The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-07-25

knew an aged man, who had no capital
" physical hcalth He had had all the dis
easec you could imagine; he did not cat
enough 10 keep child alive; he lived on n
yoverage of hosannas. Hc lived high, for
ne dined every day with tho King. He was
teligion. IL Is healthy religion; healthy
,or tho eye, healthy for tho hand, healthy
Tor the feet, healthy for the heart healthy
or the liver, healthy for the spleen, healthy
,or the whole man. 1t gives man such pcace
mch quietness such independence OF cir
,rpnstances, such holy cquipoise Oh that
I've all possessed IL, that we possessed IL now.
; mean that IL is healthy IL man gets
enough of IL. Now, there are some people
who get Just enough religion TO bother them.
.ust enough religion to mako thcm sick; but
u man take full, deep, round inhalation
of those pine branches of tho gospel arbor
he will find IL buoyant, exubcrant, undying,
immortal health.
But this pine branch of my text also s,r-
gests the simple fact that it Is an evergreen.
What does this pine branch caro- for tho
snow ON its brow9 IL is only crown of
This evergreen tree branch is as beautiful in
winter as Il is in tho summer. And that IL
the characteristic Of our holy religion; In the
tharpest, coldest winter OF misfortune and
disaster, 1t Is as good religion as il is in tho
bright summer sunshine. Well, now that IN
a practical truth. For II / should go up and
down these aisles, / would not fiid in
this house fifty people who had had no trou-
bio. But there are somo Of you who hnve
especial trouble. God only knows what you
20 through with. oh, how many bereavc-
ments. how many poverties, how many per.
'ccutionsi How many Misrepresentation
And now, my brother, you have tried cvery-
thing else, why don't you try this evergreen
religion? IL is just as good for you now rs it
was in the days of your prosperity; IL IL
better for you. Perhaps some of You feel
almost like Muckle liachic, the fisher
man, who was chidcd one day be-
cause he kept on working, although
that very day he buried his child. They came
20 him and said; at is indecent for you 20
be mending that boat when this afternoon
you buried your child" And the fisherman
looked up and said "Sir Il is very easy FOR
you gcntlefolks 10 stay In the house with your
handkerchiofs TO your eyes in grief: but, sir,
because ono Of thom Is drownedS No, sir, we
maun work, we maun work, though our
hearts beat like this hammer"
You may have had accumulation OF sorrow
and misfortune. They come in iiocks, thoy
come in herds upon your soul; and yet have
90 tell you that this religion can console you,
that 10 can help you, that IL can deliver you
if nothing elso will Do you tell me that tho
riches and the gain OF this world can console
your How was IL with tho man who had
such foudness for money that when he was
sick he ordered n basin Of gold pieces 10 bo
brought TO him, and he put his gouty hands
down among the gold pieces, cooling
his hands Off in them, and tho rattle and
rolling of these gold pieces were his nmuse-
mont and entertainments All, the gold and
silver, the honors, the cmoluments of this
world arc n poor solace for perturbed spirit.
You want something better than this
world can give. a young Prince, when tho
children came around TO play with him, re-
fused 20 play. He said; | will play only
with Kings. Aud II might be supposed that
you would throw away all other solacc before
this regal satisfaction, this imperial joy. Ye
who are sons and daughters of tho Lord Al.
mighty ought TO play only with Kings.
The hill OF Zion yields
\ thougand sacred sweets,
Before We reach the heavenly fields
or walk the golden streets.
But my text takes a further step and II
says; 'Go into tho mountain, aud fotch olive
branches, and pine branches, and palm
branches" Now, the palm tree was very
much honored by the ancients. II had three
hundred and sixty different uses Tho fruit
was conserved; the sap was n beverage; tho
stems were ground up for food for camels;
the base of the leaves was turned into hats,
and mats, and baskets; and the leaves were
carried in victorious professions; and from
the root to the top of tho highest leaf thcro
was usefulness. The tree grew eighty-hve
feet in height sometimes, and il spread broad
leaves four and five yards long; it meant
usefulness, and IL meant victory; usefulness
for what it produced, victory because il was
brought into celebrations OF triumph. And
oh, how much we want the palm branches in
the churches OF Jesus Christ at this time
A great many Christians don't amount to
anything. You have 10 shove them out of
the way when the Lords chariots como along.
We don't want any moro OF that kind of
Christians in the church
Tho old maxim says: "Do not put all your
eggs into ono basket but have TO tell you
In this matter OF religion you had better givo
your oil to Cod and then get in yourself;
silks and cloths" We'll, then, my brother.
sell silks and cloths TO the glory of God. And
some one says my business is 10 raise corn
and carrots" Then, my brother raise corn
and carrots to the glory of God, And somo
one says; MY business is TO manufacture
shoe nails TO tho glory of God. There Is moth
ing for You TO do that you ought 10 do but
for the glory OF God.
Usefulness is typined by the palm trcc All,
we don't want in the church any more peo-
pie that arc merely weeping pillows, signing
into the water standing and admiring their
long lashes in tho CLASSY spring. No Wild
cherry, dropping bitter fruit. We want palm
trees, holding something for God, something
for angels, something for man, | am tired
and sick of this fiat, tame, insipd satin slip
pered namby-pamby, highty-tighty relgioni
IL is worth nothing for this world, and it is
destruction for eternity.
4ivo mo five hundred men and women
fully consecratod To Christ, and we will take
any city for God in three years. Give me
ten thousand men and women fully up 90 the
Christian standard; in ten years ten thousand
OF them would take the whole earth for God.
But when arc wc going to begin?
Iedyard, the great traveller, was brought
before the Geographical Society of Great Brit
ain, and they wanted him 10 mako some ex-
plorations in Africa, and they showed him all
the porils, and all the hard work, and all
the exposure, and after they had told him
what they wanted him TO do In Africa, thoy
said 10 him: "Now, Ledyard, when are you
ready TO startr Ho said Tomorrow
morning" The learned men were aston.
ished; they thought he would take weeks on.
months 20 get ready. Woll now, you tell
me you want 10 DO earnest for Christ you
want 20 bo useful in Christian service.
When arc you going TO beginl Oh, that you
hnvo the decision 10 say; To-day noww
Go now into tho mount and gather the
psln branches. But tho pain
branch also meant victory. In
all ageC, in all lands, the palm branch means
victory We are by nature tho servants OF
Satan. He stole US, ho has his eye on us, no
wants to keep US. The word comes from our
Father that II wo will try 20 break loose from
this doing OF wrong our Father will help us;