Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-09-02
GunpOwdery Chrfstfans.

taken the first step? We were in the
wrong; Christ was in the right, all
right and forever right, and yet he
took the first step. And instead Of go
ing and getting a knotty scourge with
which to whip your antagonist, your
enemy, you had better get up on the
radiant mount where Christ suffered
for his enemies and just take an olive
branch, not stripping off the soft, cool,
fragrant leaves, leaving them all on.
and then try on them that gospel
switch 1t will not hurt them, and it
will save you. Peace with God; peace
with man. If you cannot take those
two doctrines, you are no Christian.
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
From sorrow, toll and pain
And sin shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.
But my text goes further. It says,
GO up into the mountain and fetch
olive branches and pine branches"
Now. what is suggested by the pine
branch? The pine tree is healthy; it is
aromatic; it is evergreen. How often
the physician says to his invalid pa
tients, Go and have a breath Of the
pines; that will invigOrate you" Why
do such thousands of people go south
every year? 1t is not merely to get to
a warmer climate, but to get the infu-
ence Of the pine. There is health in
it, and this pine branch Of the text sug
I,,zIx- II;
giOn. 1t is full of health, health for
all, health for the mind health for the
soul. l knew an aged man who had
no capital Of physical health. He had
had all the diseases you could imagine.
He did not eat enough to keep a child
alive; he lived on q beverage of hOsan-
mas; he lived high, for he dined every
day with the King; he was kept alive
simply by the force Of our holy reli-
giOn. 1t is a healthy religion, healthy
for the eye. healthy for the hand,
healthy for the feet, healthy for the
heart, healthy for the liver, healthy for
the spleen, healthy for the whole man.
1t gives d man such peace, such quiet
ness, such independence Of circum-
stances, such holy eQuipoise. Oh, that
we all possessed it; that we possessed
it now! l mean it is healthy if man
gets enough Of it. Now there are some
people who get just enough religion to
bother them, just enoug. religion to
make them sick, but if a man take
full deep, round inhalation Of these
pine branches of the gospel arbor he
will find it buoyant, exuberant, indy
ing, immortal health.
Religion Is Evergreen.
But this evergreen of my text also
suggests the simple fact that religion is
evergreen. What does the pine branch
care for the snow on its brow? 1t is
only q crown of glory. The winter
cannot freeze it out. This evergreen
tree branch is as beautiful in winter
as it is in the summer. And that is the
characteristic of our holy religion; in
the sharpest, coolest winter Of mis-
fortune and disaster it is as good re-
Egion as it is in the bright summer
sunshine. Well, now, that is a prac
teal truth, for l suppose If [ would
go up and down these aisles l would
not find in this house so people who
had had no trouble, but there are some
of you who have especial trouble. God
only knows what you go through with
Oh, how many bereavements, how
many poverties, how many persecu-
lions! How many misrepresentation!
And now, my brother, you have tried
everything else. why do you not try
this evergreen religion? 1t is just as
good for you now as it was in the day
of prosperity; it is better for you. Per
haps some Of you feel almost like
Muckle Backie, the fisherman, who
was chided one day because he kept
on working although that very day he
buried his child. They came to him
and said, cit is indecent for you to be
mending that boat when this after
noon you buried your child" And the
fisherman looked up and said "Sir, it
is very easy for you gentlefolks to stay
in the house with your handkerchiefs
to your eyes in grief, but, sir, ought
to let the other five children starve be-
cause one of them is drowned? No,
sir; we maun work, we maun work,
though our hearts beat like this ham
mer."
You may have had accumulation of
sorrow and misfortune. They come in
focks, they come in herds upon your
soul, and yet I have to tell you that
this religion can console you, that it
can help you, that it can deliver you if
nothing else will Do you tell me that
the riches and the gain of this world
can console you? How was it with the
ecclesiastic who had such a fondness
for money that when he was sick he
ordered basin of goldpieces to be
brought to him, and he put his equity
hands down among the goldpieces, cool
ing his hand off in them, and the rattle