SUNDAY SCHOOL FLOWER SHOW.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 10

SUNDAY SCHOOL FLOWER SHOW.

The flower show held at Wesley Church, Carsrili road, m the 6th inst., by the Cargill Road, St. Kilda, and Broad Bay Methodist Sunday Schools Horticultural Society was a further improvement on the highly successful shows held by this society in the past. The competitors were teachers, scholars, and members of the senior Bible class, and the exhibits by the scholars, both old and young, were most oreditable, coming as a surprise to many adults who had not visited this flower show on previous occations. Seeds, seedlings, and plants were all obtained from the schools at one and the same time by all competitors, who therefore all had an equal start. Entries were numerous and competition was keen. The whole length of one side of the church was devoted to flowers grown by the scholars, including some fine lobelias and coreopsis, musk, petunias, and verbena. The mixed grasses were remarkably good, and provided a useful object lesson. Some nice blooms occupied the centre floor space, together with some good \ anodes of ferns, dianthus, and some exquisite pot and box plants. The decorated tables formed another interesting feature, and were prettily arranged. The south end of the church was devoted to cookery, in which, curiously enough, the culinary triumphs of the male sex were prominent. Tho buttonholes were tastefully and neatly put together, and made a little flower show by themselves. The practical side of gardening was robustly represented, especially in the scholars' department ; the potatoes were as fine as could be seen anywhere, and the carrots and beets would have gladdened the eyes of a professional gardener. There were vav.ous stalls of utility and ornament.

The Rev. W. Grigg, minister, of Wesley Church, in introducing Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P. for Caversham, said he had heard a great deal about his own faults, but never anything to the detriment of Mr Sidey. They were glad to see him there, and still more pleased to see Mrs Sidey. Mr Sidey thanked tho minister for his kind remarks and the committee for having asked him to be present. He had opened every flower show held by the schools, and ■would have been disappointed if he had not been asked to open th ; s one. the best of them all. He looked upon himself as part of the institution. He congratulated the boys and girls on being able to continue to hold this show, and believed that the secretary, Mr W. H. Johnston, -was in a great measure responsible for their continued succees.

Addressing the children, Mr Sfdev remarked that a plant might be divided into three parts — roots, foliage, and flowers. If they wanted a perfect plant, attention must be paid to all three parts. They would not have good flowers without rich, healthy foliage, and they would not ha\e good foliage if the roots were not supplied with plenty of good soil • and sufficient « ater. In judging a plant it was not the flowers only that were taken into consideration, but also the shape and appearance of tho whole plant. Girls and boys had also three sides to their nature — the physical, intellectual, and spiritual. The main object of the day schools was the development of the physical and intellectual side. Their gymnasiums and playgrounds ministered to thpiv physical development : their logons in reading, writing, arithmetic, and other subiects had for their object their me'itjl dp-velopmcnt : while thr main obiec of the Sunday =i hcols was the development of their syuitual nature. 'i^licv could not attain 10 the most they were capable of in this life unless thoy wcj-p developed in every part, and their spiritual de\elopment was most important. The plnsical and purely intellectual belonged rather to the animal side of our nature. Its characteristic, without the influence cf the spiritual, was to make the best of eve) vfbing here in the interest of the individual, to succeed in the struggle for existence. Its characteristic was selfishness. The spiritual life found its pleasures not in the gratification of appetite and passions avid temporal induleences. but- in things hitrhev and eternal. If they wanted to know how beat to promote their spiritual growth, he would say : " Practice acts of unselfishness" The spiritual forces were gaining in ascendency over the animal forces, and woujd. in time bring about the recogqition of

universal brotherhood. He exhorted them that " each departing day henceforh may see some work of love begun, some deed of kindness done." He hoped they would, like the flowers, live to gladden hearts. He had much pleasure in declaring the flower show open.