SECOND ANNUAL FLOWER SERMON. 33 
was this display of the wisdom and goodness of God? 
Did the flowers smile and spread forth their varied tints of 
loveliness and beauty in vain? Did the birds chant their 
hymns of praise to the empty air? Was there no heart or 
mind in the universe to respond to the face of beauty and 
the voice of melody? <‘* For Thy pleasure, they are and 
were created.’’ At each epoch of the creation, God saw 
‘s that it was good,’’ and in each and all, there was a com- 
placent satisfaction ministering delight to the Divine Mind, 
in setting forth the Divine Glory. It has been fittingly 
observed by a late writer; ‘‘ Beauty, essential beauty, 
belongs only to God.’? From this essential beauty of the 
Divine Nature have emanated all those forms, colors, com- 
binations of light und shadow, which captivate the eye, 
and entrance the imagination ; earth, air, the very caves 
bear witness to their essential beauty existing in the-mind 
of the Creator and directing His works. In the words of 
the late Canon Kingsley. ‘‘ He delights to employ His 
almighty power in producing ever fresh shapes of beauty, 
seemingly unnecessary, seemingly superfluous, seemingly 
created for the sake of their beauty alone — in order that 
the Lord may delight Himself in His works.’’ Hence the 
apothegm, ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever,’’ may 
well apply to Him, of whose nature it forms an essential 
attribute ; and in the exercise of which, there must ever be 
an unfailing source of delight. He needed not the expres- 
sion of praise from the creatures of His own hand. Nor 
need it be a matter of surprise, that in the wide world 
through which man is scattered, there are unmeasured 
spaces and hidden regions, over which his feet have never 
trod, where the brightest flowers are blooming, the sweetest 
fruits are ripening, and Nature is clothed in her loveliest 
garb. 
‘¢ Fuil many a gem of purest ray serene 
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear, 
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen 
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.’”’ 
