Holy Trinity Church, Bardsea

Holy Trinity, Bardsea, in old Lancashire North of the Sands, is a standard, mid-Victorian parish church. The insides were bedecked with flowers, albeit of the artificial variety. Whether this was for some wedding, or a flower festival, or they just heard that I was calling, I cannot say. The whole place was lovely, the decorations adding colour to an otherwise dull and standard interior. Twice are flowers mentioned in Solomon’s Song:

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; (2:12)

His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. (5:13)

If the Song is more than just a romantic ballad about one of Solomon’s many trysts, and has a deeper, Christological meaning, which I think it has, then these flowers surely portend His coming and His person. However lovely was Eden, the Garden of God, the pre-incarnate Christ who walked its verges is lovelier still. I can barely wait to go to heaven, and not for the dazzling angels’ sake, nor even for departed relatives and friends, neither for the thrill of walking atop golden flags. Rather, the Beautiful One is there, the most ravishingly, awesomely attractive and magnificently handsome Being ever.

His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. Song of Solomon 5:16

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