The national leader., 1889-07-18
.lm branches. But the pal

palm branches. But the palm
branch also meant victory. In
all ages, in all lands, tho 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 that if we will 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
our Lord Jesus Christi Oh what
grand thing it is to have sin under
our our backs. aD Blessed T is he wi whose trans trans
sressloll is forgiven and whose sin is
covered" But" says the man, Il feel
so sick and worn out with the ailments Of
conqueror. But" says the man, 81
am SO tempted, l am SO pursued III
life" You are going to be more than
conqueror. II, who have so many ailments
and heartaches going to be more than
conqueror? Yes, unless you are so self-con-
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 back seat?
Oh, no, you say; want God to be my leader.
Well, then, you will be more than conqueror.
Your last sickness will come, and the physi-
clans in the next room will be talking about
what they will do for YOU What difference
will it make what they do for you? You arc
going to be well, eyerlasingly well. And
when the spirit has fed the body your friend
will be talking as to where they shall bury
you. What difference does it make to you
where they bury you? The angel OF
the resurrection can pick you out
OF the dust anywhere, and
all the cemeteries Of the earth are in Gods
- h.
conqueror. Don't you think we had better
begin now to celebrate the coming victory2
In the old meeting g-house at Summerville
my father used to lead the singing, and he
had the old-fashioned tuning 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 tho ever
lasting song, the song of vic
tory when we shall be moro than conquerers?
Had we not better begin the rehearsal on
earth? ''They 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 tears
from their eyes"
City Of Eternity, to thy bridal halls
From this prison would flee;
My text brings up, one step further. II
says, go forth into the mount and fetch olive
branches, and pine branches, and myrtle
branches, and palm branches, and branches of
thick trees. Now, you know very well that
booth or arbor made of slight branches
would not stand, The first blast of the tenn
pest 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 a brawny Christianity,
not one easily upset. The storms OF life will
come upon us, and we want strong doctrine;
not only love, but justice; not only invita-
tion by warning. 1t is a mighty Gospel it is
an omnipotent Gospel. There are the stout
branches of thick trees. l remem-
ber what Mr.. Finney said in
school house in this State. The village
was so bad it was called Sodom, and it was
said to have only one good man in all the vii
preaching, described the destruction OF
Sodom, and the preacher declared that God
would rain destruction upon His hearers un-
less they, too, repentcd And the people in
the schooi-house sat and ground their teeth in
anger, and clinched 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 q
mighty Gospel; not only an invitation, but a
warning; an Omnipotent truth stout
branches of thick trees Well, my friends,
what L 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 aromatic
of heaven. The leaves rustic with the glad
ness 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 watched for the pigeons
to come and we found focks in the sky, and
after while they dropped into the net and
Wo were successful. 30 | come now to the
door OF this gospel booth and Hook out see
1ocks of souls flying hither and flying thither.
Oh, that they might come like clouds and as
doves to the window. Come into the booth.
Come into tho booth.