The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-09-13
ana wave them before the throne,
Peace through our Lord Jesus

glowing and everlasting relationship
with the God of tho whole universal
That is tho 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
q sword or cavalry stirrup or
twisted of one Of tho wheels of the
chariot of his omnipotcnce. But tho
moment we bring this olive branch
God and all Heaven como on our side.
Peace through our Lord Jesus C.4rist,
and no other kind of peace is worth
anything.
But my text takes o step further,
md it says, Go into tho mountain
and fetch olive branches and pine
branches and palm branchca. Now, tho
palm trco was very much honored
by the ancients. It had $50 different
uses. Tho fruit was conserved, tho
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 tho top of the highest
leaf there was usefulness. Tho tree
grew S5 feet in height sometimes,
and it spread leaves four and f9c feet
long. It meant usefulness, and it
meant victory usefulness for what
1t produced and victory because it
was brought into celcbra tions. OF
triumph. And oh, how much we want
the palm branches in the churches
OF Jesus Christ at this tilnol A
great many Christians do not amount
to anything. You hayo to shove
them Off the track to let tho Lords
chariots come along.
I know tho old plan wos, tho plan
now is, in regard to worldly invest
ments-you hear it, merchants tell
you-do not put cverything into ono
thing, do not put. oil your eggs into
one basket. But I havo to tell you
in this matter of religion you had
better give your all to God and then
get in yourself. Oh, says somo ono.
MY business is to sell silks and
cloths" Well, then, my brother, sell
silks and cloths to the glory Of God.
And some ono says, "My business is
to raise corn and carrots" Then,
my brother, raise corn and carrots to
tho glory Of God. And sonno one
says. "My business Is to manufacture
horseshoe nails" Then manufacture
horseshoe nails to tho glory Of God.
There is nothing Cor you to do that
you ought to do but for the glory Of
God.
4 Usefulness Is typihed by tho palm
tree. All, we do not want in the
church any moro people that ore
merely weeping willows, aghing into
tho water, standing nnd ndmiring
their long lnshes in the glasay spring.
No wild cherry, dropping bitter fruit.
Wo want palm trees, holding some
thing for God. something for angels.
something for man. I am tired and
eiok Of this fat, tame, insipid, satin
alippered, nambypamby, hightytighty
religion! It is worth nothing for this
world, and 1t 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 tho Christian
standard In ten years 10000 of
them would take tho whole earth for
God. But whom are we going to be-
sgln2 We all want to be useful. There
sis7lot q { ma In y ho poWs that docs
hot 4 want to BIO us full. When arc
we going to begin? .s .3a
But tho palm branch also meant
victory. You all know that. In oil
eges, In oil lands, the palm branch
means victory. Well, now, we are by
nature the servants Of satan. Ho
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 tho face,
and we fly at him, and we wrestle
him down, and we put our heel on
his neclS, and we grind him in tho
Gust. and wo 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 nc whose
transgrcssion 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
at somerville my fathef> used to lead
tho singing, and he had the old fnah-
toned tuning fork, and he would
strike 1t upon ail knee, and then
put tho tuning fork to his ear to
catch tho right pitch and start the
hymn. But, friends, do you not think
we had better be catching tho pitch
Of the everlasting song, the aong Of
victory, when we shall be more than
conquerors2 Had we not better be-
GIN the rehearsal on earth? "They
shall hunger no more, neither thirst
any moro; neither shall the sun
light on them, nor any heat. For the
Lamb which is in the mist Of tho
throne shall feed thom and shall lead
them to living fountains Of waters,
and God shall wipe away oil tears
from their eyes,"
But then we must havo that other
olive branch, poace with man. Now,
it is very easy to get up quarrel.
There are gunpowdery Christians sll
around us, and one match Of provooa-
tion will set them off. 1t Is easy
enough to got up q quarrel. But, nay
brother, do you not think you had
better havo your horns sawed Off?
Mad not you better mako an apol-
ogy? Had not you better submit to
little humiliation? "Oh," you say,
"until that man takes the first step
will mover be ut peaco with him.
Nothing will be done until he is ready
70 take the first step!" 70, are a
pretty Christian. When would this
world be saved If Christ had not