78 THE CHRISTIAN NATURALIST. 



and beauty of its productions, a pleasing picture of the 

 vast diversity of character which adorns the members 

 of the Church of Christ. The brilliant hues of some 

 flowers, and the fragrance of others, aptly represent 

 those who adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in 

 all things, and whose example diflfuses the sweet savour 

 of life and salvation to all around them. But there are 

 others of a humbler class, which have peculiar excellen- 

 cies of their own, which the skilful eye of the observer 

 can trace with as m.uch ease as the experienced florist 

 discerns the beauties of his favorite flowers. In the 

 Christian Church, the gifts and graces of men widely 

 differ. Some are adapted to adorn one station of life, 

 and some another ; these to flourish best in the humble 

 valley of life, and those to bear the rough blasts of the 

 mountain. The soil of poverty is best suited to unfold 

 the qualities of some, and others flourish well amidst 

 the strong sunshine of prosperity, and the fertile soil in 

 which their lot has been planted. All, however, are 

 alike nourished by the same general means of grace, 

 though the Spirit ** divideth to every man severally as 

 he will ;" but prayer, the breath of heaven, is the at- 

 mosphere in which all must live. All must be baptized 

 and watered by the same Spiric, and be fed with a due 



