The Life of Duty, v. 2: A year's plain sermons on the Gospels or EpistlesWilmot-Buxton, H. J. (Harry John)
Religion
The Life of Duty, v. 2: A year's plain sermons on the Gospels or Epistles
Wilmot-Buxton, H. J. (Harry John)
Bible. Epistles -- Commentaries; Bible. Gospels -- Commentaries; Sermons, English
And now, before I leave you, let us think what one special flower
teaches us. I told you that there is such a thing as the language of
flowers, that is, that each flower has its special meaning. Well, what
does the rose say? Surely the rose says, "love one another!" Do you
know who it is who loves us best, and who has done most for us? Our
Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, and it is for that reason, I think, that He is
called in the Bible a Rose,--the Rose of Sharon. Whenever you see a
rose, think of Jesus, the Rose of Sharon, and remember what He says to
you, "Little children, love one another." I will tell you a story
about a rose. A little brother and sister lived in a crowded court in
a great city. It was a wretched, dirty, ugly, place, where scarcely
any sunshine ever came, and where the people were often rough and
wicked. Little Willie and his sister knew nothing about green fields
spotted with daisies, they had never seen a flower. One day a kind
friend took all the poor children living in the court for a drive into
the country. I cannot tell you how happy Willie and his sister were
when they saw the trees and hedges, which were all new and strange to
them. Presently they passed a garden in which were growing some
sweet-smelling red flowers. Willie had never seen anything half so
lovely, and he was anxious to know what the flowers were called, so
they told him that they were roses. Well, after a time, when the
Winter came, little Willie fell ill. Day after day his sister sat
beside him, holding his thin white hand in hers. Often they talked
about that wonderful day in the country, where they had seen the roses.
Often, too, they talked about Jesus, and the still more beautiful
country where He lived. The children were very ignorant, but they had
been to Sunday School, and learnt something about the dear Lord who
loves children. One cold, dark day, little Willie was much worse, and
he said to his sister--"Oh! I wish I could see a rose once more. I
wish you would go and get me one of those roses we saw that day!" So
the little sister, who loved him dearly, set out to walk to the place
where they had seen the flowers. After a long and weary journey, she
came to the field where they had played, and the garden where the roses
grew. But the field and the garden were white with snow, and there
were no roses there. The little girl was worn out with hunger and
fatigue, and she dropped on her knees in the snow, and prayed, and this
was her prayer--"Dear Jesus, send me one rose, only one, for little
Willie." Just then a carriage came along the road, and the lady who
rode in it had a beautiful red rose in her hand, which had grown in a
greenhouse. She dropped it from the window, I suppose, by accident,
but when the little girl saw it lying on the snow, she thought that
Jesus had sent it to her, and took it up lovingly to carry to her
brother. But she had no more strength to struggle through the cold
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