Beautiful and abundant as are the
lilies of southern California, appropri?
ate as they are as symbols of Christ's
resurrection, I would not limit our
thoughts to them on this Easter morn?
ing. It was not of such flowers ns these
nlone that Christ referred to when he
bade us consider the Hiles. The lily of
Christ's timo was not, as many sup?
pose, like the lily of tho western world.
It was not the calla lily, with Its cor?
nucopia leaf and long pistil of gold; not
the lily of the valley, which looks like
a string of bells, ready to ring out the
Easter chimes; not tho Bermuda lily,
with Its clapper of white, nor the water
lily, lifting Its head above the river
Mle to be decapitated and pounded into
flour as the modern husbandman
makes his wheat. Nor was it the bulch
Illy, which Dr. Thomson, the oriental
traveler, describes as of such velvety
softness that tbe finest silk could not
be softer. The New Testament lily was
i name given comprehensively to all
the wild flowers of Palestine, as the
nam* "sparrow" embraced all the smnll
birdB that winged their way above tlie
ludean hills. Thus, as my Easter text,
'Consider the lilies," embraces all wild
Bowers, I shall not hem in nnd circum?
scribe my subject by the beautiful
lilies which we find decorating our
"hurehes this Easter day. In the sym?
bol of the growth of the wild flower I
shall try to find some practical gospel
lesson appropriate for this glorious
lervlce of Easter morn.
