May 16, 2008

yield to its allurements?

The mayapple's flower may be very alluring

but it is poisonous.

In fact all of the mayapple plant

(the root, leaves, seeds and even the "unripe" fruit)

are poisonous.

Only the fully mature fruit is not poisonous.

To encourage children to stay away from the poisonous mayapple,

(in the past) their elders traditionally taught them

that it was tended by the devil.

"Though Satan instills his poison,

and fans the flames of our corrupt desires within us,

we are yet not carried by any external force

to the commission of sin,

but our own flesh entices us,

and we willingly yield to its allurements."

- John Calvin