Consider the Lilies. Alfreda "Oko" Martin

and C. Cover the holder with pebbles.

      Materials used:

      Cat-tails

       Palm ferns

       Red roses

       Pebbles

      Prayer

      A young preacher had just settled in his first pastorate in Philadelphia when he was visited by one of the laymen in his Church.

      The man said bluntly to him "You are not a strong preacher. In the usual order of things, you will fail here. But a little group of us has agreed to gather every Sunday morning to pray for you."

      The young man saw that group of people grow to more than one thousand, praying weekly for their pastor.

      The minister was J. Wilber Chapman, who became one of the greatest preachers America has ever known.

      Prayer isn't so much the getting of the answer, as it is a getting hold upon the God who answers prayer.

      A four-year-old was spending the night away from home. At bedtime she knelt at her hostess's knee to say her prayers, expecting the usual prompting. Finding Mrs. B. unable to help, the little girl concluded thus: "Please God, 'scuse me. I can't remember my prayers, and I'm staying with a lady who don't know any."

      The heart that prays soars high on strong, glad wings, And finds repose beyond earth's rending things.

      FEBRUARY

      If a basket is used for this arrangement, place the needle-point holder in a low dish inside the basket.

      Spike 1 goes in the center-back of the holder. Leaf 2 is put in the left-front corner at 45°. Branch 3, in the right-front corner, comes forward at 90°.

      Add helpers of spike, leaf and foliage as shown.

      Materials used:

      Solomon's seal

       Pointed leaves

      Prayer

      There is one thing more pitiable, almost worse, than cold atheism; to kneel and say "Our Father," and say "I believe in God the Father Almighty," and then to go on fretting and fearing, saying "I believe in the love of God! But its stop is only in Heaven. I believe in the power of God! But it stoppeth short at the stars. I believe in the providence of God! But it is limited to the saints of Scriptures. I believe that the Lord reigneth! Only with reference to some far-off time, with which we have nothing to do."

      That is more insulting to our Heavenly Father, more harmful to the world, more cheating to ourselves, than to have no God at all. We take our burdens to the Lord—but do we leave them there?

      The story is told of the late General Gordon that each morning for about a half hour there would be lying outside his tent a white handkerchief. The whole camp came to know what that meant, and looked upon the little signal with the utmost respect. No foot dared pass the threshold of that "canvas tabernacle" while the handkerchief was spread there. No message, however pressing, was ever delivered. Even matters of life and death had to wait until that "white flag of prayer" was taken away. Everyone in the camp knew that God and Gordon were communing together.

      Put the little white handkerchief of the "quiet hour" outside your heart's door once each day, and then draw near to God in prayer, worship, and adoration. You will find your heart warmed, and your soul reinforced for the duties of life.

      "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee; He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

      —psalm 55: 22

      FEBRUARY

      Wire a group of slender stems together, and press into holder at center-back to make 1. Place leaf 2 in front of 1, with its tip going 45° to the left.

      Bunch loosely, and wire together, about 15 small chrysanthemums to make 3. Cut off extra stems, and lay them facing forward to cover the rim of the vase. Two helpers, A and B, complete the arrangement.

      Materials used:

      Black and white stems

       Black aspidistra leaves

       Small white chrysanthemums

      Salvation

      These words from an ancient church wall motto show Christ as a Judge, and will help us evaluate the sincerity of our words:

       Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us:

       Ye call Me Master, and obey Me not:

       Ye call Me light, and see Me not:

       Ye call Me way, and walk Me not:

       Ye call Me life, and desire Me not:

       Ye call Me wise, and follow Me not:

       Ye call Me eternal, and seek Me not:

       Ye call Me Gracious, and trust Me not:

       Ye call Me noble, and serve Me not:

       Ye call Me mighty, and honor Me not:

       Ye call Me just, and fear Me not:

       If I condemn you, blame Me not.

      This is an age of learning. If a man has not learning he is nothing. To be esteemed in this world, we must lean science, learn languages, learn painting, learn music. Fo every kind of learning is prized today except learning Christ.

      All around us there are those who are considered "well educated," who have never been in the school of God and those who are said to be "finished," who have no yet had their first lesson in the heart school of Jesus. Yet this is the only learning that God sets any price on.

      "Let him that Glorieth, glory in this, that... he knoweth me."

      —Jeremiah 9: 24

      Christ says "I am the Way." He does not say I know the way, or I have the way, or I show the way, or I lead the way. No, He is the Way. Those who get to heaven get there through him.