The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Palm Tree Blessing, by W. E. Shepard
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Title: The Palm Tree Blessing
Author: W. E. Shepard
Release Date: July 9, 2011 [EBook #36662]
Language: English
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Transcribers Note:
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Page 33 ensample changed to example
Page 68 reoice changed to rejoice
Page 68 Bastile changed to Bastille
Page 72 in-coming changed to incoming
Page 73 undercurrents changed to under-currents
Page 107 caldron changed to cauldron
Page 111 strengeneth changed to strengthenth
Page 112 scarifice changed to sacrifice
Page 151 inclosed changed to enclosed
Page 152 usally changed to usually
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The Palm Tree Blessing
A discourse on the various characteristics of the palm tree,
illustrating the many features of the sanctified, Christian life.
_By_ Evangelist W. E. Shepard
_Author of_ "Wrested Scriptures Made Plain" Etc.
NAZARENE PUBLISHING HOUSE KANSAS CITY, MO.
COPYRIGHT, 1913 NAZARENE PUBLISHING HOUSE
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
THE PALM TREE IS NOTED FOR ITS BEAUTY 7
CHAPTER TWO
THE PALM TREE IS NOTED FOR ITS STRAIGHTNESS 11
CHAPTER THREE
THE PALM TREE IS NOTED FOR ITS PERENNIAL FRESHNESS 14
CHAPTER FOUR
THE PALM TREE IS NOTED FOR ITS FRUITFULNESS 19
CHAPTER FIVE
THE PALM TREE IS NOTED FOR SWEETNESS OF ITS FRUIT 26
CHAPTER SIX
THE PALM TREE BEARS FRUIT IN ITS OLD AGE 34
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE PALM TREE IS NOTED FOR ITS UTILITY 41
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE PALM TREE IS APPRECIATED 56
CHAPTER NINE
THE PALM TREE WILL GROW IN THE DESERT 66
CHAPTER TEN
THE PALM TREE FINDS THE WATER 71
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE PALM TREE GETS OTHERS STARTED 76
CHAPTER TWELVE
THE PALM TREE MOUNTS HEAVENWARD 81
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE PALM TREE IS PECULIAR IN ITS GROWTH 86
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE PALM TREE HAS A ROUGH, COARSE EXTERIOR, BUT IS
SOFT AT THE HEART 89
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THE LIFE OF THE PALM TREE IS AT THE CENTER 96
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
THE PALM BRANCH IS THE SYMBOL OF VICTORY 113
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE PALM TREE WILL NOT ADMIT OF GRAFTING 128
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
THE PALM TREE IS ADAPTED TO WARM CLIMATES 142
CHAPTER NINETEEN
PALM TREE PECULIARITIES 146
a. _The Explosive Flower._
b. _The Living Sacrifice._
c. _The Foreign Missionary._
d. _Differences in Size and Form._
Introduction
"The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree."--Psalm 92:12.
Wherever the Holy Spirit in the inspired Word has made any statement
concerning anything, whether in regard to flowers, fruit, agriculture,
horticulture, stock raising, minerals, earth, sea, sky, stars, science,
religion, or what not, rest assured that statement is absolutely
correct. There may be some statements which are hard to understand at
first, but which may become perfectly clear when proper light is thrown
upon them.
The Word of God abounds in comparisons. It says the wicked are "like the
troubled sea," the backslider like the dog "turned to his own vomit
again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." In the
first Psalm it says the ungodly "are like the chaff which the wind
driveth away," but on the other hand the godly are "like a tree planted
by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his
leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
Wherever God has compared the godly or the ungodly with anything, He
certainly understood the case and made no mistake.
If one is not sure of his spiritual standing, it might be well to select
something to which God has likened him, and then note the difference.
Among the most beautiful comparisons in the Word is this: "_The
righteous shall flourish like the palm tree_."
The object of this little book is to show some of the characteristics of
the palm tree blessing. Let the reader not forget to keep before his
mind the thought of measuring up, and in that way be able to determine
whether he belongs to the class mentioned. Please do not think of
neighbor So-and-so, but keep your thought on your own personal
experience.
The Palm Tree Blessing
CHAPTER I
THE PALM TREE IS NOTED FOR ITS BEAUTY
It is certainly one of the most beautiful trees in nature. That is why
so many are used in decorating the premises. People do not plant scrub
oaks in their gardens, but they plant nature's beauties.
In the palm tree realm we have a large variety, of different sizes, such
as date, fan, and cocoa nut, and in them all it seems that God laid
Himself out to make something charming to behold.
When He compared the saint with the palm tree, it signified that there
is something in him that is beautiful. One may be counted homely, or
disfigured by some mark of nature or accident; but in spite of all he
can have God's beauty shining out from his face and life. It matters not
how he may be marked with some naturally undesirable feature, in spite
of all, the palm tree saint has the effulgence of the upper-world glory,
which over tops it all, and there shines forth real, heavenly beauty. So
there is hope for all.
That beautiful daughter of King David, and sister to Absalom, who was
the finest looking man of his day, was called Tamar, which is the Hebrew
word for _palm_. Doubtless she was called Tamar on account of her
beauty. Absalom named his daughter Tamar for this same reason: "And unto
Absalom there was born three sons and one daughter, whose name was
Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance."
Moses was so close to God and heaven during those days on the mount,
that his face literally shone. And just in proportion as people today
get close to the upper world, will God cover them with His celestial
cosmetics. This far surpasses the paint and powder and Circassian cream
of a frivolous and fashion-loving world. If people only knew it, the
more of these--and of dead birds, rag posies, and glittering
gewgaws--they put on, the more unbecoming they appear, and the more any
natural beauty they chance to have is covered up. Whenever a woman
besmears her face with paint and powder, hoping to cover up what she may
think to be unseemly, she might as well carry a placard bearing this
inscription:
To whom it may concern: This is to certify that I am homely, and am
trying to cover up the fact by the use of paint and powder, thus
hoping to deceive the public.
SIGNED--O. C. PRIDE.
"The King's daughter is all glorious within." And because of this it
works out, and so, with God's glory upon one, surely there is no need of
the world's adornments to supplement God's handiwork. "The ornament of
a meek and quiet spirit" is the adorning which all should seek, and all
may obtain.
The climax of trinket wearing is to be found in the heathen world. There
they deck themselves literally from head to heel. They puncture ears,
lips, and nose to find more room for their jewelry. God's arraignment of
His people in the third chapter of Isaiah for patterning after the
heathen customs is appalling, and we wonder that the translators of the
Bible had the ingenuity to ferret out all the different kinds of
trumpery in that dead language and find their proper expression in
English. When the writer was a boy going to a country school, he was
told by the teacher that barbarians wore jewelry, and in proportion as
people did the same today they were barbarian. We once stepped into a
restaurant in the city of Omaha, and noticed a woman seated at one of
the tables. The sight of her hand eclipsed anything we had ever seen.
There were rings galore. We do not remember the number on her fingers,
but she had so many, it looked as if she had not room enough on her
fingers, so she actually had one on her thumb. Doubtless she thought
this added to her beauty. We once saw a fortune teller with large rings
in her ears, three chains around her neck, seven rings on her fingers
and eight bracelets on the wrists.
How different is all this from the beauty which the Holy Spirit gives!
We have seen the faces of some saints that verily shone with the
brightness of the indwelling Christ within. Sometimes in deathbed
scenes God has lifted the curtain just enough to let a little of
heaven's halo fall across the features, and how it lighted up the face
and made it radiant with a glory which at once was known to be
unearthly. God surely knows how to beautify His people.
CHAPTER II
THE PALM TREE IS NOTED FOR ITS STRAIGHTNESS
There is something in the very nature of this remarkable production,
that scarcely allows of any departure from the perpendicular. The palm
tree will grow straight. One seldom sees a crooked one. We remember
seeing one, but it was dead.
Now, if we have the palm tree blessing, we are spiritually straight.
God's people are straight. They are straight in their homes, in the
church, in their business, with the world, with each other and with God.
In their business deals they will not stoop to any underhanded trickery
either on a big scale or little. They will even swear to their own hurt
and change not. They will put themselves out to hunt up the conductor in
order to pay their nickle fare before they leave the car. They never
leave the counter with a surplus of change if they know it. They are
careful about not using many words in buying and selling. They never
cover up the defects and make prominent the good points in their deals.
They endeavor to observe the Golden Rule, doing unto others as they
would have others do to them. They will surely overcome any stingy
element in their makeup, if previously possessed with such a factor.
They will not lavish their homes and let God's cause languish. Their
earthly store belongs to God, and they recognize His right to draw upon
them whenever He chooses.
One of the greatest stumbling blocks to the world today is the
crookedness of so many so-called saints. The world knows when we walk
straight. They may call one an old fogy, brand him as a fanatic, say he
has gone crazy over religion, but at the same time they will say, "He
pays his grocery bills." And perchance a sinner is dying and wants
prayer, he will send for the very one he called fanatical and crazy. Do
you think, dear reader, that you would be the one he would call upon for
prayer?
The story is told of a man who was felling a tree, and was buried
beneath the branches as it fell. On being extricated he was found to be
mortally injured. A physician was summoned, and saw at once that the
poor man must soon die. Being interested in his spiritual welfare, he
told the man plainly that he could not live, and advised him to make his
preparation to meet God, suggesting at the same time that he send for a
certain neighbor who was a deacon in the church. Upon the mention of
this deacon's name, the dying man recoiled, and said, "I hate him. He
has lived alongside of me for years and has never said a word to me
about my soul."
It is said that the palm tree has such a natural tendency to grow
straight, that it will not grow crooked though heavy burdens be placed
upon it. It will push up in spite of all the load, and simply remain
straight. How like God's true saint! Satan has many burdens with which
to break his back, or cause him to deviate from the straight course, but
with this blessing, he is enabled to rise in spite of all and be a
perfectly perpendicular pilgrim. Praise the Lord! Business burdens,
domestic duties, religious responsibilities would crowd in and hold us
down, or shift our course upward, but He who carries our cares, and
bears our burdens will bring us up straight if we but look constantly to
Him.
CHAPTER III
IT IS NOTED FOR ITS PERENNIAL FRESHNESS
The palm tree is an evergreen. It always has a fresh, green crown on
top, on the heavenly side. Some parts may wither; some leaves fade and
fall in time, but up at the top is a never-fading, fresh, beautiful
crown that basks in the open sunlight and is a beauty to behold. Now,
pilgrim, press up alongside of this characteristic and see if you have
the mark.
The palm tree blessing is always a fresh blessing. Those who are so
fortunate as to have this experience have a freshness about them that
makes others desire it. There is nothing stale nor dry in their
testimonies or prayers. With this beautiful characteristic, one does not
say over the same old testimony, repeat the same stereotyped prayer at
family worship, nor ask the same blessing at the table over and over.
