The Dickinson press., 1892-04-23
PALM BRANCHES.
They Were Cast In the Way of
Christ as He Approached
Jerusalem.

JCl VSdlelIs
The Palm Being Typical of Triumph,
tho Ceremony Was Very
Appropriate.
Brooklyn, N. Y, [special.] This
day is recognized as Palm Sunday
throughout the world, and that fact
gave direction to DIR. Talmage's SER
mon. Among the hymns sung was the
hymn
Clad in raiment pure and white,
Victor palms in every hand.
Text: John xii: 10, "They took
branches OF palm trees and vent forth
to meet him.
How was that possible? 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.
l 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 I could
see. You must remember that the
climate has changed. The palm tree
likes water, but by the cutting down
of the forests, which are leafy prayers
for rain, the land has become un-
friendly to the palm tree. Jericho
once stood in seven miles of palm
grove. Olivet was crowned with
palms. The Dead Sea has on it's
banks the trunks OF palm trees that
1oated down from some old-tlme
palm grove and are preserved from
decay by the salt which they re.
ceived from the Dead Sea. Let wood
men spare the trees Of America, if
they would not ruinously change
the climate and bring to
the soil b%arrenness, instead of
fertility. Thanks to God and the leg
islatures for Arbor day which plants
trees, trying to atone for the ruthless
ness which has destroyed them. Yes,
my text is in harmony with the on
dition of that country on the morning
of Palm Sunday. About three million
people have come to Jerusalem to at
tend the religious festivities. Great
news! Jesus will enter Jerusalem to-
day. Thesky isred with themorning,
and the people ore focking out to the
foot OF Olivet, and up and on over the
southern shoulder OF the mountain,
and the procession coming out from
the city meets theprocession escorting
Christ, as he comes toward the city.
There is q turn in the road, where Je-
rusalem 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 sud-
denly arose before u vision Jerusa-
lem, the religious capital of all Chris
tian ages. That was the point Of OBJ
servation where my text comes in.
Alexander rode Bucephalus, Duke Ellie
rode famous Marchegay; Sir Henry
Lawrence rode the high-mettled Con-
rad, Wellington rodehis proud Copen-
hagen, but the conqueror ofearth and
heaven rides u colt, one that had been
tied at the roadside. 1t was unbroken,
and l have no doubt fractions at the
moderation Of the populace. An ex-
temporized saddle made out of the
garments of thepeople was put on the
beast. While some people grippedt the
colt others reverently waited upon
Christ at the mounting. The two pro-
cessions OF people now become one
those who came out of the city and
those who came over the hill. 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
trees 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 pave
ment for the colt to tread on.
Long before that morning the palm
tree had been
TYPICAL OF TRIUMPH.
Herodotus and Strabo had thus
describedit. Layard finds the palmleaf
cut in the walls of Ninevah, with the
same significance. In the Greek athie-
tic games, the victors carried palms.
l am very glad that our Lord, who
five days after had thorns upon his
brow, for a little while, at least, had
palms strewn under his feet.
Oh, the glorious palm! Amarasinga,
the Hindoo scholar, calls it "the king
among the grasses" Linneus calls it
the prince OF vegetation" Among all
the trees that ever cast O shadow or
yielded fruit or lifted their arms to-
ward heaven, it has no equalizer multi.
tudinous uses. Do you want flowers?
One palm tree will putforth a hanging
garden OF them, n cluster counted
by a scientist containing 2O7, 1000
blooms. Do you want food? 1t is the
chief diet OF whole nations. One palm
in Chill will yield 80 gallons of honey.
In Polynesia it is the chief foods of
the inhabitants. In India there are
multitudes of people dependent upon
it for sustenance. Do you want cable
to hold ships or cords to hold wild
beasts? 1t is wound into ropes un-
breakable. Do you want articles OF
house furniture? 1t is twisted into
mats and woven into baskets and
shaped into drinking cups and swung
into hammocks. Do you want medi-
cine? Its nut is the chief preventative
OF disease and the chief cure for vast
populations. Do you want houses?
Its wood furnishes the wall for the
homes. and its leaves thatchthem. Dc
you need a supply for the pantry? 1t
sage and milk and salt and wax and
vinegar and candles.
Planted in the Bible that tree al,
ways usefulness. But, how lit
tie any of US or all of us accomplish