And he spake of trees . . . he spake also of beasts.
Plant-life
The wise man had a genuine delight in plants, herbs, flowers, and trees. Read the Book of Canticles, and from its pages is caught the very fragrance of spring. He speaks with enthusiasm of the “rose of Sharon,” of “the lily among thorns,” of the “apple-trees and orchards of pomegranates with pleasant fruits,” of the “garden of nuts,” and the “smell of Lebanon.” He rejoices when “the winter is past, the rain over and gone,” when “the flowers appear on the earth,” when “the time of the singing of birds “ comes, when the “voice of the turtle is heard in the land,” “when the fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell!” Such expressions indicate a fervent delight in Nature and an accurate observation of her phases. Jesus also, the greater than Solomon, directed His disciples to “consider the lilies,” and to notice the way in which God “clothes the grass of the field.”
I. God’s delight in varied beauty. From the “cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop,” what a range! What an almost infinite number of species! What variety of colouring and form! All are the expression of God’s thought of beauty. What a God of glory we serve In Society and in the Church, many varieties of men and systems, God is working through all and delights in all. What a painful thing would be a uniform colour or shape for plants.
II. How beauty may spring out of corruption. God has arranged this. It is ‘His plan throughout. Plants flourish best on the mould full of decayed vegetable or animal life. Striking their roots deep down into this reign of decay and death they gather life therefrom. Death supports life. So if only we are enlightened we shall find that out of our natures so sinful, so imperfect, these passions so overmastering, we may, under the influence of the forgiving love of Christ and of God’s Spirit renewing our hearts and lives, bring that which shall be beautiful, good, noble, pure, and approved of God.
III. Growth is a great mystery. True, the plants draw nourishment from the moist earth, but what power or principle is it that set all its ducts and roots at work? We may call it “life,” “attraction,” “assimilation,” or what we like, we are as far off as ever. God is the Author of their life. But the mystery remains. So in our spiritual life. How our receiving as true the fact that Christ died and rose again, should, be as new life to our souls, we cannot explain.
IV. The way growth should tend. Upwards. Higher, higher, is echoed by every flower and every tree. Heavenward should be the constant aim of the Christian, nearer to God. Stretching forth our hands in prayer we should grow. See how the palm-tree shoots upward, surmounted by a graceful tuft of foliage that seems like a symbol of the crown which shall hereafter grace the Christian’s brow when he has reached the heaven of his joy.
V. Upward growth must be by the aid of that which comes from outside and above. The willow grows by the water of the dark and lazy stream, but the flowers of the field rejoice when the rain cometh down to water the earth. Notice how the one droops downward in reverence, while the others spread their leaves or lift their branches so as to welcome the bounty of God. So we point to Him who came from above, who revealed the Father, who died for sin, and who has been ready to give to every thirsty spirit the water of life, who has brought life and immortality to light; and whose Spirit alone can nourish us that we may grow.
VI. Every plant in its place. Each clump of moss, bunch of ferns, hyssop, flower or tree has its habitat. In the myriad plants of a dense tropical forest, there is not one that is not fulfilling some purpose. The hyssop or fern may help to soften rugged edges of rock or wall. The tree may be for shade to man or shelter to birds, and the cedar may be for timber for the temple, The tall palm standing near a well intimates to the far-off and famishing traveller of the desert that there is relief at hand. The flowers may bloom or die, but they fulfil the end of existence. Let us learn to do so.
VII. Plants teach us also to make the best of circumstances. Winter cuts down the flowers, withers the leaves, bares the trees. Its winds sweep through the branches, its keen frosts nip the buds and early blossoms. Yet they went through all, and in time are reclothed with beauty.
VIII. Hints given of a glorious resurrection. Well, indeed, for us that we should so live that we can look forward to the spring-time of heaven as a further step in the stage of being, and revelation of the glory of God. We shall sleep in the dust of death and rise in the glory of springtide. (Homiletic Quarterly.)
A royal horticulturist
When Lysander brought presents to Cyrus, the prince conducted his illustrious guest through his gardens. Lysander, struck with so fine a prospect, praised the manner in which the grounds were laid out, the neatness of the walks, the abundance of trees planted with an art which knew how to combine the useful with the agreeable; the beauty and the glowing variety of flowers exhaling odours throughout the delightful scene. “Everything charms and transports me in this place,” said Lysander to Cyrus; “but what strikes me most is the exquisite taste of the person who drew the plan of these gardens.” Cyrus replied, “I drew the plan and entirely marked it out. Many of the trees which you see were planted by my own hands.” “What!” exclaimed Lysander with astonishment, “is it possible that those purple robes and splendid vestments, those strings of jewels and bracelets of gold, those buskins so richly embroidered--is it possible that you could play the gardener, and employ your royal hands in planting trees?” “Does that surprise you?” said Cyrus. “I assure you that when my health permits I never sit down to my table without having fatigued myself either in military exercise, rural labour, or some other toilsome employment, to which I apply myself with pleasure.”
The study of Nature
It is said of Wordsworth that a stranger having on one occasion asked to see his study, the maid said, “This is master’s room, but he studies in the fields.” In doing so the poet followed a venerable example. We read that Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide, where in the margin “to pray” is put for “to meditate.” Nor could there be a better place either for prayer or for study than the fields. The Word of God is written very clearly for His seers in the green book of Nature. Wordsworth’s study is one that we can all use, however small our house may be. (Quiver.)
The world is worth seeing
Men must not live under a bushel. A gentleman once met a French priest on board an Atlantic liner. They entered into conversation, and the priest said that months ago he had a dream. He dreamt that he was dead, and that God asked him how much of the world he had seem His answer was that he had seen only a very little of it, for he had been so long in preparing for death, and in helping other people to die, that he had no time to see the world. He saw that God was displeased, and onawakening he resolved to see as much of this beautiful world as he could. It was a wise resolve. The earth is the Lord’s and not the devil’s, and we have no right to ignore it. Nature is a temple of God, and we must ever walk through it in a sacramental mood. (Sunday Circle.)