You might note the next time you say grace at the table, and then ask
yourself if you have the palm tree blessing.
How refreshing some people's testimonies always are! We are sure to get
something new. Even if it is old, it is set forth in a new garb, and
people enjoy it and get blessed. They have a perennial freshness in
their lives, and a storehouse from which to draw, so that they are
always enabled to bless a congregation whenever they are present.
There are some saints that are always in demand in meetings because they
are so juicy and blessed. There is such a crown of rejoicing toward
heaven in it all, that the meeting is sure to rise in interest and power
whenever they take part.
Have you ever noticed a meeting that begins to rise with each succeeding
testimony? One speaks and the spiritual thermometer goes up a little,
then another in the Spirit talks out his heart, and up goes the
temperature another degree or so, and thus it rises till it reaches a
good, warm level, when suddenly some one arises and instantly down goes
the thermometer. The meeting has cooled off several degrees. What was
the matter? Will you kindly notice the next time you testify, and see if
the thermometer goes up or down? Then ask yourself about this blessing,
providing you cooled the meeting off.
What is the reason, when some people talk or pray, the saints seem to be
so glad? They take it for granted that they are going to get something
helpful and interesting, and that the meeting will get a boost. On the
other hand, why is it when certain others take part, there is a sort of
inward sigh, "uttered or unexpressed," and a settling down to endure the
ordeal till he gets through? We will let the reader answer. Oh, to be
fresh, and free, and full of the Spirit all the time!
The Word declares that "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
liberty." The liberty of the Spirit always makes a meeting fresh and
helpful. One of the prevailing hindrances in the Christian life is
quenching the Spirit. The command is, "Quench not the Spirit" and we
have no right to disobey that injunction any more than any other. We
have seen people pray through at the altar and get wonderfully blessed
and have much of the freedom of the Spirit, and after a few days when
the Spirit desired again to manifest Himself through them, they have
shrunk back through timidity, quenched the Spirit and leaked out in
their experience. Does God make provision for any one to have any less
liberty and freedom of Spirit later on in his Christian life? I trow
not. Look to it then that you do not frustrate the grace of God in your
hearts. If you were ever turned loose in a meeting, or, under the
blessing of God you ran off with the meeting, see to it that you lose
not your liberty, for the Lord may call upon you some other time to
swing loose and take things by storm.
The story is told of Amanda Smith, the colored evangelist, who felt one
time that she should lift her hand in the service and say, "Glory to
God." At first she wondered if that was best under the circumstances,
but felt the prompting was of the Lord, so she lifted her hand and
shouted it out. Immediately the blessing of God was precipitated upon
the congregation and a wonderful time of freedom was the result. We knew
a brother who said he felt impressed once to do a similar thing, but he
allowed something to hold him back, and so grieved the Spirit, and he
declared it took him two weeks to pray back to God. It pays to obey
God. He will surely put His Spirit upon those whom He can trust. He will
give all the liberty we will use. We never need to pray for freedom in
the meetings, for all we have to do is to help ourselves. Imagine a
child coming home hungry, and asking his mother for some bread and
butter. His mother says, "There is the pantry, child, help yourself."
The child teases further for bread and butter. Once more the kind parent
informs him that the cupboard is handy, and he may help himself. But the
child continues to beg. What attitude would that parent finally take? It
would probably result in a good spanking. Imagine a child of God
continually teasing the Lord for liberty, when He is constantly saying,
"Help yourself." The freedom will surely be on hand when we step out and
do our part.
The amusing story is told of Frederick Douglas who rose from slavery to
quite a place in history. When in bondage in the South, he was wont to
pray the Lord to give him his freedom. But he said the Lord did not
answer his prayer. Again and again he prayed, but the Lord did not
answer his petition. "One night," said he, "I went out and set my eyes
on the North Star, and scratched gravel behind, and then the Lord
answered my prayer." No wonder the paper he afterwards edited was called
the _North Star_. If more people who are in bondage to fear, and are
longing at the same time for deliverance, would do as this man of color
did--set their spiritual eyes on the pole star of freedom, and scratch
gravel--they would soon find their prayers for liberty answered.
CHAPTER IV
IT IS NOTED FOR ITS FRUITFULNESS
In the orient, where the date palm thrives the best, it is astonishing
the quantity of delicious fruit it bears. It affords one of the chief
industries, and is one of the principal articles of food.
Seeing the inspired Word declares that the righteous flourish like the
palm tree, it stands to reason that the righteous bear an abundance of
spiritual fruit. Fruit-bearing is the chief characteristic of the saint.
"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have
your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life" (Rom. 6: 23). A
nonfruit-bearing holiness is a nonentity.
"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away: and every
branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it that it may bring forth more
fruit" (John 15:2). In other words, every Christian who ceases to bear
fruit, becomes a backslider and is cut off; while every one that bears
fruit, keeps connected with the True Vine, and gets cleansed, or
sanctified. This statement simply means, then, that one must get
cleansed, or lose what grace he has. These are solemn truths, and each
one should look well to his fruit bearing, and continue in the same.
"Now the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is
no law" (Gal. 5:22, 23). All palm tree saints are in the fruit business.
There is no law, says the text, against such a business. There is no law
written in the Bible, or upon our hearts that opposes it. There is no
law of nature that runs counter to it. The law of the land does not
forbid one having love, joy, peace, or any of the other varieties. Even
formal ecclesiastical law does not oppose one having love, joy, peace,
or the others mentioned; but sometimes it raises a hue and cry, and
brings forth a storm of persecution when the outward manifestations of
this fruit intrude into their graveyard quietness, and thus disturb
their death.
God gave the Israelites specific instructions what to do when they
gained the Promised Land. He told them when they entered Canaan they
were to take of the fruit of the land and put it into a basket and go to
the proper place and say to the priest, "I profess this day unto the
Lord thy God, that I am come unto the country which the Lord swore unto
our fathers for to give us" (Deut. 26:3). The spiritual application is
this: When one arrives at Canaan today, he should immediately have a
fine basket of the fruit of the land, and go to the church and tell
preacher and people, that in the providence and mercy of God he has
received a clean heart full of pure love, or in other words, he has been
sanctified wholly. But he must have his basket of fruit. Alas! too many
are testifying these days to being "saved and sanctified and sweetly
kept," and when one looks for the basket of fruit, there is "nothing but
leaves," or perchance some peelings, stems and shells.
Abraham Lincoln once said, "You may fool some of the people all the
time, and all the people some of the time; but you can't fool _all_ the
people _all_ the time." The palm tree saint does not fool any of the
people any of the time. He simply has his basket of fruit with him, and
if one is inclined to doubt his testimony, all he has to do is to look
into his basket and behold the grapes, figs, and pomegranates of Canaan.
This is what tells so on others who have not as yet arrived at the
station. When they see such delicious displays from the land of Beulah,
their mouths begin to water, and there is an inward longing for some of
the same kind. But what a stigma upon the religion of Jesus Christ, when
one lays claim to Canaan experience, and has nothing to show for it but
an empty basket!
When the spies returned from their Canaan exploration they brought of
the fruit to Moses and said, "We came unto the land whither thou sentest
us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of
it" (Num. 13:27). They carried the unmistakable proof with them. Let us
see to it that our testimonies are accompanied with their proper proof.
There is altogether too much failure in Christian service, because of
the excuse of lacking in talent. It is true that some have more talent
than others, but does that excuse those of one talent? The terrible
punishment inflicted upon the one who nicely wrapped his one talent in
the napkin and laid it away, ought to alarm any who may be tempted to do
likewise. Those who are favored with more talents are held more
responsible to God for the use of them. It seems that God is not
especially hunting for brains to use in His service, as He is looking
for clean channels. If He can get the man of ten talents all consecrated
to Him, very well and good; He will certainly use him to His own glory;
but He is also ready to work with and through the simple-minded as well.
And frequently we find Him doing more through such a channel than where
there is ten times the talent. We copy the story of what God did through
a half-idiot boy as printed in the _Herald of Holiness_:
"One time," said Dr. Broughton, "I remember beginning a meeting in an
old, conservative church in one of the most conservative towns of the
South. A large crowd had gathered to hear my first sermon. It was not
much of a sermon, however, that they heard, but a good deal of
proposition making.
"To begin with, I asked for all fathers who had unsaved sons to stand
up. Nobody stood, however, except a little boy about twelve years old,
who sat far back in the congregation. He arose. He was not satisfied to
stand, he got up on the seat and lifted his hands. He was determined to
be seen. Everybody laughed at the mistake, and I said, 'Young man, that
will do; sit down.' My next proposition was to mothers, but not a mother
stood. The same little boy stood up, however. 'That will do,' said I;
'sit down.' Then I went for the brothers and sisters. I made five
propositions that night, and he responded to every one of them, and he
was the only one that paid any attention to them whatever. I went away
from that meeting very much humiliated. The same was true of the
services on the next night and on through the services of three days. To
every proposition I made, he responded, and he was the only one who did.
Finally, a deacon of the church came to me and said: 'That boy is a half
idiot. The fact is, he is a whole idiot, and those people are coming to
see him perform. That is what they are coming for.'
"'Well,' said I, 'what do you think I ought to do about it?'
"'Why,' said he, 'stop him, of course.'
"I said, 'Stop him? Never! He is the only sign of life I have seen in
this town. I feel like paying him to go around with me to worry old
conservative deacons. Talk about that boy! Why, he is the only spark of
hope the church has in this town so far as I have been able to see. I
would not think of putting that light out.'
"'Well,' said the deacon, 'he has thrown a damper on your meetings.'
"I said, 'No, brother, you can not throw a damper on an icehouse, and
this old thing has been frozen over for twenty years.'
"'All right, said he, 'let the boy go on.'
"So it went on for the rest of the week. Now and then some other simple
soul would stand for prayer, but very seldom.
"At the close of the sermon the next Sunday morning, when I gave out the
invitation for those who wished to join the church to come forward, that
boy walked up to the front. I asked the usual questions and took the
vote and he was received.
"That night as I came into the church a man arose and said: 'Brother
Broughton, I want to ask a prayer for a man who is in this house, one of
the honored citizens of our town and a man of eighty-five years of age,
who has not been in a church for twenty-five years until tonight. He has
been known as a skeptic, but I see him here tonight, and I think he will
pardon me for making this request. I feel so deeply the weight of his
soul.'
