The Penn's Grove record., 1889-08-03
IT INFANT


But the palm branches also meant
victory. In all ages, in all lands, the
palm branch means victory. We are by
nature the servants of Satan. He stole
us, he has his eye on us, he wants to
keep us. The word comes from our
Father hat if we viii try to break loose
from this doing of wrong, our Father
will help us; and some day we rouse up,
and we look the black tyrant in the
face. and we fly at him, and we wrestle
him down, and we put our heel on his
neck, and we grind him in the dust and
we say, Victory, victory, through our
Lord Jesus Christt' Oh what a grand
thing it is to have sin under foot, and a
wasted life behind our backs. "Blessed
is he whose transgression is forgiven,
and whose sin is covered" sBut," SAYS
the man, 81 feel SO sick and workout
with the ailments of life!" You are
going to be more than conqueror.
"But, says the man, 81 am so tempt
ed, | am SO pursued in life!' You are
going to be than conqueror. 81,
who have SO many ailments and heart
aches, going to be more than conquer
orr" Yes, unless you are SO self-cou-
/ ceited that you want to manage all the
affairs of your life yourself, instead of
letting God manage them. Do you
want to drive, and have God take a
back seat? "Oh no." you say; 81 want
God to be my leader" Well, then, you
will be
MORE THAN CoNoUERoR.
Your last sickness will come, and the
physicians in the next room will be talk
ing about what they will do for you.
| What difference will it make what they
do for you? You are going to be well,
everlastingly well. And when the spirit
has fled the body, your friends will be
talking as to where they shall bury you,
What difference does it make to you
where they bury you? Theangel ofthe
Resurrection can pick you out of the
of the earth are in Gods care. Oh, you
are going to be more than conquerorl
Don't you think we had better begin
now to celebrate the coming victory?
In the old Westinghouse at Summer
vile, my father used to lead the sing
ing, and he had the old-fashioned tun-
ing fork, and he would strike it upon
his knee, and then put the tuning fork
to his ear to catch the right pitch, and
start the hymn. But, friend, don't You
think we had better be catching the
pitch of the everlasting song, the song
Of victory when we shall be more than
conquerors? Had we not better begin
the rehearsal on earth? .sThey shall
hunger no more, neither thirst any
more; neither shall the sun light on
them, nor any heat. For the Lamb
/ which is in the midst of the throne shall
feed them, and shall lead them to living
fountains of water; and God shall wipe
away all the tears from their eyes"
City OF Eternity, to thy bridal halls
From this prison would l flee;
All, glory that's for you and me.
My text brings us one step further.
1t says, $50 forth into the mount and
fetch olive branches, and pine branches,
and myrtle branches, and palm branches,
and
BRANCHES OF III TREES"
Now, you know very well that a booth,
or arbor, made of slight branches would
not stand. The first blast Of the tempest
would PROSTATE it. So, then, the booth
or arbor must have four stout poles to
! hold up the arbor or booth; and hence
for the building of the arbor for this
world we must have stout branches of
thick trees. And SO it is in the gospel
arbor. Blessed be God that we have q
brawny Christianity, not n easily up
set. The storms of life will come upon
us, and we want strong doctrine; not
only love, but justice; not only invita-
ton but warning. 1t is a mighty gospel;
it is an imnipotent gospel. These are
the stout branches Of thick trees.
1 remember what Mr.. Finney said in
a schoolhouse in this State. The village
was so bad it was called Sodom, and it
was said to have only one good man III
all the village, and he was called Lot.
and Mr.. Finney, preaching, described
the destruction of Sodom, and the
preacher declared hat God would rain
destruction upon his hearers unless,
they, too, repented. And the people in
the sc~hool-house sat and ground their
teeth in anger, and clenched their fists
in indignation; but before he was
through with his sermon they got down
on their knees and cried for mercy while
mercy could be found. Oh, it is a
mighty gospel; not only an invitation,
but a warming; an omnipotent truth,
stout branches of thick trees.
Well, my friends, 1 have shown you
here is the olive branch of peace; here
is the pine branch of evergreen gospel
| consolation; here the palm-tree branch
of usefulness and victory; and here are
the stout branches Of thick trees. The
gospel arbor is done. The air is aro-
matte of heaven. The leaves rustic with
the gladness of God. Come into the
arbor. l went out at different times
with a fowler to the mountains to catch
pigeons; and we made our booth, and
we sat in that booth and watchedfo for the
pigeons to come. And we found focks
in the sky, and after o while they drop
ped into the net and we were successful.
So l come now to the door of this gospel
booth and I look out; l see focks OF
souls flying hither and flying thither.
Oh that they might come like clouds
and as doves to the window! Come in
to the booth!