The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1912-03-01
SATURDAY. MIGHT
SERMONSSSz]ESe.,,7
;/,/liHi>N
REySAMUELW PURvIS.D.D.
TREE CHRISTIANS.

but none quite so suggestive as the
tree The Bible is awave with tree.
more than any other sacred boob
From the lost paradise. park OF trees.
where Adam and Eve stood under
their shadow yielding to their nSt
temptation, to the lost paradise regain
cd where the tree OF life stands with
its leaves for the healing OF the mn.
lions. Abram entertaining angels uu
der the oaks OF Mamre, Moses casting
the branch into the bitter waters n
Marah, Absalom's beautiful hair cat,h
ing in the branches by the road side
Elijah under the Juniper tree, JonaN
under the gourd, Nathaniel under the
6g, Zacchaeus in the sycamore. In the
inimitable drama OF Job when thn
grand old hero is in deepest gloom ho
strikingly declares that his life seem,
less than that OF tree. There is hops
OF tree If 1t be cut down that II Wi.
sprout again. but man dicth, yea
giveth up the ghost, and where IL he
Christs figure OF Judgment against IN
fruitful disciple is startling, Every
tree which bringeth not forth good
ITulL is ut"H uONu anu CHSl INTO lll
fire" Ever see the way roots grip the
earth and Irvine about rocks? PAU
knew what he was talking about wh"l
he spoke OF being rooted and ground
ed in the faith" You and l are like
tree. What kind of tree do we req
resent?
"Be Not Like Unto Them"
know Christian, and he is Ike
weeping willow-forever whining
dropping. He's been going home" f'l
years, but has outived three wives
He's a pessimist, and the times are ont
OF joint. He weeps in fear the world
won't last the year out. When | ass
him for money he tells me all his
troubles since he cut his first teeth
He has hung his harp by the willows
and his laShes drip with tears. Sister
Black is n wild cherry. small, sharp.
cynical not bad looking, bears con
siderable fruit; but, oh. my, she j.
bitingly acidiC. She can cook wei.
enough for men and angels, but when
her little Johnnie had the meas,es
the preacher forgot to call. Shoe
He tiptOeS In her presence yet. BrOth.
or Sharp is a thorn tree, sures your
born. You'll handle him with gloves
or wish you had. Not n bad fellow at
heart, but has q case of perpetual
crouch. The wicked flourish like the
green bay tree, the Scripture declares.
1t puzzled the psalmiSt to see the
prosperity OF the wicked His big red
touring car. palatial yacht, private
Pullman hotel car, puzzle us yet but
when the cold waves of eternity strike
that tree it falls with a crash.
Kings of the Forest.
My neighDor minister is an olive tree.
He helped settle a trolley strike. He's
a peaCemaker the William Penn 0t
our town. blessed are the peaccmak-
ers; they shall be called the sons Of
God" No inconsiderabe tree the olive.
like the pine. healthy. ever green, arc
matte. | have some pines in my con
CregatiOn. They're fragrant with the
healing influence Of strong sympa-
thetic nature. Men like to breathe the
atmosphere that sweeps through their
branches. Pine, FIR, spruce. cedar
larch, all belong to one family; are
ever green summer and winter; grow
anywhere. from Sweltering heat OF
tropics to icy region OF arctic zone.
mountain or plain, seashore or desert
None but kings and princes could
dwell in houses of cedar I've one Off
cial who is an oak He's grown slow
~. but he lasts. Rugged, gnarled
some. but upright. firm. powerful
Many years of storm and sunshine
have tested him, Men of his time
have come and gone. He stands like
some proud. gigantic king OF the
greenwood. A generation of grand
children are sheltered beneath his
branches Yes. sir. he's royal oak.
We need more oak in the church.
There are too many brittle poplars
covered with caterpillars and insects
of worldliness. The palm was honor
ed Of the ancients. utiiity-had $50
u5es, fruit food for men. stems for
camels, sap beverage, leaves became
hats, mats, baskets. God also send
us useful Christians. Palms a type
Of victory. You should have seen
that athlete in his palmy days" Don't
hiss that orator, In his palmy days
he led all" The palm is sculptured
on tomb of martyrs. They greeted
Christ with palms. May angels greet
you the same over yonder.
The Tree of Life.
! stood before giant sequoia IN
Yosemite, one of Gods sleepless sentl-
nels OF time. How old was he? One
day tiny seed blew into that rich
Sierra Nevada soil 1t was a sprout
when Abram left Or of Chaldee
One hundred years later Abram dies
That tree is sapling OF a century.
Three hundred years later Isaac. In.
cob and Joseph are gathered to their
Fathers. Centuries pass. Solomon is
In his glory. Greece and Rome have
not yet begun. That tree is still lift.
ing giant arms TO sky. One thousand
years more. Babylon. Nineveh and
Carthage have passed away. Thirty
generations pass. Christ has lived
died and risen. Cities. nations and
civilizations have risen and fallen.
new world is discovered and settled