Omaha daily bee., 1915-10-24

| or spiritual cocaine The sermon should
: strike a chill into the spineless jelly
/ fish. hslf-hcarted fellow who sits In the
, pew Compromise never pays. The
crowd or the cause with which you COM
promise win use you as long as Il needs
you-then tho "scrap-pie FOR yours" The
hinges Of Christ's knees were never oiled
by the oil Of compromise.
! Tho church seems 70 have lost It's pas
sion for vital religion. and is lollng In
her wel-fed content, satisfied with mag
nificent buildings, stained glass win
dows pipe organs, vcstments, rich, in
fluential congregations, and spiritual
death awaits the church unless IL hurts
itself from its couch OF ease, and chooses
tho wilderness in place OF tho flesh-pots
of Egypt. In all ages Of the worlds his
tory God has been In a hurry to bless.
but man doesn't seem to be in any haste,
Some know God only by hearsay.
The Fir Tree.
The wood OF the fir was used for the
ceiling in Solomons temple. II was Gov
cred with beautiful carvings OF earthly
and heavenly pictures, cherubim. palm
trees. pomegranates, these overlaid and
inlaid with pure gold. The door of the
temple was made OF fir. ornamented In a
similar way. Again II Is not hard TO see
what he has to say in the text The
character Of a good man is always built
into the House OF God. Every man who
Is a true Christian is a shield and protec-
tor of all that is good; because he stands
/ true others find It easier to do right be-
cause he does right others find Il harder
/ to do wrong. Every Christian is a door
TO the House OF God. Through his lifo
others win come into the church. His
/ influence is bound to draw others after
him. 1t did when his life was wrong
and 1t certainly will whom his life is
right
Fir was used to make flooring for
| decks OF ships, put under the feet Of peo-
pie to walk upon; It was not only put
/ where It could be seen and admired, but
in humble places where the storm could
smite 1t and the sun scorch II.
Religion Is not only the most beautiful
and helpful thing In the world, but when
one is truly saved they don't spend their
time asking God to put them in the lime
light. When we are truly the Lords we
will be as ready to sing Where He
Leads" as when the Roll Is Called"
The stone that lies the lowest in the
foundation has a bigger job than the
flagstaff at the summit.
Look at the myrtle tree. II was an ever
green tree. Neither weather nor season
affected its looks. l would believe the
millennium were here II people looked
happy in prayer meeting and In society.
There was nothing to make one think
of the ground hog until he saw the myrtle
| tree. The real Christian never backslides
because 1t SHOWS or the moon changes.
The myrtle had a very sweet scent,
peculiarly its own. Gould tell in the
dark when near II. There is fragrance
about real Christian character, something
that's not killed by suffering or misfor-
tune, Some OF the most Chrlstlike poo
pie have ever known have been great
sufferers.
Like Christians Trees.
Il 1t was covered with blossoms, snow
white, star-shaped, symbolizing purity OF
, the Christian. You can recognize them
by their conduct, speech and spirit It
would keep the most persevering hypo-
critic busy the whole of his life counter
feiting real Christians. True Christian
ity can no more be doubted than the
sunshine.
Madame Guyon turned the bastIle into
a palace; Bunyan turned Bedfords little
jail into the anteroom of heaven; Paul
turned his prison chains into links of
gold; Jerry McAuley turned Sing Sing
penitentiary into a paradise.
Christianity is the great remedy. 1t
will pull our your gossipng tongue It
will yank the champagne and beer out OF
your cellars. II will tear the cards off
the table and put the Bible there.
The twigs would bend any and every
way, Almost impossible to break them.
They were almost as unbreakabe as
: wifi
berries, white blossoms, Just the thing to
weave into garlands Garlands have oil.
ways been the symbol of victory Vic
tory should always be the slogan of the
Christian, 1t is not the will of God
that we should spend much time under
the Juniper tree.
1t is our privilege TO triumph over the
world, the flesh and the devil. 81 can
do all things through Christ. who
strengthened me-"
Then nail your flag to the mast and
go to It in the name of the Lord.
There are some lessons in the two trees.
Thank God that wherever religion OF
Jesus Christ goes in this old sin-cured
world. 1t pulls up thorns and briars. It
does 1t in individuals. in churches, in
cities, in nations. The warfare against
Gin is not hopeless Not only Will there
be turn In the tide for the better, but
we will overthrow the devil and his
angels, Perdition will not pour its black
river of filth and desolation over the
earth. The thorn shall not blight for
ever. Righteousness shall cover the
earth.
Give Jesus Christ's religion a chance
You will see no drunkards Keeling down
the street No girl will sci lher virtue
He will make out Of this whisky soaked,
swearing, degraded, degenerate Sabbath
breaking. miserable world q paradise. The
war against evil Is not hopeless The
devil will be overthrown.
Which are you? The thorn or fir TIT
! briar or myrtle?