The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-07-24

eases you could imagine; he did not eat
enough to keep a child alive; he lived on
a 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. 1t is a healthy religion
healthy for the eve, healthy for the hand,
healthy for the feet, healthy for the heart,
healthy for the liver, healthy for the
spleen, healthy for the whole man. 1t
gives man such peace, such quietness,
such independence of circumstances, such
holy equipoise. Oh, that we all possessed it,
that we possessed it now. l mean that it
is healthy if a man gets enough OF it.
Now, there are some people who get just
enough religion to bother them, just
enough religion to make them sick; but if
a man take full, deep, round inhalation
OF these pine branches OF the gospel arbor
he will find it buoyant, exuberant, I'M
dying, immortal health.
But this pine branch of my text also
suggests the simple fact that it is an ever
green What does this pine branch care
for the snow on its brow? 1t is only a
crown of glory. The winter can not freeze
it out. This evergreen tree branch is as
beautiful in winter as II is in summer.
And that is the characteristic OF our holy
religion; in the sharpest, coolest winter of
misfortune and disaster it is as good a re-
ligion as it is in the bright summer sun
shine. Well, now that is a practical truth.
For il | should 90 up and down these aisles
[ would not find in this house fifty people
who had had no trouble. But there are
some of you who have especial trouble.
God only knows what you 20 through
with. Oh, how many bereavements,
how many poverties, how many perse-
cutions, how many misrepresentation
And now, my brother, you have tried
everything else, why don't you try this
evergreen religion? 1t is Just as good for
you now as it was in the days of your
prosperity; it is better for you. Perhaps
some of you feel almost like Muckle
Backle, the fisherman. who was chided
one day because he kept on working, al
though that very day he buried his child
They came TO him and said: at is indie
cent for you to be mending that boat when
this afternoon you buried your child.
And the fisherman looked up and said:
''Sir, it is very easy for you gentlefolks to
stay in the house with your handker-
chiefs to your eyes in grief; but, sir, ought
| TO let the other five children starve be-
cause one of them is drowned? No, sir;
we maun work, we maun work, though
our hearts beat like this hammer"
You may have had accumulation of sor-
row and misfortune. They come in flocks,
they come in herds upon your soul; and
yet / have to tell YOU that this religion
can console YOU, that il can help you, that
it can deliver you if nothing else will. Do
you tell me that the riches and gain of
this world can console you? How was it
with the man who had such fondness for
money that when he was sick he ordered
basin of gold pieces to be brought to
him, and he put his equity hands down
among the gold pieces, cooling his
hands off in them, and the rattle and toll
ing of these gold pieces were his amuse-
ment and entertainment. All, the gold
and silver, the hOnors, the emoluments OF
this world are a poor solace for a per-
turbed spirit. You want something bet
ter than this world can give. A young
prince, when the children came around to
play with him, refused to play. He said:
~ will play only with kings" And 1t
might be supposed that you would throw
away all other solace before this regal
satisfaction, this imperial Joy. Ye who
are sons and daughters of the Lord Al
mighty ought only to play with kings.
The hill of Zion yields
a thOusan sacred sweets,
Before we reach the heavenly fields
Or walk the golden streets.
DuL ulN text ldhts Il luTlutI step anu
saws: GO into the mountain and fetch
olive branches, and pine branches, and
palm branches" Now, the palm tree was
very much honored by the ancients It
had $50 different uses. The fruit was con-
served, the sap was a beverage, the stems
were ground up for food for camels, the
base of the leaves were turned into hats
and mats and baskets, and the leaves were
carried in victorious professions, and
from the root to the top of the highest
leaf there was usefulness. The tree grew
eighty-fve feet in hight sometimes, and it
spread broad leaves four and five yards
long; it meant usefulness and it meant
victory; usefulness for what it produced,
victory because it was brought into cele-
brations of triumph. And oh, how much
we want the palm branches in the
churches of Jesus Christ at this timel A
great many Christians don't amount to
anything. You have to shove them out
of the way when the Lords chariots come
along. w Q don't want any more of that
kind of Christians in the church.
The old maxim saws: "Do not put all
your eggs into one basket" but 1 have to
tell you in this matter of religion you had
better give your all to God, and then get
in yourself ooh" saws some one, "mv
then, my brother, sell silk and cloths to
the glory of God. And some one SAYS:
"My business is to raise corn and carrots"
Then, my brother, raise corn and carrots
10 the glory of God. And some one saws:
"My business is to manufacture horse
shoe nails" Then manufacture horse
shoe nails TO the glory OF God. There is
nothing for you to do that you ought to
do but for the glory of God
Usefulness is typifed by the palm tree.
All, we don't want in the church any
more people that are merely weeping will
lows, signing into the water, standing and
admiring their long lashes in the CLASSY
spring No wild cherry, dropping bitter
fruit. We want palm trees, holding some
thing for God, something for angels, some
thing for man. | am tired and sick OF
this fiat, tame, insipid, satin-slippered,
namby-pamby, highty-tighty religion. 1t
is worth nothing Tor this world, and it is
destruction for eternity.
Give me 500 men and women fully con-
secrated to Christ, and we will take any
city for God in three years. Give me TO-
600 men and women fully mp to the
Christian standard; in ten years 10000 OF
them would take the whole earth for God.
But when are we going to begin?
Ledyard, the great Traveller, was brought
before the geographical society of Great
Britain and they wanted him TO make
explorations in Africa, and they showed
him all the perils and all the hard work
and all the exposure, and after they had
told him what they wanted him TO do in
A friPa they said IN him. "NOW ed