"As soon he sat down the old man arose and said: 'Friends and neighbors,
I am the man you are about to pray for. I want to tell you why I am here
tonight. This little boy who sits here by my side is my grandson. You
know that he is an unfortunate lad. It is because of that we have loved
him so. This morning he came home and threw his arms around my neck and
said, "Oh, grandpa, I have got religion, and have joined the church. And
grandpa, I am so happy that I don't know what to do. I wish grandma was
here. Oh, grandpa, you know she went to heaven three months ago and I
have nobody to talk to about Jesus."' The old man said, 'Just as the
child said that, something struck my heart that had not struck it before
since I was a boy and left home to go to college. You can call it what
you please, but if you can, by your prayers, bring the grace of God into
my heart, I will be thankful.' Before we left that night he was
converted.
"The next morning the little fellow went out in the town and climbed
over his father's bar counter, for he was a barkeeper, and said, 'Papa,
won't you come and go with me to hear our preacher?' He promised he
would that night, which he did, and at two o'clock the father was
converted.
"The next day he went out, declaring he was going to be a missionary to
his fellow saloon keepers. He got them, every one of them, to close up
their places and come to church. There were seven in number, and during
that week six out of the seven gave their hearts to God, and all of them
agreed to close up their business. A great revival broke out in that
town which extended all through the county, and several counties, and in
six months' time there was not a barroom in that county. Every barkeeper
agreed to quit the business, and so far as I know, there has never been
one in the county until this day.
"Such a gracious revival of religion! How did it all come about? Not by
preaching; not by great manipulations; not by great singing, valuable as
these all may be--they did not bring it about. It came about through a
little half idiot boy, who had no better sense than to trust God the
best he knew and do his level best."
CHAPTER V
IT IS NOTED FOR THE SWEETNESS OF ITS FRUIT
All palms are not of the same variety, but the date palm is the one
specially noted for its sweet fruit. When the orientals dry their dates
and press them and ship them into our country, we then learn how nearly
akin to sugar they are.
The righteous shall flourish in sweetness. Full salvation surely
sweetens one's life and disposition. A sour holiness is a sham holiness.
Some professors of religion look and act as if they were pickled instead
of preserved.
When God described the beauties and benefits of Beulah Land, He told the
people it was a land of honey. Honey was one of the leading commodities
of Canaan. One of the prime factors of the palm tree blessing is
spiritual honey. It is certainly a sweet experience, both in its inward
enjoyment and outward manifestation. In the various tests of life one
will find the inward proclivities making way to the surface, and out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak. Sister, do you find
yourself saying, "Praise the Lord," when the clothes line breaks, or the
bread burns? What comes to the surface when your children tug at your
apron by the hour in their fretfulness? How is it when your neighbor's
chickens clean up your radish and turnip patch? or husband scolds, or
the older children are disobedient and saucy? It is true one may be
tried in these disappointing ordeals, and have the smile of heaven at
the same time, but is there an overcoming sweetness in it all that
convinces others that you have the palm tree blessing?
Perhaps husband is smiling, as wife reads these lines; but how do you
feel when the horse balks, or the cow kicks the milk all over you? What
do you say when hammering, and you hit the wrong nail? How is your
equilibrium at the midnight hour in zero weather when wife hunches you
under the fifth rib and notifies you that baby has the colic and
requests you to get up and make a fire? Do you smile and say,
"Certainly, dear," or do you growl and let her do it? Think of the palm
tree blessing next time.
A minister once asked his colored servant why he didn't get along
better, while she always seemed so happy. She replied that it was
because he read his Bible wrong. He could not understand that, for he
certainly knew how to read the Bible. She finally told him, where the
Bible said "Glory in tribulation," he read it, "Growl in tribulation."
The grace of gentleness and sweetness under trying circumstances is so
scarce in this world, that it is indeed refreshing when we come in
contact with it. It is said of the mother of John and Charles Wesley,
that one of the children once asked some privilege and was denied with a
"no." The child was persistent and asked again, and the answer was
again, "no." For some reason the interrogation was requested time and
again, and the patient mother responded "no" twenty times, and the last
time in the same tone of voice as the first. We might question the
propriety of allowing a child to be so persistent, but we could not
question the propriety of suffering long, with kindness on the farther
end of it. We have been struck before now at the agitation and seeming
impatience of some leading holiness preachers when some disturbance was
made in the meeting; when a child cried, some one went out, or some
unusual noise or commotion occurred. Almost anybody can keep sweet when
everything goes their way, but the time to prove that a part of one's
stock in trade is honey, is when the trying ordeals of life press in,
and people are looking on to see if he has what he has been shouting
over in the meeting.
There is a clause in the Bible that reads thus: "The God of all grace."
I do not know how much our God has, but it says in another place, "He
giveth more grace." We believe that in every exigency of life, the grace
of our God is sufficient. If a policeman on the street of some large
city met with some opposition as he was endeavoring to do his duty, he
would have the privilege, if unable to cope with the opposition alone,
to call upon another officer. If these two were unable to overcome, they
could have the whole police force of the city at their disposal. If this
power was not sufficient they could have the state militia, and
perchance this should fail, the whole government is back of him, and
would call out the regular army. That police officer has the whole
government ready to back him up in doing his duty. So it is with the
faithful child of God. When he is suffered to pass through some trying
ordeal, and the present stock of grace is not sufficient, "He giveth
more grace," and the "God of all grace" is at his disposal, and "God is
able to make all grace abound toward" him, and He would call out the
whole stock of grace of heaven before He would allow the faithful soul
to fail who relied upon Him.
These testing trials are what make solid Christian character. What would
the giant oak on the mountain side amount to, if it were not for the
storms that surge against it? These storms cause the roots to take
stronger hold, and thus they grapple with earth and rock and become
practically immovable. When the storms of trial and persecution sweep up
against the pure in heart, they cause them to cleave the more to their
Protector and send the roots of faith and love deeper into the Rock
beneath.
What does the Word mean when it says, "That the trial of your faith,
being much more precious than of gold that perisheth?" Does it not mean
that these testings of faith are worth much more than gold nuggets which
one might find in the street? Then why do we not act that way? Imagine
one walking along the road and stumbling against a big chunk of fine
gold, and then looking down at the mouth and complaining at his
misfortune. No, if such a one had been discouraged just before, we think
this sudden find would dispel all his sorrow. How would it do for us to
act as if we had found a nugget of gold, the next time some great trial
crosses our path? Would it be inconsistent to shout "Glory to God! I
have something that is worth more to me than gold tried in the fire?"
"Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations," for "Blessed is
the man that endureth temptation." Suppose one should come into a
meeting and testify that he had more trials than anybody in the world.
We have heard testimonies that tend in that direction. Usually the
witness looks as if it were about true. But what does God's Word say
about it? "My grace is sufficient for thee." We believe that all true
pilgrims, as they journey through life, have at times all they can stand
of trials and testings. And yet, "there hath no temptation taken you but
such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you
to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also
make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10:13).
Now, in the light of these Scriptures, we see, that in proportion to
one's trials, temptations, and testings, God puts alongside the
sufficient grace to bear them. If one has more trial than another, and
holds true to God, it only shows that he has more grace than another.
Now, why doesn't the brother in the meeting who testifies that he has
more trials than anybody else, look up and shout himself hoarse at the
abundance of grace the Lord has for him? Let us not be infidels, but
actually believe the Word of God, and _act_ as if we believed it. Amen!
If the Devil can get us to grunt and growl when he kicks us, it
encourages him to kick the more. Notice those pestiferous boys at
school. See them poking fun at that crying lad who declares he is going
to tell his mother. The more he cries the more encouraged they feel to
impose upon him. Now watch them as they ply their game on some
independent chap. He just laughs at them and says, "I don't care." Their
fun is spoiled and one of them says, "Come on, boys, we can't have any
fun out of him." Why not try this method on the Devil? Instead of crying
and complaining, and pitying yourself, just shout, "Glory to God!" when
he kicks you. He may try it again, but shout "Hallelujah!" right in his
face. Methinks he will say, "I don't understand that Christian; the more
I kick him, the more he praises the Lord and shouts."
The explanation of Psa. 40:11 by that sunny, happy-hearted Christian
known as Aunt Sophia may not be far out of the way. "Let thy loving
kindness and thy truth continually preserve me." Aunt Sophia said, "Dat
just like de deah Lawd. He puts His trusting children right in de big
saucepan of His lub, and He sweetens dem wif de sweetness of His grace,
so dey nebber get sour. And when you see one who is cross and fretful
and gloomy, bress you, honies, dey is not preserved; dey's only
pickled!"
There is nothing in the Scriptures that would indicate that any part of
the Christian life was made up of sour material. "Vinegar never catches
flies," and a sour, long-faced professor of religion is certainly a poor
sample of Christ's handiwork. When the sweetness of the palm tree
blessing enters the soul, the long face in the direction of north and
south, shortens up, and lengthens out east and west. A preacher once
entered a grocery store, and casting his eyes about, he discovered some
packages on a shelf, with the following label on them: "Warranted to
keep sweet in all climates." The company sending out the goods,
evidently had much faith in their enduring qualities. They surely knew
that the contents might be subjected to heat and cold, wet and dry, high
and low altitudes, at home and abroad. Yet they were ready to put on the
goods, "Warranted to keep sweet in all climates." Surely, when our
Preserver has put the finishing touches on His goods, He has included an
element of grace which warrants them to keep sweet in all climates. It
does not seem hard for some to keep sweet when all goes their way; when
nothing crosses their path; when all is fair sailing; but let the
nagging, disappointing, galling trials incident to this life press in
upon the soul, and the look, tone and talk are changed. The preserves
have been changed to pickles. Such a one could not well influence
another by his life and example to become a follower of the meek and
lowly Jesus.
We may not always be aware of it, but surely others are watching us. Can
we say with Paul, "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them
which walk, so as ye have us for an example?" (Phil. 3:17). Again,
"Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard and
seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you" (Phil. 4:9).
CHAPTER VI
THE PALM TREE BEARS FRUIT IN OLD AGE
It is a very long-lived tree. At the age of about thirty it seems to
have reached its height in fruitfulness, but will continue its prolific
yield for seventy years more under proper conditions, so that at the
century mark it is still flourishing. It is said that it bears its very
sweetest fruit in its old age.
In the realm of grace God has not planned for spiritual declension in
old age. The free grace of God is just as willingly bestowed then as in
decades before. The next verses which follow the statement: "The
righteous shall flourish like the palm tree," bring out this glorious
truth. "Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in
the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age;
they shall be fat and flourishing" (Psa. 92:13, 14).
Do we not often see old people, after they have possibly professed
holiness for many years, in their declining days, take on a fretful,
cross, murmuring spirit, and make it hard to get along with them?
Instead of the little children delighting to be around them, if they
should express themselves, they would say, "What is the matter with
grandpa; he is getting so crabbed and cross?" One of the saddest and
also one of the most dangerous calamities that can befall an old
Christian, is to lose the sweetness and juice and fruitfulness of early
piety.
