Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-09-06
The fellowship Of kindred MINDS
Is like TO that above.
From sorrcvs-toil aud pain
And sin We shall be free.
And rcvfect love and friendship reign
Thrc,i-.h all eternity


Through all eternity.
But my text goes further. 1t says,
eco up into the mountain and fetch
olive branches and pine branches"
Now. what is suggested by the pine
branch? The pine tree is healthy; II is
aromatic; II Is evergreen. How often
the physician says to his invalid pa
tients, Go and have a breath of the
pines; that viii iuvigorate you" Why
do such thousands OF people go south
every year? 1t is not merely TO get to
warmer climate. but TO get the infiu-
ence of the pine. There is health In
IL. and this pine branch of the text sug-
gests the helpfulness of our holy reli-
gion. 1t is full of health. health for
all, health for the mind, health for the
soul. | 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 n child
alive; he lived on o 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 reIi-
gion. IL Is n healthy religion. healthy
for the eve. 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 man such peace. such quiet
ness. such independence of circum-
stances, such holy eGuipo.se. Oh, that
we all possessed it; that we possessed
1t now. l mean il is healthy If a man
gets enough of it. Now. there are some
bother them. just cnougl religion to
make them sick, but If n 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 docs the pine branch
care for the snow on its brow? 1t is
only n crown of glory. The winter
cannot freeze it out. This evergreen
tree branch is as beautiful in winter
as 1t is in the summer. And that is the
characteristic of our holy religion: In
the sharpest. .oldest winter of mis-
fortune and disaf n 1t is as good re-
igion as Ii is "a the bright summer
sunshine. Well. now, that is a prac-
teal truth, for / suppose if 1 would
go Up and down these aiSles I 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.
On. 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? II is Just as
good FOR you now as 1t 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. ut 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. II
Is very easy for you gentlefolks to stay
in the house with your handkerchiefs
to your eyes In grief, but. sir. ought 1
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 I'm
locks, they come I'm herds upon your
soul, and yet l have to tell you that
this religion can console you. that II
can help you, that It can deliver you IL
nothing else will. Do you tell me that
the riches and the gain OF this world
can console you? How was Il with the
ecclesiastic who had such n fondness
for money that when he was sick he
ordered n 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 |
md rolling OF these goldpieces were
his amusement and entertainment? All,
the gold and silver, the honors. the |
of this world are n Door
soiace for perturbed spirit You want
better than this world can
give. A young prince. when the chill
iren came around 10 play with him,
refused 10 play. He said. II win play
'nly with kings" And IL would be sup
posed that you would throw away all
'ther solace before this regal satisfac-
ion, this imperial JOY
The Hill of Zion yields