The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-04-01
THE PALM TREE CHRISTIAN
DISCOURSE PREACHED BY REV, f..
WINSLOW ADAMS.
AT Epworth Methodist Church Yester-
day FOrenoon-A synopsis of the Ser
mon and Outline of Its Features.

| day FOrenOon--A synopsis OF the ser.
mon and Outline of Its Features.
The Rev. Fred Winslow Adams
preached very interesting and effec-
tive sermon at Epworth Methodist
Episcopal church Sunday morning to a
large congregation. His text was from
the 92d psalm, 1.-THE righteous( shall
flourish like the palm tree" and his
subject, "The Palm Tree Christian"
The following is synopsis of the ser
mon:
"The righteous shall flourish like the
palm tree" Psalms Xc, ~.
The palm tree as a symbol of victory
in Christian life.
Its beauty, and the victory of a
clean heart Cd Elect. (2) Tall. (3)
Free from knots. "a Clean.
Hts soil; the victory over environ
ment.
Grows in the worst soil.
Hits rootage: the victory Of foun-
dalton. -
Roots long and strike deep into the
ground.
Christ the sure foundation; rooted
and founded in love-
Wits manner of growth: the vic
| tory of influence.
Grows in clusters.
| Wits use; the victory of toll.
| "a Reveals hidden springs. (2) Gives
| fragrance and shelter. (3) Variety of
uses (good for over 800 different things).
| az Abundance of fruit 600 pounds of
dates to tree) (5) Best fruit at ma
turity.
| Wits culture; the victory of disci-
pline.
Bears better fruit if the branches are
| tied down.
Willis life; the victory of ideals CEN
tered in Christ
ID It's life is within. (2) Its life flow
ers at the top. The end crowns the
work Set your affections OH things
above.
The sermon not only contained much
beauty of thought, but abounded in
telling and epigrammatic statements.
Mr.. Adams said among other things:
The palm tree is one of the most beau
tiful trees that grows; tall, erect with
out knot clean, a very Gibsonesque
of the forest, it rises sixty, seventy,
eighty feet, and flowers in royal
crown Of foliage, a superb canopy of
green The palm tree Christian is up
right in his dealing with both God and
man; never talks about his ups and
downs" or his CROOKED paths" he is
not forever hating between two opin-
ions, of struggling between God and
Baal, but his life is clean lif upward,
His motto is Look up and lift up and
the light of heaven is in his face.
We have current expression Beau
ty is only skin deep There was never
a greater falsehood. The true proverb
is Handsome Is that handsome does"
for beauty is measured by soul depths.
Show me a clean life and I will show
you a beautiful life.
People who say they cannot rise or
cannot be honest and true because of
environment forget that the highest
protagonists of the race have, like the
palm tree, sprung up out of the worst |
soil, and transmitted that which was
WOlSl III LIE lIllO I'LL THAI rs pest III man.
The palm tree, standing always clean, |
in dust and storm, is a living symbol of |
the Scripture 'in the world, but not of |
it,"
The palm is the most fruitful of trees. |
Herein is my Father glorified, that We |
bear much fruit We are not called to
the church merely to enroll our names, |
or subscribe to a creed, or sustain GER
tain ethical standards, but the call to |
the church is a call to the front, to
bring forth works meet for repentance: |
to fish for men; to bear much fruit, 80
shall We be my disciples" One half the
members of Epworth church are either
in the hospital or off on furlough. In
this l do not include the poor, the aged
and the sick. but the miffed the indo-
lent, the stingy, and the backs
ridden If this one-half would
come out of the hospital, or if on a fur
Tough, let us hear from them in SUBJ
stantial way, occasionally, and help
bear the burden of their brethren at
the front, Epworth church would sail on
as easily as ship in a stiff breeze
You cut little girdle two inches deep
about one Of our trees here, and it
would die as effectuAlly as If you cut it
down. But forty girdles wouldn't in
jure the palm tree, for It's youngest
wooNis on the inside. It's life springs
rom within. Two many good people
bleed to death from surface wounds
Rub them the wrong way, or fail to
show them the attention they think
hey ought to have, and they are ready
% leave the church. But the palm true
may neglect, rebuke re-
puff and SANDER him, he goes right on
'eceiving the reward of the prosecuted p,
or righteousness sake, saying with
Paul None of these things move me-"
His life is from within-his with Christ
n God.
The final answer to the question l
What is a palm tree Christian?" Mr.,
dams III. |