"The trees of the Lord are full of sap." This sap life is characteristic
of the palm tree, and he who lacks the sweet juice of fresh life
bubbling up in his heart should inquire into his experience.
One of the most encouraging and soul-inspiring examples to young
converts is the victorious faith and activities of the aged saints. How
it blesses our souls when we stand in the presence of such an
octogenarian. The fire still burning within, he is ready to pray, shout
or testify at a moment's notice. There are many of God's old palm trees,
though they may have the word "superannuated" attached somewhere, yet
they are ever active in bringing forth fruit. Like the old horse that
was superannuated from the fire department, and was used in a delivery
wagon, when he heard the fire bell ring, he champed his bits and struck
off down the road and never stopped till he had backed up to the fire.
Live meetings and revival fires set some of these old war horses going,
and one would think they were surely renewing their youth. They love the
way and will not rust out with advancing years.
Look at the unceasing and untiring activities of John Wesley, much of it
after he had crossed the line of fourscore years. The following
information concerning him is current in religious papers:
"HOW JOHN WESLEY WORKED"
"His travels were immense, amounting to about 290,000 miles, or about
twelve times the circumference of the globe, making about 5,000 miles a
year.
"He preached before the days of steam or electricity, twenty sermons a
week, and often more. Most of these sermons were preached in the open
air, and often amid showers of brickbats, rotten eggs, and personal
violence calculated to test the strongest nerve. A Baptist preacher
recently celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his pastorate. It was
announced as an unusual fact that he had preached an average of three
sermons a week during the fifty years. But John Wesley preached on an
average, for fifty-four years, three sermons a day. The Baptist
clergyman had preached during the time a little over 8,000 sermons. Mr.
Wesley preached in fifty-four years, more than 44,000 sermons. This did
not include numberless addresses and exhortations on a great variety of
occasions.
"For many years he was editor of the 'Arminian Magazine,' a periodical
of fifty-six pages--the work of one man in these times.
"He wrote and published a commentary on the whole Bible in four large
volumes.
"He compiled and published a dictionary of the English language--no
small undertaking.
"He wrote and published a work of four volumes on natural philosophy.
"He wrote and published a work of four volumes on ecclesiastical
history.
"He wrote and published comprehensive histories of England and Rome.
"He wrote grammars of the Hebrew, Latin, Greek, French, and English
languages.
"He wrote, abridged, revised, and published a library of fifty volumes
known as the 'Christian Library,' and some time after he re-read,
revised, corrected, and published the whole in thirty large volumes.
This library contains one of the richest collections found in the
English language.
"He wrote a good-sized work on electricity.
"He prepared and published for the common people three works on
medicine.
"He published six volumes of church music. His poetical works, in
connection with his brother Charles, amounted to not less than forty
volumes. Charles wrote most of them, but they passed under the keen
revision of John, without which we doubt if Charles Wesley's hymns would
have been what they are--the most beautiful and soul-inspiring to be
found in the English language.
"In addition to these multiplied publications, we have seven large
volumes, including sermons, journals, letters and controversial papers
known as 'Wesley's Works.' It is claimed that Mr. Wesley's works,
including abridgments and translations, amounted to at least two hundred
volumes. It is difficult to understand how a man could have found time
to accomplish so much literary labor while perpetually on the wing.
"In addition to all this, Wesley was a pastor and did more real
pastoral work than nine-tenths of the pastors of these times. One has
only to read his journals to be convinced of this. For a time he visited
all the class and band meetings, and had special charge of the select
societies. He appointed all the class and band leaders, stationed all
the preachers, and had a general oversight of the many thousands of his
followers.
"He improved every moment of the day. Mr. Fletcher, who was for some
time his traveling companion, says of him, 'His diligence is matchless.
Though oppressed with the weight of seventy years, and the care of
30,000 souls, he shamed still, by his unabating zeal and immense labors,
all the young ministers of England, perhaps, of Christendom. He has
frequently blown the gospel trumpet and rode twenty miles before most of
the professors who despise his labors have left their downy pillows. As
he begins the day, the week, so he concludes them, still intent upon
extensive service for the glory of the Redeemer and the good of souls.
"'From four o'clock in the morning until ten at night every moment was
occupied in loving efforts to save the lost; and he never lost ten
minutes from wakefulness at night, as he himself affirmed. His motto
was, "always in haste, but never in a hurry." "Leisure and I have taken
leave of each other." "Ten thousand cares are no more to me than ten
thousand hairs on my head." "I am never weary with writing, preaching or
traveling," are a few of the utterances of this remarkable man. And in
the midst of all this wonderful activity he says, "I enjoy more hours of
private retirement than any man in England."'"
No wonder he could shout on his dying bed with the heavenly halo around
his head and say, "The best of all is, God is with us."
Look at that apostle of faith, George Muller, after he had prayed in
millions of dollars, cared for thousands of orphans, preached in many
lands and sent missionaries throughout the world, still active for God
between eighty and ninety years of age.
Thomas Mayhew was one of those early missionaries to the North American
Indians. When on his way to the old country to seek further aid for his
work, he was lost at sea. His old father, then past his seventieth year,
regarded this sad bereavement as God's call for him to fill the place
made vacant by the death of his son. He immediately began to study the
Indian language, and went forth to carry on the mission of his son,
which he did until his death at the age of ninety-three. In his travels,
the old man would often have to walk twenty miles through the woods to
preach to the Indians. Surely, this was better than idle sorrow. It was
bringing forth fruit in old age. He had the palm tree vitality and
blessing.
I am thinking just now of an aged minister. For over half a century he
has served God in the regular ministry, and now although over six years
past the "allotted time" of life, he is untiring in his work and zeal
for God. He is up to date in all the departments of the work. He is
superintendent of the home department of the Sunday school, and does
work like a pastor in his regular visitations. He enters open doors and
preaches many sermons. He is a most zealous advocate of prohibition, and
stands in the forefront ranks in pushing that important work, and is
president of the prohibition work in his community. His zeal for the
foreign missionary field is most inspiring, and by faith, with all the
other blessings of giving that he takes upon himself, he has just taken
a native missionary to support from his limited means. While he is so
active on all the live issues of the church, and is at his post to push
and pull, yet he is seemingly most at home in the battle for souls. You
can count on him at the revival unless he is providentially hindered.
And when the seekers line up at the altar, he is at hand to pray and
shout the battle on. He has the word "superannuated" applied somewhere,
but we think it a misnomer and that a more appropriate word would be
"superabundant."
CHAPTER VII
THE PALM TREE IS NOTED FOR ITS UTILITY
The uses to which the different palm tree varieties are put are
something marvelous in the extreme. There is nothing like it in all the
vegetable world. All parts are utilized, from the trunk and branches to
the sap. From the branches they make cages for poultry, and fences for
gardens. From the leaves they manufacture couches, baskets, bags, and
mats. From the fiber they make thread, ropes, and rigging. From the sap
is manufactured a drink, while seeds are ground up for provender for
camels.
The following will show some of the many uses of the various kinds of
palms: Fuel, clothing, building material, tents, cages, crates, fences,
thatching, bridges, masts, boats, oars, canes, umbrellas, umbrella
sticks, couches, baskets, bags, matting, mattresses, hammocks, pillows,
cushions, carpets, sail cloth, oakum, paste-board, kites, thread,
fishlines, bowstrings, ropes, rigging, tables, stands, chairs,
bedsteads, cradles, window blinds, brooms, brushes, utensils, cooking
vessels, weapons, shields, tools, hooks, spear tips, arrow heads,
needles, fans, ornaments, hats, bonnets, musical instruments, paper,
writing paper, candles, wax, resin, tannin, dying materials, medicines,
tonics, refreshing drinks, vinegar, sugar, starch, meal, bread, sago,
syrup for cooking, substitute for salt, oil for butter, oil for light
and lubrication, and for making soap. And the carnal ingenuity of
depraved man has even discovered how he can get drunk on the fermented
juices. Besides all these a substance is used in tanning leather. The
shell of the stems is used for making gutters, timber for flooring and
wharf material, stems for blowpipes for poisonous arrows. One kind of
palm is used in the construction of rude suspension bridges. Another
affords a substitute for ivory. One part is used for fattening hogs. It
is said that the various uses are declared to be three hundred sixty.
Thus we see that it could be of some use about every day in the year.
Reader, are you flourishing like this, and good for something every day
in the year?
God certainly intends us to be useful. It means something to fill one's
sphere in the world as Christ intended. There is something more to do
than to plow corn, milk cows, and feed hogs; something more than to keep
house, wash clothes and scrub floors. There is more at hand than the
mere avocations of life, necessary as some of them are. God never called
anybody to labor alone for the perishable things of this life. "A man's
life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth." The
real business of every Christian is primarily to serve God, and glorify
Him; the other services are merely incidental. The old shoemaker had it
right. When asked what his business was, he replied: "My business is to
serve the Lord; but I make boots and shoes to pay expenses."
Even those who are shut indoors through feeble health may find avenues
for usefulness, and do service that will tell for eternity. In Pasadena,
Cal., is a blind girl, and almost entirely deaf, yet she applies herself
to the Lord's work, and makes articles for sale, devoting the proceeds
to the foreign missionary work.
A remarkable story has been published in the _Ladies' Home Journal_ of
March 1, 1911, showing what a girl can do without hands and arms.
Through the kindness of The Curtis Publishing Company, we are permitted
to insert the article in this book. It was written by the young lady
herself.
"I was not born a cripple. Even as a child I did not always have to make
hands of my feet. Indeed, till I was nine years old, I not only had arms
and hands like other children, but I was also a strong, healthy, normal
child like my two brothers, who were older than I, and my sister, who
was two years younger. Our family was in poor and humble circumstances
as far back as I can remember. My parents were both English, but my
father became naturalized as a citizen of this country in 1882--the year
in which I was born.
"Since I grew up I have learned that my father and mother were in good
circumstances at the time of their marriage, and for some ten or twelve
years afterward; that my father was a steady, hard-working, kindly man;
and that he and my mother were devoted to one another and were very
happy together. But after the birth of my brothers my mother was taken
ill and was in poor health for a long time. Then, just as she was at the
worst of her illness, my father lost his position, and matters speedily
began to go from bad to worse. A tendency to strong drink, which he had
kept well curbed for my mother's sake, now began to get the better of
him. Her failing health made it impossible for her to look out for him
as she had hitherto done. The new work which he succeeded in obtaining
was hard and distasteful, and the family grew poorer and poorer until at
last there were times when we had not enough of food and clothing, and
the charitable societies of Chicago, where we lived, began to look after
us.
