The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-11-18

Aes III tne snarpsnOotero OF perottton
blaze away.
But having introduced you to
Adams orchard. and carried you q
while through Solomon's orchard, l
want to take walk with you through
Pilates orchard Of three trees on q
hill 10 feet high. ten minutes walk
from the gate OF Jerusalem.
After had read that our great
grandfather and great-grandmothe
had been driven out of the first orch
ard. made up my mind that the Lord
would not be defeated in that way. l
said to myself that when they had
been poisoned by the fruit OF that one
tree. somewhere, somehow, there would
be provided an antidote for the poi
son. ! said: Where is the other tree
that will undo the work OF that tree?
Where Is the other orchard that will
repair the damage received In the first
orchard?" And I read on until I
found the orchard and It's center tree
as mighty for cure as this one had
been for ruin. and as the one tree in
Adams orchard had its branches laden
with the red fruit Of carnage, and the
pale fruit Of suffering, and the spotted
fruit Of decay, and the bitter fruit Of
disappointment, l found in Pilates
orchard a tree which, though stripped
OF all Its leaves and struck through by
an iron bolt as long as your arm, new
ertheless bore the richest fruit that
was ever gathered. Like the trees OF
the first orchard. this was planted,
blossomed and bore fruit all in one
day. Paul was impulsive and vehe-
ment OF nature and he laid hold OF
that tree with both arms and shook 1t
till the ground all round looked like
an orchard the morning after an au-
tumnal equinox. and, careful lest ne
step on some Of the fruit, gathered up
a basketful OF 1t for the Galatians,
crying out. "The fruit OF the spirit is
love, Joy, peace. long suffering, gen.
tleness. goodness. faith, meekness,
temperance. The other two trees Of
Pilates orchard were loaded, the one
with the hard fruits OF obduracy and
the other with the tender fruit Of re-
pentance. but the center tree-how
will ever forget the day l sat on the
exact spot where 1t was planted!-the
center tree Of that orchard yields the
antidote for the poisoned nations.
Now. In this discourse Of the pomol-
ogy Of the Bible. or God amid the Or
chards, having shown you Adams or
chard and Solomon's orchard, and Pi-
late's orchard. now take you into st.
Johns orchard. and I will stop there,
for. having seen that. you will want to
see nothing more. st. John himself,
having seen that orchard. discharged
a whole volley OF Come! Come! Come!
and then pronounced the benediction:
THE grace OF our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all. Amen" Then the
banished evangelist closes the book,
and the Bible Is done. The dear old
book opened with Adams orchard and
closes with st. Johns orchard. st.
John went into this orchard through
a stone gate. the black basalt OF the
isle Of Patmos, to which he had been
exiled. That orchard which he saw
was and Is In heaven.
While there ie enough OF the pomp
Of the city about heaven for those who
like the city best. I thank God there
Is enough In the Bible about country
scenery in heaven to please those of us
who were born In the country and nev-
er got over it. Now you may have
streets OF gold In heaven. Give me
the orchards with IL manner Of fruits
and yielding their fruit every month,
and the leaves OF the trees are for the
healing Of the nations, and there shall
be no more curse, but the throne Of
God and Of the Lamb shall be in It.
and his servants shall serve him, and
they shall see his face, and his name
shall be in their foreheads, and there
shall be no night there. and they need
no candle, neither light Of the sun, for
the Lord God giveth them light, and
they shall reign forever and ever"
But just think OF place so brilliant
that the monday sun shall be re-
moved from the mantle Of the sky be-
cause 1t is too feeble a taper. Yet most
Of all am l impressed with the fact
that am not yet fit for that place. nor
you either. BY the reconstructing
and sanctifying grace of Christ we
need to be made all over. and let US
be getting our passports ready II we
want to get into that country. An
earthly passport is a personal matter,
telling our height, earthly pass
port is a personal matter, tell
ing our girth, the color OF our hair.
our features, our complexion and our
age. l cannot get into foreign port
on your passport. nor can you get in
on mine. Each one OF US for himself
needs a divine signature, written by
the wounded hand Of the Son OF God.
to get into the heavenly orchard. un-
der the laden branches Of which in
Gods good time We may meet the |
Adam Of the first orchard, and the Sol
Omon OF the second orchard, and the |