The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-07-11

been eaten Dy VIII beasts, tney n"'e
been burned at the stake; they were
tortured in every conceivable manner.
Women have had their children taken
from them and themselves outraged.
"1'hey were stoned. they were sawn
asunder. were tempted, were siam
with the sword; they wandered ABOUT
in sheep and goat skins; being desh-
tute, afflicted, tormented, Of whom the
world was not worthy and yet
through the burning of Rome, and the
Dark Ages, and the massacre OF st.
Bartholomew, through all the past CEN
turies Christianity has been growing
like cedar Of Lebanon;' it IS flour
ishing like the palm tree. This ieads
to our next thought.
VII. The palm tree is emblem OF
victory and rejoicing. The Jews en-
ployed palm branches on the feasts OF
tabernaces, and on festive occasions.
They carried them before princes and
distinguished personages. waving them
in token of Joy and triumph. The
Egyptians waved palm branches III
honor of Osrus. and bore them before
conQuerors in their triumphs. The rea-
son given by Plutarch why the sym
bol was adopted by the idolators is the
nature of the wood, which so power
fully resists recumbent pressure; but
more enlightened nations bear palm
branches after victory. 10 acKnowl-
edge the author Of their success and
prosperity.
Said the presiding elder ITO the dis
couraged minister. who had run away
from his charge: Have they ever
spat upon YOU" The minister said:
"No. they have not gone that far"
did they ever crown you with
thorns" And the minister began TO
weep. Then said the elder. WHO is
going to reign at the end Of this
world?" Oh, friends! Jesus Christ has
won and is going to reign until all Bis
enemies are put under His feet. How
would one Of the political parties feel
toward its opponents. If that party
knew that the victory was Won already
and that all the work from now until
November would be spent simply in
getting its majority? The palm tree
Christian has victory over the world.
the flesh, and the devil; yea, even
death itself. Tertullian said: I'VE
conquer when we fall" We read such
statements as the following, III connec-
ton with the death Of the martyrs:
"He has received the palm Of martyr
DOM" "He has been crowned with
the palm of the martyrs" st. Agatha
replied to the tyrant: off you do not
rend my body upon the rack, my soul
cannot enter the Paradise Of God with
the palm of martyrdom." There are
palms upon the tombs of Caius. Tibur.
thus, Valerious, Mamimianus, Filumena
and others. At Cawnpore, In India,
there is a well. enclosed by wall OF
white marble about twenty feet high
and tifty-seven PAGES in circumference.
On the stone that covers ,he well is in
scribed these words: Sacred to the
perpetual memory of great company
of Christian people, Chiefly women and
children, cruelty massacred near this
spot by the rebel Mana Sahib. and
thrown the dying with the dead, into
the we1 beneath. on the 18th day OF
July, 1857" In the centre Of the EN-
closure is n sculptured angel of resur.
rection With illumined face, and bold
ing high two palm branches, meaning
victory. To-day we remember Paul
with admiration. but Nero with dis.
gust. The future pages Of history will
condemn the Sultan of Turkey, but
uphold the Armenian Christians. The
land. which the blessed Christ has
trod. shall yet become as the Garden
of Eden. Jesus Christ is coming back
to the earth. Oh, blessed thought!
VIII. The palm tree is n type of
Heaven. The weary traveller in desert
lands looks forward to the palm tree
with great joy, for it promises him
food and shelter overhead, and wells
Of water underneath. The first thing
Of interest in the promised land was
the city of Palm Trees. 1t was en-
ployed in the real temple Of Solomon.
and in the visionary temple of Ezekiel.
Both Simon and Judas Maccabes en-
tered Jerusalem after their victories.
bearing palm branches. Solomon COW
cred all the walls Of the Holy Of Holes
round about with palm trees to indi-
cate its heavenly connection, and being
honored by the ministration OF angels.
The Christian pilgrim looks forward
with joy to the time when lie shall sit
down with Abraham. Isaac and Jacob,
in the Kingdom Of God" to eat of the
Tree of Life and drink of the Water of
Life The Christian has home in a
city, where they need not the light of
the sun, where the walls are jnsper.
and the streets gold. and each one of
the twelve gates pearl. A city,
where there is no cemetery. for there is
10 sickness, pain, nor death. A city.
where they need 10 policeman. for al!
is peace and perfect love. He shall
have a new name. n white robe, a
crown upon his brow, and better than
all else. he shall have palm in his
hand. Oh, who would not be a Chris
tian? Someone says. "Why" Why?
The righteous shall flourish like the