"In the summer just before my ninth birthday, I was one of a number of
children who were sent into the country for a two-weeks' outing by the
managers of a fresh air fund. Those were the two pleasantest weeks of my
life. The beautiful, green country, the grass, flowers, trees, and birds
delighted me. I was well and robust, and I ran and picked flowers and
played and enjoyed myself to the utmost. A few weeks after I came home
from this wonderful outing my mother died, and I became the housekeeper
of the family. I was then just nine years old. I did the work as well as
I could, although there was not much to do nor much to do it with, in
the bare place which we called 'home,' in the basement of a small city
dwelling. Soon after I had lost my mother's companionship I lost my
sister's also, for she was adopted by well-to-do people, whose identity
I did not know and have never learned.
"On the afternoon of the following Thanksgiving day, while my brothers
were playing outdoors and my father and I were alone in the house, I was
puttering about when I found a bottle filled with what I afterward knew
must have been whisky. Being only a child, and possessed of a child's
thoughtless curiosity, I took a long drink from the bottle. The effect
was almost instantaneous. I grew weak and stupefied. At that moment my
father, who was in an adjoining room, told me to go and put some wood on
the kitchen range. I said that I felt sick and could not go, but he
insisted and I obeyed. No sooner had I got the lids off the range,
however, than the combined effect of the liquor and the heat overpowered
me, and I fell forward upon the open fire, unconscious.
"My younger brother, who came in from play and lifted me off, saved me
from death. But at the hospital it was found necessary to amputate both
my arms. The burns about my neck and chest were severe, but not serious,
and two months later I was discharged from the hospital. A state society
for the care of children had already arranged with my father to take
full control of me. A fund contributed to by generous people far and
near was raised for my support and education, and after spending some
months in a nursery I became an inmate of the Home for Destitute
Crippled Children in Chicago.
"In this home I was given instruction in the common school studies, and
I learned to write and sew with my feet. After four years I was
transferred by the Illinois Home Society to the care of a private family
in Wisconsin, where I lived for eight years, going to the public school
and practically completing the high school course. During all this time
I continued to learn how to make hands of my feet, and I have kept on
perfecting myself in this necessary acquirement ever since. It has, of
course, taken a great deal of perseverance and determination, and has
required constant effort and practice, coupled with no little physical
skill and suppleness. But it must be borne in mind that for nearly
twenty years I have been without hands and arms, and that during most of
this time I have had to wait on myself. So my feet have been in almost
continual training. I have never found a task too hard to undertake nor
too tedious to finish, and no one appreciates the truth of the old
saying, 'Where there's a will, there's a way,' better than I do.
"As a result, I have learned to dress myself, almost completely. I can
take a bath by myself, wash my face, brush my teeth, put on most of my
clothes, and comb my hair when it is not too long. I can put on and take
off my eyeglasses. I can use the scissors to cut paper, cloth, or any
other material with which I am working, and then thread the needle, knot
the thread and do the necessary sewing. I can sweep and dust, mop and
scrub, and even blacken stoves. I can sketch and draw, although I have
never had a lesson in these accomplishments and have acquired the little
knowledge and skill I possess in this art solely by practice. In the
same way I have also learned to sharpen my own pencils, opening and
closing the knife myself. I have even made articles of furniture, such
as small bookcases and writing desks, sawing all the lumber, driving the
nails, putting on the hinges, and finally varnishing the completed
article. In short, I do with my feet almost anything that others do with
their hands.
"At the close of my high school course I found myself, at the age of
twenty-one, left practically on my own resources. The fund which had
been raised for me was exhausted, the obligation of the state society
which had taken charge of me had ceased, my father had passed away, my
brothers were poor and could not help me, and my sister had gone out of
my life. For a while I earned a little money by selling my drawings,
name-cards and other work. Then I gave exhibitions, in homes and
elsewhere, of my skill with my feet. Eventually I found it possible to
attend Taylor University at Upland, Indiana, and while there the hope I
had long cherished of some day being able to be of some help to poor,
deserving, crippled children took shape and my life work was made plain
to me.
"A Home for Disabled Children was planned and eventually started in
Maywood, Illinois. I took special studies to qualify me to handle
properly and capably the work of financial secretary of the Home. During
the year and a half between the starting of the Home and the writing of
this article five children have been cared for and a great deal of
improvement has been observed in all of them.
"It is not the intention to overcrowd the Home with children, or make it
institutional in any way, but to give them a real home with good care
and Christian training, and also an education which will enable them to
become self-supporting. In this way I hope to show that even a girl
without arms, born and raised under the most unfavorable circumstances,
can accomplish much good by lending a 'helping hand' to other cripples,
and thus make their lives better, sweeter and more useful."
This lady's name is Kittie Smith, and the written article would be much
more interesting could we accompany it with the dozen or more
illustrations in the _Ladies' Home Journal_, where she is seen writing a
letter, using the telephone, making fancy-work, drinking water at
dinner, using the typewriter and cutting out material for a dress.
Pictures of her drawings, the desk, the table and quilt she made are
also given.
Here is a lady, educated, trained, and equipped for a life of special
usefulness, who has had to battle through difficulties which would tend
to discourage the stoutest hearts. Yet, in spite of all, she is engaged
in Christian work and proving to the world what one is enabled to do who
will.
We have lately seen the half-tone picture in _Popular Mechanics_, of a
man who had lost both legs and both arms in a railroad accident, yet he
makes his living by selling the pictures which he paints. He brings
into requisition his chin and the stump of his right arm in handling the
brush.
About fifty years ago there was a member of the British Parliament by
the name of Cavanaugh. This man was born with no legs whatever and with
no arms, save stumps half way up to his elbows. His penmanship was good,
using a false hand for his writing. He was wheeled in each time by a
valet, and was the only member who was allowed to address the Parliament
without standing.
There are some men who will not down, even from the standpoint of the
world. May we not take a lesson from these "unfortunates" and rise above
every impediment, and yet succeed in the kingdom of God?
How many powerful revivals have occurred, when it was discovered that
they were the result of the faithful, intercessory praying of some
shut-in saint, who had on the prayer list the very ones who got saved!
Let me cite a quotation from Charles G. Finney's Revival Lectures:
"A pious man in the western part of this state (New York) was sick with
consumption. He was a poor man, sick for years. An unconverted merchant
in the place had a kind heart, and used to send him now and then
something for his comfort, or for his family. He felt grateful for the
kindness, but could make no return, as he wanted to do. At length he
determined that the best return he could make would be to pray for his
salvation. He began to pray and his soul kindled, and he got hold of
God. There was no revival there, but by and by, to the astonishment of
everybody, this merchant came right out on the Lord's side. The fire
kindled all over the place, and a powerful revival followed, and
multitudes were converted.
"This poor man lingered in this way for several years, and died. After
his death, I visited the place, and his widow put into my hands his
diary. Among other things, he says in his diary: 'I am acquainted with
about thirty ministers and churches.' He then goes on to set apart
certain hours in the day and week to pray for each of these ministers
and churches, and also certain seasons for praying for the different
missionary stations. Then followed, under different dates, such facts as
these: 'Today,' naming the date, 'I have been enabled to offer what I
call the prayer of faith for the outpouring of the Spirit on----church
and I trust in God there will soon be a revival there.' Under another
date, 'I have today been able to offer what I call the prayer of faith
for such a church, and trust there will soon be a revival there.' Thus
he had gone over a great many churches, recording the fact that he had
prayed for them in faith that a revival might soon prevail among them.
Of the missionary stations, if I recollect right, he mentions in
particular the mission of Ceylon. I believe the last place mentioned in
his diary, for which he offered the prayer of faith, was the place in
which he lived. Not long after noting these facts in the diary, the
revival commenced, and went over the region of country, nearly I
believe, if not quite in the order in which they had been mentioned in
his diary; and in due time news came from Ceylon that there was a
revival of religion there. The revival in his own town did not commence
till after his death. Its commencement was at the time when his widow
put into my hands the document to which I have referred. She told me
that he was so exercised in prayer during his sickness, that she often
feared he would pray himself to death. The revival was exceedingly great
and powerful in all the region; and the fact that it was about to
prevail had not been hidden from this servant of the Lord. According to
His Word, 'The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.' Thus,
this man too feeble in body to go out of his house, was yet more useful
to the world and the Church of God, than all the heartless professors of
the country. Standing between God and the desolations of Zion, and
pouring out his heart in prevailing prayer, as a prince he had power
with God, and prevailed." (Finney's Lectures, pp. 112, 113).
Fanny Crosby was blind, yet see how she has blessed the world with her
thousands of beautiful hymns, written even down to her old age. Let the
weak ones look up and take on fresh courage. "My grace is sufficient for
thee," and "He giveth more grace," are promises that should encourage
those who are seemingly shut off from opportunities of service.
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." The avenue to
God in prayer, and the way to hearts are still open. Be of some service
still. Like the palm tree, every Christian can be of much use in the
world.
Three young ladies had just graduated from school and were talking over
their ambitions in life. One said her great ambition was to be an author
and write some great book. Another said her ambition was to be an artist
and paint some great picture which might be hung up in some gallery for
people to see. The other young lady was silent, and hung her head. Her
teacher saw her and remarked that she had not yet expressed her
ambitions in life. Finally, she replied: "I know that I do not amount to
much, and that I have not much talent, but I was just thinking that my
greatest ambition is so to live in this world, that when Jesus finally
sees me coming, He can say, 'There comes one who has filled just the
niche in the world that I wanted her to fill.'"
As all parts of the palm tree are utilized, so will all of the palm tree
saint be consecrated to God, so that God may call upon him at any time
for any service which He in His infinite wisdom may require. But it will
take a complete yielding up of all one's parts; his spirit, soul and
body; his hands to work, his feet to walk, his eyes to see, his ears to
hear, his tongue to talk, his mind to think, his heart to love, his
talents, time, and earthly store at God's disposal, his family, his
service, his all simply abandoned to the Holy Ghost.
Reader, this is the way to be useful, and the way to have all there is
of you used. If you are not thus consecrated, look into your experience.
Fifty years ago seven shoemakers in a shop in the city of Hamburg said,
"By the grace of God we will help to send the gospel to our destitute
fellow-men." It is said that in twenty-five years they had established
fifty self-supporting churches, had gathered ten thousand converts, had
distributed four hundred thousand Bibles and eight million tracts, and
had carried the gospel to five million of their race. How many men would
it take like that to carry the gospel to the world in twenty-five years?
Mrs. Adelaide L. Beers, wife of Rev. Alexander Beers, principal of the
Free Methodist Seminary at Seattle, Wash., has furnished the following
information concerning a family who moved to Seattle a number of years
ago. It beautifully illustrates the thought before us of utility in the
Christian life. It not only illustrates utility itself, but like the
palm tree, utility of all parts.
