The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-03


with it, and l have noticed in every
sect where the cross of Chris is set
forth it is planted with olive
branches. And all we have to do is
to get rid of this war between God
and ourselves, of which we are all
tired. We want to back out of the
war, we want to get rid of this hos
tllity. All we hav2 to do is just to
get up on the mount of Gods bless
ing and pluck these olive branches
and wave them before the throne.
Peace through our Lord Jesus
Christ!
Oh, it does not make much differ
ence what the world thinks of you,
but come into the warm, intimate,
glowing and everlasting relationship
with the God of the whole universe!
That is the joy that makes hal
leluiah seem stupid. Why do we want
to have peace through our Lord Jesus
Christ? Why, if we had gone on in
10000 years of war against God we
could not have captured so much as
sword or cavalry stirrup or
listed off one Of the wheels of the
chariot of his omnipotence. But the
moment we bring this olive branch
God and all Heaven come on our side.
Peace through our Lord Jesus C-.rist,
and no other kind of peace is worth
anything.
But my text takes a step further,
and it says, Go into the mountain
and fetch olive branches and pine
branches and palm branches. Now, the
palm tree was very much honored
by the ancients. 1t had 360 different
uses. The fruit was conserved, the
sap was beverage, the stems were
ground up for food for camels. The
base of the leaves was turned into
hats and mats and baskets, and from
the root to the top of the highest
leaf there was usefulness. The tree
grew IS feet in height ometimes,
and it spread leaves four and five feet
long. 1t meant usefulness, and it
meant victory-usefulness for what
it produced and victory because it
was Ihto SClCbl al Va
triumph. And oh, how much we want
the palm branches in the churches
of Jesus Christ at this time! A
great many Christians do not amount
to anything. You have to shove
them off the tracN to let the Lords
chariots come along. -s
l know the old plan was, the plan
Eow is, in regard to worldly invest
ments-you hear it, merchants tell
you-do not put everything into one
thing, do not put all your eggs into
one basket. But I have to tell you
in this matter of religion you had
better give your all to God and then
get in yourself. Oh, says some one,
MY business is to sell silks and
cloths" Well, then, my brother, sell
silks and cloths to the glory Of God.
And some one says, "My business is
to raise corn and carrots" Then,
my brother, raise corn and carrots to
the glory of God. And some one
says, ''My business is to manufacture
horseshoe nails" Then manufacture
There is nothing for you to do that
you ought to do but for the glory OF
God.
Usefulness is typifed by the palm
tree. All, we do not want in the
church any more people that are
merely weeping willows, signing into
the water, standing and admiring
their long lashes in the CLASSY spring.
No wild cherry, dropping bitter fruit.
We want palm trees, holding some
thing for God, something for angels,
something for man. 1 am tired and
sick of this fat, tame, insipid, satin
slippered, nambypamby, hightytighty
religion! 1t is worth nothing foc this
world, and it is destruction for eter-
nifty. Give me 500 men and women
fully consecrated to Christ, and we
will take this city for God in three
years. Give me 10000 men and
women fully up to the Christian
standard. In ten years 10000 of
them would take the whole earth for
God. But when are we going to be-
III VIC al "dht ~ NC oSSioi. hSA Z
is not a man in the pews that does
not want to be useful. When are
we going to begin?
But the palm branch also meant
victory. You all know that. In all
ages, in all lands, the palm branch
means victory. Well, now, we are by
nature the servants of satan. He
stole us, he has his eye on US, he
wants to keep us. But word comes
from our Father that if we will try
to break loose from this doing Of
wrong our Father will help US, and
we look the black tyrant in the face,
and we fly at him, and we wrestle
him down, and we put our heel on
his neck, and we grind him in the
oust, and we say, Victory, victory,
through our Lord Jesus Christi" Oh
what grand thing it is to have sin
under our foot and wasted life be-
hind our backs. BLESSED is he whose
transgression is forgiven and whose
sin is covered"
Do you not think we had better
begin now to celebrate the coming
victory? In the old meeting house
en- 80 l., Il