The national leader., 1889-07-18
From sorrow, toll and pain,
And sin we shall be free;
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through oil eternity.

ana pine prancnes- NOW what Is suggested
by the pine branches? The pine tree is
healthy; it is aromatic; it is evergreen. How
often the physician says to his invalid
patients: "Go and have a breath of the
pinesl That will invigorate you" Why do
such thousands of people go South every year?
It is not merely to get to a warmer climate,
but to get to the influence of the pine There
is health in it, and this pine branch of the
text suggests the healthfulness of our holy
religion; it is full of health, health for all,
health for the mind health for tho soul.
l knew an aged man, who had no capital
of physical health. He had had all tho dis
eases you could imagine; he did not eat
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 healthy religion; healthy
for the eye, healthy for the hand, healthy
for the feet, healthy for the heart, healthy
for the whole man. 1t gives man such peace,
such quietness, such independence Of cir
cumstances, such holy oquipoise. Oh that
we all possessed it, that we possessed it now
mean that it is healthy If q 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 man take full, deep, round inhalation
of these pine branches of the gospel arbor,
immortal health.
But this pine branch of my text also s1g-
gests the simple fact that it is an evergreen.
What does this pine branch care for the
snow on its brow? 1t is only crown of
glory. The winter cannot freeze it out.
This evergreen tree branch is as beautiful in
winter as it is in the summer. And that is
the characteristic of our holy religion; in the
sharpeSt, coolest winter of misfortune and
disaster, it is as good religion as it is in the
bright summer sunshine. Well, now that is
a practical truth. For if should go up and
down these aisles, l would not find in
this house fifty people who had had no trou-
5le But there are some of you who have
especial trouble. God only knows what you
go through with. Oh how many bereave-
ments, how many poverties how many per-
secutionsl How many Misrepresentation
And now, my brother, you have tried every
thing else, why don't you try this evergreen
was in the days of your prosperity; it is
better for you Perhaps some of you feel
almost like Muckle Backie, the fisher
man, who was chided one day be-
cause he kept on working, although
that very day he buried his child. They came
to him and said: ut is indecent 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
handkerchiefs to your eyes in grief; but, sir,
ought I to let the other five children starve
because one Of them is drowned? No, sir, we
maun work, we maun work, though our
hearts beat like this hammer"
% L..,.y nave nad accumulation OF sorrow
and misfortune. They come in focks, they
come in herds upon your soul; and yet have
to 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
0ff hi 10
you? How was it with the man who had
such fondness for money that when he was
sick he ordered a basin of gold pieces to be
brought to him, and he put his gouty hands
down among the gold pieces cooling
his hands off in them, and the rattle and
rolling of these gold pieces were his amuse,
ment and entertainment. All, the gold and
silver, the honors, the emoluments of this
world are poor solace for perturbed spirit.
You want something better than this
world can give. A young Prince, when the
children came around to play with him, re-
fused to play. He said: I will play only
with Kings. And it 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 to play only with Kings.
The hill Of Zion yields
thousand sacred sweets
Before we reach the heavenly fields
Or walk the golden streets.
But my text takes further step and it
says: "Go into the mountain, and fetch olive
branches, and pine branches, and palm
branches" Now, tho palm tree was very
much honored by the ancients. 1t had three
hundred and sixty different uses. Tho fruit
was conserved; the sap was a beverage; the
stems were ground up for food for carnels;
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 the highest leaf there
was usefulness. The tree grew eighty-fve
feet in height 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 celebrations of triumph. And
oh, how much we want the palm branches III
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.
We don't want any moro of that kind Of
Christians in the church.
The old maxim says: do not put all your
eggs into one basket" but have to tell you
in this matter of religion you had better give
your all to God, and then get in yourself.
oh" says some one my business is to sell
silks and cloths" Well, then, my brother,
sell silks 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 to the glory Of God And some
one says: "My business is to manufacture
horse shoe nails" Then manufacture horse
shoe nails to the glory of God. There is moth
ing for you to do that you ought to do but
for the glory Of God.
Usefulness is typifed by the palm trec. Ah,
we don't want In the church any more peo-
pie that are merely weeping pillows, 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 something for God, something
for angels, something for man. am tired
and sick of this fat, tame insipid, satin slip
pered, namby- -pamby, nightly tightly religion!
1t is worth nothing for this world, and it is
destruction for eternity.
Give me five hundred men and women
fully consecrated to Christ and we will take
any citv for Cod in thraa wears Give me