Mr. and Mrs. M----, formerly of Goldendale, Wash., had a family of six
boys and two girls. Having received the blessing of entire
sanctification, and wanting their children educated for God, they felt
they could not endanger their souls by placing them in worldly,
Christless schools.
They owned a farm at Goldendale, but had little means available. They
were not daunted, however, by the difficulties in the way, but with the
heroic spirit of the "ancient worthies," they arranged to move to
Seattle. The mother took the train, while as many as could, rode in a
large wagon, and the others walked, leading several horses and cows. In
turn they rode and walked, making the wearisome journey across the
mountains, filled with hope and courage for the future. Soon after the
mother's arrival in Seattle, a girl baby was born, being the ninth and
last child.
The first year of their stay in their new home was one of great hardship
and self-denial. They lived on the plainest food, while every member of
the family except the baby worked very hard to obtain a livelihood. The
two older girls were already saved and sanctified and were placed at
once in the Free Methodist Seminary. The boys were soon entered as
students, and one by one converted to God. Two of the little boys, with
knee trousers were clearly saved in the children's meeting which was
regularly conducted by Mrs. Beers.
A few years of consecrated service and Christian education have passed
and we sum up the results. A faithful father and mother have trained
their family for heaven, and gladly yielded their all to Christ. The
mother has left the toils and cares of earth, and has gone to be with
Jesus. One is now at the head of the Free Methodist missionary work in
China. Another has been accepted as a missionary to China by the General
Missionary Board and is to labor with his brother. One of the daughters
is a successful missionary, laboring with her husband, who is at the
head of the missionary work in Japan. She received her call while a
student in the Seattle Seminary. Another heard the Macedonian call and
gladly left all to go to China. One son is filling the principal's chair
at the Free Methodist Seminary at Spring Arbor, Mich., while another is
principal of a high school in Seattle. All the family are saved, and are
proving the Scripture true: "Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it." While Sister M---- has
finished her work and gone home to heaven, "her children rise up and
call her blessed."
CHAPTER VIII
THE PALM TREE IS APPRECIATED
Search the world over; call for a consensus of opinion in civilized
countries and heathen lands, and ask them what is the most appreciated
tree in the world, and see if they do not with one voice exclaim, "The
palm tree."
In the civilized portions of the globe where the various kinds are not
brought into requisition for their extensive utility, yet the beauty of
the trees demands that they have a place in the front yards to decorate
their surroundings. If any tree at all is used to beautify the place, it
is quite sure to be a palm. And when the climate does not admit of
outside growth, the hothouse will have its various kinds. But where is
there a tree in the world that furnishes so much material for
practically all the necessities of life where the palm is indigenous?
When we think of the great variety of food, and furniture, building
material, and the hundreds of useful articles of every description that
are made from some part or other of this most valuable tree, it stands
to reason that it occupies the very foremost place of utility and
appreciation. There are some places in the world that the inhabitants
practically live from the products of the palm. The appreciation of it
could hardly be estimated. Take it away and the people perish.
In the realm of grace, there is an experience that is most appreciated.
It is appreciated most by those who are the most familiar with it. It
appeals little to those in spiritually frigid zones, who are utterly
foreign to its utility; but by those of a warmer climate who know of its
valuable properties, it is prized above rubies and diamonds. Just as the
Icelander or Greenlander cares nothing for the palm, and perhaps knows
nothing of its merits, so the people who dwell in spiritual Arctics do
not appreciate the possibilities of this full salvation grace. Ask the
possessor of the palm tree blessing what it is worth, and language at
once fails. It becomes his very life from day to day. It furnishes his
spiritual necessities of life. Cut off its supplies and he would be
stranded as quickly as the islander in the tropics, without his real
palm.
Let the definite seeker after this blessing reach the point of actual
possession, and he will have to pass the station of utmost desire and
appreciation. He will reach a want in his soul that will surpass every
other desire. He will sell all to purchase that field. It is the pearl
of great price to him.
Why do not more people obtain it? Because they are not willing to part
with that which stands in the way of its possession. When God says,
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for
they shall be filled," He gave us a divine philosophy concerning the
proper seeking. He wants a seeker to appreciate what he is after. That
which costs nothing is rarely properly appreciated. That which costs a
struggle and "all that he hath," will be held in high esteem. The
crucifixion route which results in the death of "the old man," and the
incoming of the fulness of God, puts one where he would rather part with
life itself than this pearl of great price.
We have been amazed at seekers at the altar of prayer; at the listless,
lifeless way they have sought. Many times they fail even to make an
audible prayer. This is _prima facie_ evidence of a lack of
appreciation. When the hunger reaches practical starvation, and the
desire becomes sufficient, then the seeker will lay aside all
conventionalities and press his claims regardless of people present or
opposing foes, and lay hold on the precious prize.
How often have we observed the half-hearted seeker make his indifferent
prayer and wait awhile and go away without the blessing sought, when at
a later time, when intensity took the place of listlessness, and hunger
pressed the soul, the agonizing heart pressed through spiritual
chloroform, broke loose the padlock from the lips, and soon was
rejoicing in the freedom of full salvation! One time the writer was
conducting a meeting in Knoxville, Tenn., and a sister came to the altar
a number of times. She wanted the blessing, but did not seem to be
enough in earnest, although she prayed aloud each time she came.
Finally, we said to the sister, "If you will do what I ask you to do,
you will get through in five minutes." Of course she wanted to know
what that was and she certainly would like to get through. We told her
to pray like a house afire. Immediately, she took us at our word and
started in according to our suggestion. It occurred so suddenly that we
wondered if we had not made a mistake and had a fear that it would not
be as predicted. To make sure, and unbeknown to the sister, we took out
our watch, and timed the prayer. In just three and a half minutes the
fire fell and our seeker obtained her heart's desire. While pastor in
the city of Los Angeles we had a member who was seeking the blessing of
holiness periodically. She would come to the altar and weep and make a
nice little prayer, but failed to reach the line of intensity adequate
for the blessing. Obtaining nothing she would depart and not be at the
altar again for perhaps a couple of months. When a service would reach a
specially high tide of power and victory this lady would be down with
others seeking holiness. Revival meetings were in progress and she was
at the altar one evening, and, as usual, was not receiving. We tried to
show her that she should constantly seek till she found; that she should
come to the altar every time she had an opportunity till she got
through. Finally, we asked her if she would promise to come to the altar
one hundred times in succession without a letup, if she did not get the
blessing before the hundred times were expired. After awhile she
promised thus to do. Immediately we took out our pencil and right under
her face we wrote the number 100 on the altar rail, and pointing to it,
said, "You have now promised to come to this altar one hundred times in
succession providing you do not get through before." She assented. The
following night she was faithful to her promise and got through that
night. Intensity, desire, appreciation and determination are all factors
in real seeking. Why do so many fail? There is a reason. Here is a soul
that seeks one, two, three, or more nights and then ceases. On being
asked why the seeking ceased the answer is, "Well, I tried and I did not
get anything, and what is the use of trying further?" Now, the Lord took
that all in at the start. He knew that the seeking was going to let up,
and of course could not consistently bestow the gift under such
conditions. If the Lord can look down the road and see that the seeker
is going to give up at the end of a week or a month, He certainly has
not the gift for one who does not value it more than that. But if He can
look down the road and see a pile of bleached bones, or in other words,
one who will die in the attempt before he will give up, He sees a heart
that is about prepared to receive it now.
We once heard the story of a man who was real hungry for holiness. He
was in attendance at some spiritual gathering where a number of people
were professing the experience. He cast about in his mind to find some
holy man whom he might get to pray with him. After selecting his man, he
asked him if he would go into the woods and pray with him that he might
obtain the experience of sanctification. The brother was only too glad
to go and was ready for the trip at once. The anxious seeker said, "I
have made up my mind that if I do not obtain the blessing at once I am
going to remain all night in prayer. Will you stay with me?" The brother
responded in the affirmative. "But wait," said the seeker. "If I do not
obtain the first night I am going to remain the second night. Will you
remain with me?" After a little thought he again answered in the
affirmative. He was ready to start, when the seeker declared he was
going to remain the third night, then the fourth, until it amounted to a
whole week. When he obtained the promise of his friend to stay by him,
they started for the woods. After looking about for a good, grassy spot,
and one that was nicely sheltered from the dew of the night he said,
"This is a good place; let us pray." His knees scarcely touched the
grass when he shouted, "Glory to God, I've got it!" Certainly! A good
week of solid prayer ought to clear the way for anybody to enter in, and
that honest, determined soul had virtually done that thing by faith, and
God saw that he was bound to pray through, and so He cut the work short
in righteousness and bestowed it upon him on the spot.
There is something about an intensified determination that God honors.
The fact is, that He honors faith, and when the seeking soul gets into
the state of mind where he feels that he wants the grace more than life,
and is determined to have it at any cost, it invariably opens up the way
of faith, and the victory at once is his. We once heard of a young man
at a campmeeting who was seeking the Lord. When he came to the altar he
curled up with his head in his arms and was perfectly mute. He would
neither pray nor answer a question. While others were saved around him,
he remained silent, and would leave without any help. This was repeated
time and again. He always curled up the same way, and would never say a
word to God or man. Finally, the workers, seeing they could not get
anything out of him nor help him in any way, agreed among themselves to
let him entirely alone. After this he came as usual to the altar, took
his usual position, and while others around were praying through, he
obtained nothing and went away. After a while it seemed to dawn upon his
benighted mind that everybody had forsaken him, and that he had better
pray for himself. Accordingly, he threw up his hands and screamed for
help at the top of his voice. The merciful Christ, who said, "Him that
cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out," was right present to take him
in. In an instant he had the victory and leaped to his feet and shouted,
"Glory to God! If it had not been for Jesus Christ, I never would have
been saved." Certainly not.
When all earthly hopes are gone, and one is thrown out alone on the
merits of Jesus Christ, it is then that faith takes hold and the victory
comes. It is certainly a sad sight at the altar when some daughter is
crying her way to God in a penitential grief, to have her foolish mother
kneel down beside her and begin to stroke her and say, "My dear child,
you have always been a good girl." Immediately note how the girl drops
the Lord and goes to leaning on her mother. The repentance stops at
once, self-pity takes its place, a soul is arrested in getting saved and
may possibly be lost forever. And yet this is being done continually.
Mr. Charles G. Finney tells of a woman in one of his meetings who was
much burdened on account of her sins. Mr. Finney was stopping at her
house and daily he was called upon to come and pray for the woman. He
responded from time to time and prayed for her the best he knew how, but
found out that it was doing no good. Finally, the Lord showed him that
the woman was depending upon his prayers instead of the Lord. The next
time she asked him to come and pray for her, he said, "I will pray for
you no more." Heartbroken and alarmed she threw herself on the mercy of
the Lord and was saved at once. Christ must be depended upon alone.
