74 PACIFIC STATES FLORAL CONGRESS. 



Many sermons are preached from our own little home gardens. 

 Flowers are very democratic, and teach us to do our best in our present 

 surroundings. Whoever heard of the heliotrope or the rose refusing to 

 bloom because their neighbor next door had flowers in tin cans ? 



The rose and carnation remind us of our true friends; they are 

 always the same, beautiful in form, imparting an exquisite fragrance; 

 they comfort us, cheering in sorrow, and brightening our life. If wo 

 sometimes feel the thorn of the rose, we do not speak of it as an injury, 

 but remember it only as the thorn of the rose. Each of us have our 

 own peculiar notions, and some seem to think we have only those, and 

 do not notice our good qualities. Now let the peculiarities alone, kc^' 

 away from our thorns or disagreeable qualities, and deal only with the 

 good. 



The mignonette is one of the few flowers that give out pure ozone, 

 but it puts on no airs on that account, but flourishes with the lowly, as 

 well as the great. The dahlia reminds us of some who are stately and 

 cold, like a piece of statuary; they expect every one to be the same. 

 They say to the frail, clinging sweet pea : "Why don't you hold your- 

 self up, and be more self-reliant? I don't have to lean on any one; I 

 look out for myself." The sweet pea answers : "It is by clinging I climb. 

 If I had to depend on myself, I should be trailing in the dust; by a lit- 

 tle support my fragrance reaches farther, and I accomplish more good." 

 So we should learn to assist those weaker in some respects than our- 

 selves. 



The cacti family seems like a set of crochety old cranks. By their 

 spines and thorns they warn you to keep away and let them alone. 

 There is nothing inviting about them, and you wonder what possible 

 good they are. After a little, amid all their ugliness of form and sharp- 

 ness of outline, there comes forth a magnificent blossom, wonderful 

 in size, beautiful in shape, of satiny texture, and exquisite in color. 

 Have you not known some persons who were cross and ill-natured, 

 sometimes repulsive, who would at last do some good deed that would 

 astonish you, and you would say, "How little I understood such a per- 

 son," and you would learn the lesson that there is good in all if we 

 only had the tact to discern it? The night-blooming cereus has a 

 peculiar mission to perform. Did you ever go way down in depths of 

 trouble, with darkness and gloom surrounding, and not a ray of light ? 

 Unexpectedly, in a strange sort of way, a friend cqmes. You never 

 thought much about him before, never realized anything special; but 

 now he comes with a cheer and uplifting that no one else could bring. 

 You are refreshed and encouraged; the shadows are lifted. So, with 

 this fair flower of the night, in darkness and gloom it opens its beau- 

 aful petals, sheds its wonderful fragrance, and when the night disap- 



