Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-06-21
SUNDAY SERMON
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A Scholarly Discourse By =
Rev. VIM. T. Best. =
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES {

the eloquent divine, the KeV. william
7. Best. He took for his text, "Thc
righteous shall flourish like the palm
tree" and said:
Look at the wonderful way in which
the Holy Spirit works OIL Il man. Just
think of man whose "throat is an
open sepulchre." his mouth full of
curslng." his feet swift to shed inno-
cent blood, his heart "deceitful and
desperately wicked" spreading him
self like green bay tree" IA tree that
is good for nothing, but to keep the
sunlight out Of the marsh. the very
place where it ought to shine). and
then think of the Holy Spirit taking
hold of that man. bringing him from
darkness to light" from the power Of
sin and Satan to God, putting a new
song" In his mouth, placing his feet III
the "way of peace" taking away the
"stoHy heart" and giving him an "heart
Of flesh" changing him from II hard,
fruitless, good-fOrnothing bay tree into
an upright, useful. victorious palm
tree. 1t is wonderful. wonderful! but
that Is not ali.
"For God will give him all things"
Christ will never leave nor forsake
him; the Holy Ghost will lead and
guide him into call TRUTH" the angels
of Heaven will have charge concerning
him to keep him in all his ways. "He
shall be like tree planted by the riv-
ers of water, that bringeth forth his
fruit in his season; his leaf also shall
not wither and whatsoever lie doeth
shall prosper" "He shall flourish IN
the courts of God" he shall flourish
like the palm tree" ''he shall still
bring forth fruit in old age, lie shall be
fat and fiourishlng"
The palm tree is the prince Of the
vegetable kingdom, so named from Its
noble aspect; it sometimes rises one
hundred feet. unbroken by branches.
bearing Mt Its summit Il magnificent
and graceful crown Of large. fan
shaped and fcathery leaves, in the
shadow Of which are suspended great
clusters Of fruit. No tree can look
more lordly or beautiful 1t Is not.
however, only beautiful, for, from the
bottom of its lowest root to the top
leaves, baskets. bags, mats and brushes
are made; from its trunk, fences, canes,
poultry cages, building material and
fuel are obtained. while from its
1brous webs thread is procured, which
may be twisted into ropes and rigging.
1t furnishes food. shelter, clothing,
fibre, starch, paper, wood, sugar, oil.
wax, tannin, dycing materials, resin
and host Of other things, in all, max
ing three hundred and sixty. In Egypt,
Arabia and Persia many Of the inhab-
itants subslst almost entirely on its
fruit. For more than one hundred
years 1t maintains It's vigor and beauty,
and there Is no more charming nor
majestic sight than this king among
the trees Of the plain" "as 1t looks far
away in the distance and gazcs into the
face Of the sun, u symbol of life In the
midst Of world of death"
The Christian may be compared to
the palm tree In the following respects:
|. The palm tree is of humble
growth, its stem being thick in proper
ton to Its height, and Is not more com.
pllcated in structure than that of the
conAnon butcher broom. Sometimes 1t
produces a series Of adventitlous roots.
which thrust themselves into the soil
and serve TO steady 1t. On account
of its weakness rllny says. they will
sometimes plant three or four Of them
together. forming one strong. lofty and
beautiful tree. They were planted in
the courts Of the temple.
The little things Of to-day are the
great things Of tomorrow. The King.
dom Of Heaven "is like Il grain Of mus.
tard seed, which Il man took and cast
into his garden; and 1t grew and wAxed
a great tree" When Il man Is born
into the Kingdom of God. he is but
babe In Christ. and looks TO those
around him for help; but how often he
is disappointed, and finds that they,
who should be his best friends. are
often his greatest foes. This teaches
him the great lesson of taking his eyes
off men and placing them on Christ,
and by prayer and faith to reach out
and take hold of the solid rock. so that
when the winds OF temptation and
floods Of doubt come, he Is enabled to
stand. The great privilege. however. is
open to him Of uniting with the Chris
tian Church, and thus with people like
Lord, grow up into n beautiful Chris
tian character.
ii. The palm tree grows In the
purest soil; it will not grow and flour
ish in filthy places like some trees"
Its heart Is soft and tender, and Is fed
by hidden springs. that flow beneath
the surface of the ground. Its roots
drink deep. and ARE sustained. while
they send up the moisture into the
leaves and branches. and they are re-
freshpd and inyig0rated. "lts pres
ence, travellers assure us, indicates that
water is near. and may be obtained
from springs. or by digging; according
ly, Israel found twelve springs and
seventy palm trees at ELM"
The palm tree Christian grows in the
purest soil, where the Gospel is
preached in its purity. David said,
"Who shall ascend into the hill Of the
Lord? He that hath clean hands and
a pure heart" The Saviour said,
BLESSED are the pure in heart, for
they shall see Cod" The blessing Of
pure heart" and the blessing Of
holiness are one and the same thing;
pure means unmiXed, holiness means
Wilderness, both mean perfectness. God
said to Abraham, IL am the Almighty
God; walk thou before Me, and be thou
perfect" David said, MARK the per-
feet man aud behold the upright, for
the end of that man is peace" Jesus
said to the young ruler. "lf thou wilt
be perfect. go and sell that thou bast.
and give to the poor" DE ye there
for perfect, even rs your father, which
Is in Heuven. is perfect" Some men
say they do not believe III perfection
but what a man believes he believes
is very different from what lie does
believe" No man will cut the sleeve
cut of his coat. or the Toe out OF his
.I...r cILl