THE ANNUAL MEETING. 217 



DRIED Oil niESEIiVED FLOWERS AND GRASSES. 



These may be arranged most effectively in a liouse. The lightest and graceful 

 grasses should be selected in the proper season, and dried so as to preserve their 

 natural form. Do not disfigure them with any artificial preparation. Differ- 

 ent kinds of everlastings may be mixed with these grasses of which nature to 

 the keen observer is so prolific. Much can also be done with ferns, which 

 may be preserved so as to retain tlieir original shades. These can be made to 

 fringe baskets or surround mottoes ; but do not plaster the walls with them. 

 Mottoes can also be formed of pressed geranium llowers and paiisies, — mottoes 

 that may exceed in beauty anything which Prang may furnish and that the most 

 skillful needle may construct of card-board and worsted and silk. 



Following Mr. Fluhrer's address, Rev. J. Sailor, of Allegan, gave a ])apor 

 upon the same topic, which we are enabled through his kindness to give in full 



ESSAY BY MR. SAILOR. 



The emotion of beauty is innate in every human being. Unless perverted 

 by vice or crushed out by crime, objects of taste interest and charm the mind. 

 They are always pleasing and never cast a shadow, leave a void or append a 

 sting. The love of the beautiful commences in early childhood, and never 

 leaves us until the light of earth mingles with the dawn of eternity; and then 

 emerges into the deeper beauty and diviner splendor of heaven. T'he infant 

 in its cradle grasps gladly at the beautiful flower; and mature years but 

 intensifies the emotion. And unless sin obliterates the normal feeliuof, this 

 *^ beautiful fountain will keep fresh in the heart, and as man's days advance 

 and his shadows lengthen and his senses grow dull, ho can still look with all 

 the admiration and delight of his childish years on whatever is beautiful in 

 the works of God and man."' 



Flowers are the smiles of God to cheer and comfort the sad heart and revive 

 the wan cheek. Like all the gifts of God, they are free to all who have minds 

 to admire and taste and energy to cultivate them. The works of art are con- 

 fined to the few. Only the prosperous can see and the cultured admire the 

 works of Raphael, Michael Angelo and Titian. But everyone that has a sense 

 of the beautiful can look upon these children of the sun and the shower. Nor 

 do we need elaborate conservatories from which to gather these choice products 

 of nature and art. The humblest homo can be adorned with their beauty and 

 fragrant with their perfume. Nor do they grow alone at the bidding of man ; 

 but the hand of the Great Giver spreads them everywhere — at our feet, by the 

 roadside, in the wood, in the valley and on the mountain do these smiles of His 

 beneficence dwell, and bear on their fragrant wings and graceful forms His 

 .goodness and love. 



"God might have made the eartli bring forth 



Enough for great and small, 

 The oak tree and the cedar tree 



Without a flower at all; 

 AVe might have had enough, enough 



For every want of ours, 

 For luxury, medicine and toil, 



And yet have liad no flowers. 



"Then wherefore, wherefore were they made. 

 All dyed in the rainhow light, 

 All fashioned in the supremest grace, 

 Upspringing day and night ; 



