Democratic messenger., 1892-04-16
THE PALM BRANCHES.
SUBJECT OF DR.. TALMAGE'S REGU-
LAR SUNDAY SERMON.

I
Took branches of Palm Trees and
Went Forth 4" Meet Him''-Texi. John
xii. IL.
BROOKLYN. April 10.-This day is rec
ognized rs Palm Sunday throughout the
world. and that fact gave direction TO
DIR. Talmagcs sermon. Among the
hymns sung was the hymn
Clad in raiment pure and white.
Victor palms in every hand.
Text. John xii. l3. They took branches
of palm trees and went forth 10 NEE:
him.
How was that possible? How could
palm branches be cast III the way of
Christ as he approached Jerusalem:
There are scarcely any palm trees in
central Palestine. Even the one that
was carefully guard, 4 for many years
al 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 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 unfriendly
to the palm tree. Jericho once stood in
seven miles of palm grove. Olivet was
crowned with palms. The Dead sea has
on its banks the trunks of palm trees
that floated down from some old time
palm grove. and are preserved from de-
la.- tho xt-l,f.l, f1,nt.
the Dead sea. Let woodmcn spare the
trees of America, if they would not ruin
ously change the climate and bring to
the soil barrenness instead Of fertility.
Thanks to God and the legislatures for
Arbor Day. which plants trees. trying to
atone for the ruthlessness which has de
stroyed them. Yes, my text is in har.
mony with the condition Of that country
on the morning of Palm Sunday About
three million people have come to Jeru-
salem to attend the religious festivities.
Great news. Jesus will enter Jerusalem
today. The sky is red with the morn
ing, and the people are ilocking out 10
the foot of Olivet, and up and on over
the southern shoulder of the mountain.
and the procession coming ont from the
city meets the procession escorting Christ
as he comes toward the city. There is
turn i'll the road. where Jerusalem sud
denly 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 We're somewhat weary of
sight seeing. when there suddenly arose
before our vision Jerusalem, the reli-
gious capital of all Christian ages. That
was the point of observation where nv
text comes in. Alexander rode Buceph-
alus, Duke Ellie rode his famous Marche-
gay, Sir Henry Lawrence rode the high
mettled Conrad, Wellington rode his
proud Copenhagen, but the conqueror
of earth and heaven rides colt, one
that had been tied at the roadside. 1t
was unbroken, and have no doubt
fractions at the vociferation of the popu-
lace. An extemporized saddle made ont
of the garments of the people was put
on the beast. While some people
gripped the bride of the colt, others
reverently waited upon Christ at the
hiOuitlA-. l. ut tNp lIpttS>lbilS OI IltD-
pie now become one-those who came
ont of the city and those who came over
the hill. The orientals are more de-
monstrative than we of the western
world, their voices louder. their gesticu-
lations more violent, and the symbols
by which they express their emotions
more significant. The people who left
Dhnenn u. flta fur - xx-Ssl,f,n,r
impressive that they would never re-
turn. 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 floated on the surface. BE
not surprised. therefore. mt the demon
stration in the text. As tho colt with
its rider desccnds the slope of Olivct.
the palm trees lining the road are called
upon 10 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 en-
erald pavement for the colt To tread on.
THE PALM TYPICAL OF TRIUMPH.
Long before that morning the palm
tree had been typical of triumph Herod-
otus and Strabo had thus described il.
Layard finds the palm leaf cut in the
walls of Nineveh with the same signif-
cance. In the Greek athletic games the
yictors carried palms. am very glad
that our Lo.d. who five days after had
thorns upon his brow, for little while,
at least. had palms strcwn under his feet.
oh. the glorious palm. Amarasinga, the
Hindoo scholar, calls it 1.-THE king among
the graSses. Linnaus calls it the
prince OF vegetation" Among all the
trees that ever east a shadow or Welded
fruit or lifted their arms toward heaven,
il has no equal for multitudinous uses.
Do you want flowers: One palm tree
will put forth IA hanging garden of them
one cluster counted 10y scientist CON
tanning 201 900 blooms. DO YOU want
food: II is the chief diet of whole ma
tions. One palm i'll Chilli will yield ninety
gallons of honey. In Polynesia it is the
chief food of the inhabitants. In India
there are multitudcs of people dependent
upon II for sustenancc. Do you want
Cdbic ~ Hoih SillIS "T CoTuS 10 holu VIII
beasts: II is wound into ropes unbreak-
able. Do You want sgticlts of house
furniture: 1t is twisted into mats and
woven into baskets and shaped into
drinking cups and swung into ham,
mocks: Doyou want medicine: Its nut
Is the chief preventive of disease and the
chief cure for vast populations. Do You
want houses? Its wood furnishes the
wall for the homes and its leaves thatch
them. DO You need supply for the
pantry: Ii yields sugar and starch and
oil and sago and milk and salt and wax
and vinegar and candles.
Oh, the palm. 1t has variety Of en-
dowments such as no other growth that
ever rooted the earth or kissed the hcav-
ms To the willow God SAYS, Stand
by the water courses and weep" To the
cedar he says. Gather the hurricanes
into your bosom" To the fix tree he