The Russellville Democrat., 1889-07-25
oe of ths plne. Thers is health in

influence of the pine. There is health in 1t, and this pine branch of the text sng- gests the heaIthfulness of our holy re- ligion; it IS full of health, health for all. health for the mind. health for the soul. knew an aged man who had no capital or physical health He had all the dis eases you could imagine; he did not ! eat enough 10 keep a child al e; he lived on beverage of hosannas. He lived ! high, for he dined every day with the King. He was kept alive simply by the force of our holy religion. II is a healthy religion; healthy for the eyA 1 healthy for the heart healthy for the 1 hand. healthy for the feet healthy for the liver, healthy for the spleen. healthy 1 for the whole man. IL gives man such 1 peace, such quietness, such independence ] of circumstances, such holy eqaipoise. Oh, that we all possessed it that we pos sessed it now. l mean that il is healthy if a man gets enough of if. Now, there are some people who get just enough re- ligion 10 bother them, just enough re- ligion to make them sick: but if q man take q full, deep, round inhalation ol these pine branches of the Gospel arbor, he will find it buoyant, exaberant Gndy- ing, immortal health.
 
 suggests the simple fact that is an ever green. What does this pine branch care for the snow on it's brows It is only a crown of glory. The winter can not freeze it out. This evergreen tree branch is as beautiful in winter as it is iE the summer. Aud that is the characteristics of our holy religion; in the sharpest coldest winter of misfortune and disaster 1t is as good a religion as it is in the bright summer sunshine. We'll, now that is a practical truth. For # 1 should go up and down these aisles, would not find in this house fifty people who had had Ro trouble. But thsTe are some Of yOu who have especial trouble. God oIdy knows what you go through with. On, how many bereavements, how many poverties, how many prosecutions! How many misrep- resentations! And 5w. my brother, you have tried every thing else, why don't you try this evergreen religion? It is just as good for you now as t was in the days of your prOs- perity; 1t is better for you. Perhaps some of you feel almost like Muckle Backie the fisherman, who was chided one day because he kept on working, al- though that very day he bHried his child. They came 10 him aud said:
 Ut is indecent for you to be meuding that boat when this afternoon you buried your child.p
 And the fisherman looked up and said:
 ''Sir, it is very easy for you gentlefolks to stay iu the house with your handker- chiefs to your eyes ia grief; but. sir. ought 1 to let the other five children starve because one ofthem drowned? No, sir. we maun work, we maun work, though our hearts beat like this ham, mer."
 You may have had accumulation of sorrow aud misfortaua. They come in aocks, they come in herds upon your soul; and yet have 10 tell you that this religion can console you, that it can help you. that it can deliver you if nothing else will. Do you tell me that the riches and the gain of this world can console you? How was it with the man who dad such fondness for money that when he was sick he ordered a basin Of gold pieces 10 be brought to him, and he put his gouty hands down among the gold pieces, cooling his hands of Ill them, and the rattle and rolling of these gold pieces were his amusement and entertain ment An, the gold and silver, the hon. ors, the emoluments of this world are q poor solace for perturbed spirit You want something better than this world can give. A yoang Prince, when the chil- dreu came around to play with him, re- fused 10 play. He said: "I will only play with kings" An it might be sup posed that you would throw away all all other solacc before this regal satis- faction, this imperial joy. Ye who are sons and daughters or the Lord Almighty ought to play only with kings.