>>'‘- 1’. M. IIICXAMI.'.K, ICditor. ' ' 
Vol. VI. 
01(1 Sovlos, Vol. XIll. 
JULY, 1885. 
THE FLOWER MISSION, 
■ With cvoiy year l('l„w(.i- Mission.^ tlio 
swcctost ami lovolusst oC all (diafU.ic.'i, arc ox” 
tending: their benign inllueuces over tlie land" 
T ho y o u n g- 
lady tea.oiler 
in 11 suburb 
of Boston little 
knew what a. 
grand institu¬ 
tion slie was 
founding, wliat 
a glorious, im¬ 
mortal monu¬ 
ment she was 
building for 
lierself wlien 
she founded tlie 
Flower Mis¬ 
sion, by giving 
a few flowers 
to the ragged, 
neglected chil¬ 
dren in tlie 
streets and 
asylums of her 
district. These 
few spontane¬ 
ous gifts pro¬ 
duced a demand 
for more than 
the young lady 
, could supply 
herself, and so 
after consulting 
with some 
friends and so¬ 
liciting their 
aid, wliich was 
cheerfully 
given, it was 
decided to liave 
a notice read in 
the church, in- 
viting contribu¬ 
tions of flowiu's 
and fruits. 
When on the 
'Horning of the 
‘'■'jy appointed 
*'*tc church 
'loors were 
opened, and tlie 
'■'“lies stood 
leadyto receive 
"'e gifts, tliere 
“'“s no more 
■^“'Staking that 
Ite chords of 
Pepiilar sympa- 
y in this work 
been 
and for all times to come, let us 
they will continue to spi'e^ ^ 
No. 7. 
liic first to come,” .says tl>o record of tlie 
d.iy, were two l)l•igIl^cyedgirls, wlio, glow- 
"g witli 11 ,c :or ,d' tl.cir Jovely country 
lionie,s, and c.veitcnicnt from tin! tlioiiglit of 
gathering the flowers of the field 
the nleasure they tlioiiglit they 1“«1 f «' 
means of "•iving, appeared with b.askets filled 
*•'-) Liiey Will continue to - ‘. jj,, Cowslips, A^olets, and Anem- 
J^eet melodious sounds and soothing bab in nretty bnnehes, 
"''etever there is sufl'ering and sorrow. 
tlieii two more wilJi baskets filled with Eng¬ 
lish Violets; and again, another with field 
flower.s. .So far all were per.sonal friends; 
the next contribution, however, was from a 
stranger—love¬ 
ly hot-house 
flowers and red, 
ripe Strawber- 
I'ies. Again, a 
silver-wedding 
gift of 12 beauti¬ 
ful boufiuets, 
seeming to do 
the donors tiie 
pleasantest me¬ 
morial they 
could have of 
their own hap¬ 
piness. Again 
a Lady Bounti¬ 
ful sends lier 
carriage laden 
witli cut flow¬ 
ers, pot-plants, 
and branches of 
flowering 
shrubs, placing 
the carriage also 
at tlie service of 
the ladies, — a 
welcome gift in¬ 
deed, for it is no 
liglit task to 
carry the large, 
flower- laden 
baskets to tlieir 
destination. 
Surely an au- 
siiicious begin¬ 
ning: contribu¬ 
tions from 13 
sources, distri¬ 
butions to 150 
persons.” 
In New York 
it is about eiglit 
years since a 
Flower Mi.ssioii 
was organized, 
and the amoiiut 
of good it ac¬ 
complishes is in¬ 
calculable. 
But it is not 
ill large cities 
only that there 
is room for the 
tender ministry 
of flowers, in 
e V e r 5 ^ village 
may be found 
sick and dcs 
titute people to whom the gift of a bunch of 
fragrant flowers or a basket of fresh berries 
would often be a gre.ater boon than bread or 
mone 5 ^ Tlie bread is made sweeter by flowers. 
