| God has truly
blessed us with beauty and diversity of plant life. From
Northwestern South Carolina, into the Blue Ridge and Great
Smoky Mountains, a great variety of wildflowers and trees
have existed. In fact, our area was known to have had more
diversity of flora than any place on earth! The only areas
that would have even come close to matching this diversity
would possibly have been a few places in China. Early naturalist
such as Mark Catesby (1679-1749), William Bartram (1739-1823),
and André Michaux were in awe of what they found
in the Carolinas. In fact it was Michaux who first discovered
the beautiful wildflowers, Oconee bells (Shortia galacifolia),
near the Keowee River in Oconee County. Later, Asa Gray
found one of Michaux specimens and gave the plant its name.
For approximately
200 years into colonization of eastern North America, the
biodiversity of plant species basically stayed the same
even though land was cleared for farming, trees were used
for building homes and businesses, and many native plants
were used for medicine, food and dyes. Unfortunately during
the past 150 years, many of the native plant species identified
by the early naturalists have been rendered extinct or in
danger of being extinct. The large increase in population,
the clearing of the forest, introduction of power tools,
technological advances that separated humans from nature,
industrial and agricultural pollutants, exhaust fumes from
automobiles, the introduction of non-native species and
the philosophy of commercialism and consumption have all
had damaging effects.
The question
has to be asked as to what role should Christians play in
the protection and preservation of this bountiful garden
God has created? Do we continue to “despoil”
the land, or should we be partakers in healing the earth?
In Numbers 35:34, God says that “You shall not defile
the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell;
for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.”
God created everything, not just humankind, and the creation
is in trouble. Are we not destroying ourselves by trying
to control and re-make God’s creation? Are people
just the object of God’s love and cosmic purpose,
or is it all of creation? Whether we continue to “defile”
the land is a choice each of us has to make.
“This is
my Father’s world and to my listening ears
All nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas, his hand the wonder
wrought.” Hymn 416
Marie Burgess
October 14, 2003
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