The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1901-09-06


branch care for the snow on its brow?
1t is only crown of glory. The win
ter cannot freeze it out. This ever
green 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 win
ter of misfortune and disaster 1t is as
good a religion as it is in the bright
summer sunshine. Well, now, that is
practical truth. For suppose II /
should go up and down these aisles
would not find in this house fifty
people who had had no trouble. But
there are some of you who have es-
pecial trouble. God only knows what
you go through with. Oh, how many
bereavements, how many poverties,
how many prosecutions, how many
Misrepresentation! And now, my
brother, you have tried everything
else, why do you not try this ever
green religion? 1t is just as good for
you now as it was in the day of pros
perity. 1t is better for you. Perhaps
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,
1T is indecent for you to be mending
that boat when this afternoon you
buried your child" And the fisherman
looked up and said, "Sir, 1t is very
easy for you gentlefolks to stay in the
house with your handkerchief to your
eyes in grief; but, sir, ought l to let
the other five children starve because
one of them is drowned? No, sir. We
maun work. we maun work, though
our hearts beat like this hammer"
The Significance of the Palm.
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 $50 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 use
fulness. The tree grew 50 feet in
height sometimes, and it spread leaves
four and five feet long. It meant use
fulness, and it meant victory-useful-
ness for what it produced and victory
because it was brought into celebra-
tions Of 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 track to let the
Lords chariots come along.
| know the old plan was, the plan
now 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 have to tell you in this
matter of religion you had better give
your all to God and then get in your
self. Oh, says some one, MY bust
ness 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 horseshoe nails to the
glory of God. There is nothing for you
to do that you ought to do but for the
glory of God.
The Victory Over Satan.
But the palm branch also meant VIC
tory. 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 some day we rouse up,
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 dust,
and we say, Victory, victory, through
our Lord Jesus Christi" Oh what a
grand thing it is to have sin under
foot and wasted life behind our
backs. Blessed is he whose trans
gression is forgiven AID those sin is
covered"
Some one says How about the in
ture?" What, gays the man, feel so
sick and worn out with the ailments
Of life. You are going to be more
than conqueror. But, says the man,
am so tempted. l am so pursued in
lite. You are going to be more than
conqueror. /, who have so many all
ments and heartaches, going to be
more than conqueror? Yes. unless
you are so self conceited that you
want to manage all the affairs OF your
life yourself instead of letting God
manage them. Do you want to drive
and have God take back seat? "Oh
no." you say, II want God to be my
leader" Well, then, you will be more
than conqueror. Your last sickness
will come, and the physicians in the
next room will be talking about what
they will do for you. What difference
will it make what they do for you?