Other props must go. He needs no earthly help to save a sinner or
sanctify a believer.
And when the struggle is over and the pearl of full salvation is found,
it will be observed that the harder the struggle and the more it cost,
the more will it be appreciated. It is quite apparent that the cause of
the fearful decadence of religion on every hand is the failure of
obtaining the real thing on the one hand, and the failure to appreciate
on the other. How some can claim Christ today and sell Him out tomorrow,
is a marvel. The way to appreciate anything is to note what one will be
with it, and what he will be without it. What is one with this great
pearl in his possession? He is safe for both worlds. He is saved from
inward and outward sin. He has "joy unspeakable and full of glory." He
has a life of usefulness ahead and a certainty of everlasting bliss in
glory, where he will bear the palm of victory, wear the crown of glory,
walk the gold-paved streets of the New Jerusalem, enjoy the presence of
Christ and the angels and redeemed loved ones, and sing and shout and
shine and serve forevermore. This surely will pay. On the other hand, to
fail, means a life of sin and sorrow and suffering here, a loss of souls
which one might win to Christ, an awful death bed, a frightful judgment
day, and an eternity of remorse and horror and darkness and death and
damnation.
Reader, how much is Christ worth? How much do you appreciate His gift?
Let us ask some who let it slip. Judas, what is it worth? What is Christ
worth to you? The answer is, "Sixteen dollars and ninety-six cents."
That was his price for the Savior; the price of a slave in the olden
times if he were killed by a beast; the lowest price placed upon a human
being. Demas, how much is it worth? The answer is, "The love of this
present world," for that is what he obtained. Saul, what is your
salvation worth? "The gratifying of a jealous disposition," for he sold
out on that line, till it turned to anger, then hatred and then murder,
till finally he was utterly forsaken by God, and he turned into a
spiritualist, consulted the witch of Endor, went into battle, committed
suicide and passed off from the stage of action here. Solomon, what was
yours worth? "Outlandish women," is the answer, not from Solomon's lips,
but from the inspired pen of Nehemiah. "Nevertheless even him did
outlandish women cause to sin." Young lady, what was the price of your
soul? "Mother, hang my fine dresses upon the wall and let me see them.
There, mother, is the price of my soul," and she passed out into the
darkness of the outer world. Again, young lady, what is the price of
_your_ soul? "That young man. I gave up Christ for him. I had to decide
between the two, and I took him. Christ has been a stranger to me ever
since." Shall we sell out Christ for pleasure, or people, or pursuits,
or popularity? God forbid. Let us raise the price of our soul and
appreciate the gift of God and let nothing come between.
CHAPTER IX
THE PALM TREE WILL GROW IN THE DESERT
It is such a hardy, thrifty tree, that if it has any chance at all, it
will thrive where other trees will fail. Even in the hot sands of the
Sahara, its green foliage is seen, and it grows in spite of discouraging
environments.
The Holy Spirit made no mistake when He declared that a certain class
should flourish like the palm tree. Where will it flourish? Any place in
a proper climate where it has half a chance. By the rivers of water, on
the rugged mountain side, by the rocky hedges, in the desert sands where
scorching sun and swirling simoon have beat upon it, there it grows. It
is a _flourishing_ tree.
In the realm of gospel grace, God has made provision for saints to
flourish under circumstances that are a wonder to the world.
The outward condition of some of God's people is indeed deplorable. They
are surrounded with deepest poverty, in the poorest of health, with a
number of small children depending upon them, and in addition to all,
they are away from former home and friends. Some women are actually
undergoing all this, and to make the desert worse, they have a
profligate, abusive husband further to burden their life. And yet, "the
God of all grace" has come into these lives who have abandoned
themselves to the Holy Ghost, and proved to them that they are of God's
own hand planting, and through His sustaining grace they have flourished
in their experiences, even in such desert places. I have no doubt if the
reader will cast about in his mind he can recall those of like
experience.
"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the
desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom
abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. * * * And the ransomed of
the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy
upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and
sighing shall flee away" (Isa. 35:1, 2, 10).
There is nothing else in the world that will cause deep, settled
satisfaction in the human heart when the surroundings are of the desert
nature. The people of the world draw their pleasure and satisfaction
from the things of the world, but these are not calculated to satisfy
the longings of the heart. No matter how much one may have in the way of
worldly riches, worldly honors, worldly pleasures, there is always a
void in the soul, a something that is not satisfied. The human heart is
so big, that if the whole world were poured into it, it would not fill
one crack or crevice.
When God made the animal creation, He designed that all their pleasure
should be obtained from their surroundings--from the things in this
world, whether it be the fish in the stream, the bird in the air, or
the wild animal that roams over mountain and glen. But when He made man
He put into him desires, hopes, and ambitions that reach out and above
this mundane sphere. He never intended that man should draw his
satisfaction and enjoyment just from this world. Outside of grace, no
one is satisfied, because he is out of his natural, normal, creative
element. The little bird, or fish, or other animal is satisfied because
it is in its creative sphere. Man, living in sin and away from God and
holiness, is dissatisfied, because he is out of his proper element. What
is man's creative sphere? "Created in righteousness and true holiness."
That is the way God created man, and until man gets back to God, in
communion with Him and heaven, he never will have a satisfying portion.
"For he satisfieth the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with
goodness" (Psa. 107:9). Without any of this world's goods in the way of
riches, honors or pleasures, one abandoned to the Holy Ghost will have a
deep sense of soul-satisfaction, and will rejoice in the midst of
dismal, desert surroundings.
When Madame Guyon was in the Bastille, a prisoner of the Lord, she
declared the Lord made the old stones of the murky wall to shine like
rubies.
One of the happiest men it was ever my lot to meet, was one who had
nothing of this world to cause his happiness. He was an inmate of the
poorhouse at Placerville, Cal. He occupied a small, dingy bedroom all
alone, and lay on a cot, afflicted in body, and never expected to leave
it till Jesus said, "Come up higher." While engaged in evangelistic
services in that city, we visited him more than once. It was a
benediction to enter his presence and behold his smiling face and hear
his praises to God. It seemed he was living four-fifths in heaven. He
was certainly flourishing like the palm tree in that desert. We had a
feeling of sorrow for the dear brother in his affliction, and lent him a
book on divine healing, hoping that he might get the inspiration of
faith, and trust the Lord to heal him. After we thought he had time to
read the little book, we called on him again and asked him what he
thought of it, and his answer was about as follows: "I have been
thinking that it would be best to let good enough alone. I am getting
along so well here and am so blessed, I do not know how it might turn
out if I should get well."
Another man, one of the most contented and happy that I ever saw, was a
born cripple. He had one arm and a part of another; was so crooked in
his lower limbs that it was with great difficulty that he could propel
himself with the use of canes. This brother from poverty's dale would
hobble out on Fourth street in San Francisco, with his little carpet-bag
stool, and basket of trinkets for sale, and sit there reading his
Testament, and shine for God. One day this brother handed a man a five
dollar gold piece, desiring him to go and get it changed. The dishonest
man never returned, but the dear brother never murmured, only said that
he could not afford to lose it. Just about that time a stranger came by
and purchased some little article and handed him a five-dollar gold
piece and would not accept any change. "In some way or other, God will
provide."
Every night found this happy, sanctified cripple at the gospel mission
with shining face and victorious testimony. He usually closed his
testimony with these words: "This has been a little the best day I ever
had in all my life." Brother Cooley is now rejoicing where the streets
are made of gold.
Why will souls not learn to seek their pleasure from the right source?
With the failure of multiplied millions who have gone on before and
those who are now trying to fill their cup with earth's deceiving joys,
shall I be such an egotistical fool as to think I can succeed in
something when all before me tried and failed? The way of true success
is laid down in the Word; "This book of the law shall not depart out of
thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou
mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then
thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good
success" (Josh. 1:8).
CHAPTER X
THE PALM TREE FINDS THE WATER
This marvelous production of nature is not hindered by the scorching sun
of the desert, nor is it dependent upon the copious showers of rain. If
the rain comes, all well and good; but if it fails, the palm flourishes
right on anyway. But it will get to water. If it does not come down from
above, then it sends down its roots till they drink at the subterranean
stream below. Water it must have and water it will find.
Now, if God has a people that flourish this way, it signifies that they
will get where there is the water of life. If the "showers of blessing"
are falling in the revival meeting, or campmeeting, or at the regular
preaching service, they are sure to be present if possible and "take of
the water of life freely." Perchance they are out on some spiritual
desert far from any means of grace where the gospel sound is never
heard; there they are not dependent upon the revival rains, but they
send down the roots of faith till they strike the under-currents, and
then with joy they "draw water out of the wells of salvation."
How refreshing to meet with such independent specimens of God's
handiwork! If they get to the place of worship where God's people are
free, they are a whole campmeeting in themselves. Out of them are
flowing "rivers of living water," because of the Spirit's incoming. They
never dry up, nor freeze up, because they keep in touch with the living
stream from the heavenly fountain head, and bask in the spiritual
tropics where the Sun of righteousness has arisen upon them.
Oh, for more palm tree saints! May we all be so in touch with the
reservoir of the skies, that we may say, "All my springs are in thee."
Then, no matter whether our lot is with many pilgrims or none, we may
flourish on and shine and shout, and show to the world that we are in
touch with hidden springs. Amen!
It is certainly a puzzle to the world and worldly minded professors,
when one, who has no visible means of enjoyment, keeps up a happy,
cheerful experience, and though her lot or his lot is extremely dry, and
barren of what generally goes to make people happy, yet the hidden
stream is flowing, and that soul is drinking of the fountain that never
runs dry. The deep, underlying current has been found and is supplying a
peace which the world can not give, nor can it take away.
When the martyrs went to the stake, they had a triumphant tread and a
victorious faith and a well-spring of joy which were indeed an enigma to
the persecutors.
Who can understand Madame Guyon in her dismal prison cell singing her
sweet song, a hundred times happier than those outside, or realize the
triumphant joy of the Apostle Paul as he faces the axman's block, and
expresses a gladsome victory over it all, unless he is acquainted with
the deep undercurrent of full salvation life?
What would have become of the Apostle John on Patmos' lonely isle, shut
off from all associations with kindred spirits on earth, with no
prayermeeting nor fellowship such as he had been so accustomed to enjoy,
had he not known the way to the hidden springs which brought him in
contact with the Eternal? There was no place to banish this pilgrim
saint that would shut him off from the water of life. When human hands
banished him to an island in the sea, thinking they could cut off his
supply, he proved to the world that he could reach the hidden springs
and be in touch with the Infinite, in spite of his banishment. God's
holy ones are a conundrum to the world. "For we are made a spectacle
[theater in the margin] unto the world, and to angels, and to men," and
they do not understand the mystery of the hidden glory and springs of
life, the very angels desiring to look into some of these mysteries (1
Peter 1:12).
