2Q MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 



and on its folds i 

 nal nower and G 



© 



But I mark that special revelation of the glory of God, 

 even of His character, is made in the flowers and fruits of 

 the earth, that is not to be found in the writing upon the 

 mountains and the seas. And I mention first the assurance 



em 



d satisfaction for everv instinct and 



man, the lord of nature, man 



master. In the old record of the genesis of all thin 

 history or poetry, dear friends, it matters not which 

 for poetry often contains so much more of essentia 

 valuable truth than history — in that oldest record we 

 how the Lord God did give to man dominion over e 

 thing that he had made. " Every herb bearing seed v 

 is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree ii 

 which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed," to man \ 

 given for meat. But see, more than this, when b 

 hunger has eaten and is full, what abounding provisi 

 made for the gratification of eye and nostril, of the 

 terious love of the beautiful. The toiling artisan 



to 



fabric 



haircloth by the side of the delicious touch of the lily's 

 coat. The artist has not yet learned, after his centuries of 

 endeavor, to mix the color which can bring the joy to the 

 eye which flares from the rosetree, or soothes with its gen- 

 tle radiance from the green sward. The chemist cannot 

 distil the fragrance that fills the woods when the summer 

 rain has evoked from the wild grape her wealth of per- 

 fume. Behold, here is life, life in glorious beauty, created 

 to bring joy and gladness, satisfaction, delight to man ! 

 Shall man who cannot with all the experience of genera- 

 tions attain unto the very least of this excellence, shall man 

 not wonder and adore the eternal power and godhead here 

 manifested ? Nay, shall man not learn with adoring wonder 

 that beside power and godhead there is here manifested 



