The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1892-06-16
PALM SUNDAY.
Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage Discourses
Upon It's Significance.
As the Palm Tree Is Typical of Triumph,
1t is Made the Symbol of the
Triumph of Christ's Church
Upon Earth.

The following discourse on palm
Sunday was delivered in the Brooklyn
tabernacle by Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage.
The text was:
They took branches of palm trees and went
forth to meet Him.-John xii, ID
How was that possible2 How could
palm branches be cast in the way of
Christ as He approached Jerusalem?
There are scarcely any palm trees in
central Palestine, Even the one that
was carefully guarded for many years
at jericho has gone. | went over the
very road by which Christ approached
Jerusalem, and there are plenty of
olive trees and fig trees. but no palm
trees that | could zee.
You must remember that the climate
has changed The palm tree likes
water, but by the cutting down of for
ests, which are leafy prayers for rain,
the land has become unfriendly to the
palm tree. Jericho once stood in seven
miles of palm trees. The Dead sea
has on its banks the trunks of palm
trees that floated down from some old
time palm grove, and are preserved
ceived from the Dead sea. Let wood
men spare the trees of America, if they
would not ruinously change the eli
mate and bring to the soil barrrenness,
instead of fertility. Thanks to God
and the legislatures for Arbor day,
which plants trees, trying to atone for
the ruthlessness which has DESTROYED
them. Yes, my text is in harmony with
the condition of that country on the
morning of Palm Sunday.
About three million people have come
to Jerusalem to attend the religious
festivities. Great news! Jesus will en-
ter Jerusalem to-day. The sky is red
with the morning, and the people are
fiocking out to the foot of Olivet, and
up and on over the southern shoulder
OF the mountain, ard the procession
coming out from the city meets the
procession escorting Christ as He comes
toward the city. There is turn in the
road where Jerusalem suddenly bursts
upon the vision. We had ridden that
day all the way from Jericho, and had
visited the ruins of the house of Mary
and Martha and Lazarus, and were
somewhat weary of sightseeing, when
there suddenly arose before our vision
Jerusalem, the religions capital of all
Christian ages. That was the point of
observation where my text comes in
Alexander rode Bucephalus, Duke Ellie
rode his famous Marchegay, Sir Henry
Lawrence rode the high-mettled Com
rad, Wellington rode his proud Copen-
hagen, but the Conqueror of earth and
Heaven rides colt, one that had been
tied at the roadside. 1t was unbrolxen.
and have no doubt fractions at the
Tociferation of the populace. An extern
porized saddle made out of the gar
ments OF the people was put on the
beast. While some people gripped the
bride of the colt, others reverentlv
waited upon Christ at the mounting.
Inc two professions of people now be-
came one-those who came ont of the
city and those who came over the hill.
The orlentals are more demonstrative
than we OF the western world. their
voices louder, their gesticulations more
violent, and the symbols by which they
express their emotions more significant,
The people who left Phocea in the far
east, wishing to, make impressive that
they would never return, took a red.
hot ball of iron and threw it into the
sea, and said they would never return
to Phocea until that ball rose and
hoated on the surface. Be not sur-
prlsed, therefore, at the demonstration
In the text. AS the colt with its rider
descends the slope of Olivet, the palm
trees lining the road are called upon to
render their contribution to the scene
OF welcome and rejoicing. The branches
OF these tree are high up, and some
must needs climb the trees and tear off
the leaves and throw them down. and
others make of these leaves an emerald
pavement for the colt to tod on.
Nearly everything I see around, be-
meath, and above, in the natural world.
suggests useful service. If there is
nothing in the Bible that inspires Won
to usefulness, go out and study the
world around you this spring-time and
learn the great lesson of useful
ness. What art thou doing up there.
little star? Why not shut thine eve
and sleep, for who care for thy shin
ing?" ''No," saith the star, 81 will not
sleep. guide the sailor on the sea. |
cheer the traveller among the noun
fains. help tip the dew with light.
Through the windows of the poor
mans cabin | cast beam of hope. and
the child on her mothers lap asks in
glee whittier l come and what do and
whence l go. TO CLEAN and glitter God
set me here. Away! have no time to
sleep" The snowflake comes Struggling
down. 'Frail, tickle wanderer, why
contest thou here?" Il am no idle wan
derer," responds the snowflake High
up in the air | was born, the child
of the rain and the cold. and
at the Divine behest, come, and
l am no straggler, for God
tells me where to put my crystal heel.
To help cover the roots of the grain and
grass, to cleanse the air, to make sports
men more happy and the ingle fire more
bright, / come. Though SO light | am
that You toss me from your muff1er and
crush me under your foot, l am doing
my best to fulfil what l was made for.
Clothed in whiteI come on heavenly
mission, and when my work is done and
God shall call, in morning vapor shall