them. (2) About Life. How brief it is (1 Peter 1 :24). How fruitful it should be. The Bible says that “The righteous is like the palm tree (the date palm) which is straight and lifts its head above the earth and high into the skies, lives a long time, and is so fruitful that one sometimes supports a whole Arab family. Jesus shows the fate of unfruitfulness (Luke 13:6-10). How it may flourish—by sending its roots into the waters (Ps. 1:3). The Spirit and Word of God are the water of life for our souls (John 7:37; Rev. 22:17). I knew of a tree that kept green through a long drouth. A well 100 feet away went dry. They cleaned it out, and found a cart load ot willow roots in it, which told the. secret of the greenness of the tree. So that tree preached that those who reach out for the grace of God shall flourish where others perish. How trustful it should be. Jesus pointed to this sweet sermon of Jack-in- the-pulpit when He said, “Consider the lilies (flowers),of the field how they grow” (read the verses Matt. 6:28-31). (3) About the Cross. The rushes preach to us about the reed they put in Jesus’ hand in mockery and struck him with; the thorn bush of the cruel crown they pressed on His bleeding brow, and the trees of the cross which is itself called the tree, “For He bore our sins,” said Peter, “in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). "The grass withereth, and the -flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth forever.”
famous but very wicked city of Italy, Pom peii, was destroyed and buried under the ashes of the volcano Vesuvius. The city was entirely lost* for 1700 years! Then it was dug out, or excavated. The unburied city now laid bare tells the stry of its over throw. The bodies of its inhabitants, those that perished within its bounds, are found lying just where they were overtaken by the horrible storm of ashes and lava in their frantic efforts to escape like Lot and his family for their lives, and like Lot’s wife crusted over with the scoria (the stuff from the eruption). But among those frightened and maddened people panic struck in their terror, a Roman sentinel stood steadfast at his post, as' if he knew no fear, or cared only to do his duty, and there and so he was found nearly 2000 years after to preach to us all the noble quality of being faithful under trial, pa tient in tribulation, steadfast in storms of persecution, doing our duty even unto death. “ W hen Je su s com es will H e find us w a tc h ing, W ith o u r lam ps all trim m ed an d b rig h t? ” Sunday, August 9—Psalm 148: 1, 9, 12, 13. Lessons from the Trees and Flowers 1. Plants are Preachers. We used to find a flower, in the woods, something like a calla, which we called Jack-in-the-pulpit. In olden times pulpits were often built like little towers with winding steps running up onto'a standing place and desk, with a little roof or canopy over. The stout stand ing pistil with a petal, a “leaf” of the flower bending over it and all on tall stem, was Jack-in-the-pulpit, who was quite like a preacher looking out on and nodding to the people. (The leader should have a calla or similar flower and point out the pistil and petal). But all trees and flowers are true preachers. 2. What Plants Preach About. (1) About God. His wisdom that plan ned the trees and flowers; to send their roots into the ground for support and nour ishment, and spread their leaves to breathe
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