There are some people, when we have not seen them for a few months, we
hardly dare to ask them how they are prospering, for fear they will drop
their heads and say, "Well, not so well as I would like." They have not
been drinking at the fountain. They did not send down their roots and
find the under-currents of saving grace; and the result is, they have no
victorious testimony to the power of Jesus to save. On the other hand,
there are certain individuals, though we have not seen them for years,
we scarcely think of asking them how they are getting along, for we have
known of their overcoming life so long, that we naturally take it for
granted that it is still well with their souls. We do not expect
anything different from the past, except more of it. Many years ago we
received a postal card from a brother in a distant city relative to some
business. It being a business card, the most of it was printed matter,
even his name being printed. The card closed with these words: "Yours
saved, H. W. S.----." In thinking the matter over, we observed that in
all probability the brother had several hundreds of the cards printed,
and he knew very well that it would take some time, perhaps weeks or
months, before the last card would be sent out. The thought then was,
Brother S----, how did you know that when the last card would be sent
out, it would still be, "Yours, saved, H. W. S----?" How did you know
but it would be, "Yours, backslidden, H. W. S----?" The fact was, that
Brother S---- had made no calculation on backsliding, and he figured
that the last card would be just as true as the first. Eight or ten
years passed and we received a note from this same brother. Instead of
signing his name the way he did before, it was, "Yours saved to the
uttermost, hallelujah, H. W. S----." Now, after years had passed and
gone, he could still sign his name the same, only more of it.
In the economy of grace, God has made no provision for one to have less
grace than in the past. The best experience of one's life should be
up-to-date. It is a sad epoch in one's life when he can take a
retrospect and look down the lane of long ago and see a better
experience than now. That person has certainly headed toward Egypt that
sees the highest plane of his Christian experience, and then gets the
consent of his mind to live on a lower plane. "Therefore, leaving the
principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection."
When the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea they sang and shouted
and had a hallelujah time; but their slogan was, "On to Canaan." When
finally, the survivors and those who were born on the way crossed the
River Jordan, they built a monument, which signified that they had come
over there to stay.
CHAPTER XI
THE PALM TREE GETS OTHERS STARTED
Where this remarkable tree finds root, and grows, it is almost sure,
sooner or later, to cause other palms to spring up; so that it does not
need to be alone.
Take it out in the sands of the Sahara, when this product of nature gets
started, others spring up, then more, and they bring the moisture to the
surface, till the green grass begins to spread, and the springs come,
till finally the beautiful oases are found here and there, and make the
stopping places for the desert caravans, where the travelers find rest
and coolness in the shadows and water for man and beast. There are
places in the orient where the Arabs have planted these palms on purpose
to start an oasis. Refreshing spot! Prolific palm trees! Reader, are you
still measuring up? Are you growing alone? Has no other tree started
because of your life and influence? May be you are saying, "We do not
have any holiness meetings or prayermeetings where we live." But why? If
not, why not? Is there not a kitchen in your house? What hinders you
from having a good prayermeeting, or Sunday school there? Be careful, or
you will not find yourself flourishing like the palm tree. Surely, you
ought to get another tree started; then, by that one's influence, get
another, then another, till springs arise in your desert place, and the
spiritual oasis will call for the desert traveler to come and rest and
drink.
Never rest contented to grow alone; it is too lonesome. It is neither
like nature nor grace. Get some one else saved, or find out the reason
why. We know a man who once held a prayermeeting in a schoolhouse six
months before anybody else attended. Finally, they began to come and it
resulted in a revival. See the persistence of some of the foreign
missionaries. Think of the hardships of those early pioneers who blazed
their way through dark continents, and with a determination to win, they
pressed their way through and with faith and prayer and continuous
efforts, they saw the fruit of their labor in others finding Christ as
their personal Savior. With David Livingstone's heart in the middle of
Africa, his sun-dried mummy in Westminster Abbey, his spirit in the
glory world, do you not think he is glad he got others started to carry
on his work in the land of darkness? If John G. Paton, taking his life
in his hands, could go into the New Hebrides, and there brave the awful
hardships and dangers of those cannibal islands, and finally win out and
see them converted to God like a nation born in a day, does it not look
as if you, my dear reader, ought to start the work somehow in your
midst, and get hold of God by fasting and prayer, and never give up till
an oasis is started in your community? "Where there is a will, there is
a way." It takes grit and grace, but God's storehouse has never yet been
exhausted, and there is yet the man to be born that has proved all the
possibilities of grace.
Cast about in your mind and think of that person, perhaps only a lassie
or lad, that found Christ, and though persecuted at home at first, yet,
by faithful perseverance, finally won the whole family to God. Think of
that one who dropped into the revival meeting some distance from his
home and found the Lord, and then carried the fire back to his own
community and the revival broke out there. Think of those faithful
pilgrims who have moved far out into some frontier settlement and stood
firm for God and holiness, and finally got a meeting started and today
the church flourishes in their midst. They had the experience that
flourishes like the palm tree.
There is something in the very nature and heart of the palm tree saint
that longs and plans for the planting of God's kingdom among men. If one
is so situated that he is isolated from sanctified people, he is not
going to sit down on the stool of do-nothing and wither up and die; but
he will begin to cast about and see what he can do to start a Sunday
school, or a prayermeeting, or send for a holiness preacher. He must get
other palms started in his community. Dr. Carradine tells the story of
the two women at the toll bridge in Kentucky who got the blessing of
sanctification and set about praying for a holiness meeting in their
community. They prayed long and faithfully and would not give up.
Somebody heard of their experience and visited them, then wrote an
article about them and put it in the paper. A preacher providentially
saw the article many miles from their abode, but it so got hold of his
heart that he made up his mind to see them and get the same thing. God
honored his desire and faith and was answering their prayer at the same
time. This brother received the blessing and so preached it that others
in his church received the same. At the conference this brother was
persecuted on account of the newfound blessing of holiness, but he had
grace enough to stand and endure and not retaliate. Dr. Carradine saw
the abundant grace in this brother's heart and life, and it made him
hungry for the same thing. In due time the persecuted brother was
invited to hold a revival meeting in Dr. Carradine's church, which
resulted in the doctor's getting the experience himself. Time passed on
and finally the prayers of these two faithful women were answered, in
that Dr. Carradine held a meeting in their town and led a number of
others into the experience. These two palm tree saints felt a spiritual
loneliness in being there without others growing, and so they never
rested till they had a grove of them.
A certain preacher who was also a carpenter in southern California, was
about to move to some new place. He carefully thought the matter over
and decided to move to a place where he hoped in the near future to
plant a grove of palm tree saints. He thought he and his family might
form a nucleus and thus establish the church of his choice (for it was a
holiness church) in that place. Accordingly he went, and worked at his
trade and preached what he could and got as many interested as he was
able, and after a while the writer, together with a fine band of
workers, went to this town and pitched a tent and began to preach
holiness. Before we left we established a church, with this brother as
pastor, and now after a very few years, this brother is enjoying
holiness in the heavenly world, and the church planted in that town is
flourishing, having built a church and parsonage. There is something in
it that wants to get others started. That is the secret of successful
missionary work among the heathen. Carey leaves the cobbler's bench and
sails across the seas and soon has his palm grove growing in India's
soil. Paton moves to the Hebrides and jeopardizes his life among the
savages, but never lets up till he sees the groves flourishing in that
dark and dreary land. Livingstone plunges into darkest Africa alone, but
he does not remain alone; God reaches those black and benighted savages
and turns them into saints, and the oases begin on African soil. And so
on all over the world today are being planted God's palm tree saints who
are getting others started and the big world is now being dotted with
palm tree groves. Thank God forever. Reader, where are you living? Is
your abode far off from sanctified people? Do not get discouraged; God
answers prayer. Do your best, and the first thing you know you will have
some one to take his place by your side to push the work, and who knows
but that in a short time there may be a flourishing community of full
salvation saints there?
CHAPTER XII
THE PALM TREE MOUNTS HEAVENWARD
It would seem that the variety of palms which climbs upward into the
sky, was bent on getting as far from the earth and as near heaven as
possible. They ascend till they outstrip the other trees, and seemed
determined to get above swamp, miasma and everything else of a groveling
nature. There, in their exalted sphere, they wave their perennial
boughs, and bear their fruit, and bask in the beautiful sunshine, and
live in an element truly above the world.
Are you flourishing like that? Is there something divine in your very
being that makes you ambitious to rise as far above this world of sin
and as near heaven as it is possible to get? Can you sing from
experience,
"I rise to walk in heaven's own light,
Above the world and sin;
With heart made pure and garments white,
And Christ enthroned within?"
God has chosen us to sit together in heavenly places above the mist and
fog and spiritual malaria of this sin-laden world. With the palm tree
blessing in our souls, we are not yearning for the flesh-pots of Egypt.
The leeks and garlic and onions of the past Egyptian diet have no
charms for such a one. He has risen to heavenly heights, where he
catches the smiles of his Savior and is enabled really to look down on
things terrestrial.
When Pharaoh was pressed by Moses and Aaron to let the children of
Israel go, he first refused, then tried to compromise by letting them
worship the Lord "in the land." When this failed, he tried the second
compromise and said he would let them go, "only ye shall not go very far
away." Pharaoh was certainly a long-headed schemer. He knew if they did
not get very far away, he would not have very far to go after them.
Then, again, he knew if they were not very far away, and had a hard time
to get something to eat, they would not have far to get back and fill up
on garlic and onions.
It is just that way with Pharaoh's antitype, the Devil. He first refuses
to let his subjects go. Then if they are bound to go and be Christians
he tries to get them to do their religion "in the land;" that is, remain
in the world and be worldly professors. How many are really deceived at
this point! When the Devil sees that this compromise will not take, he
tries the next one and says if they are bound to be Christians, all
right and good, but "ye shall not go very far away."
How many poor deluded souls bite at this bait! They do not get very far
away from Egypt, and certainly the Devil has not very far to go after
them. Then, when they fail to get enough in their religion to satisfy
the longing desires of their hearts, they naturally turn toward the
flesh-pots of Egypt, and should they feel abashed because of their
church profession in going outright to the theater, dance, card parties
and other worldly amusements, they get them up in the name of the church
and religion, and have a fourth class performance in the church, or
enjoy the fun and frolic of strawberry festivals, bean suppers, oyster
stews, grab-bags, fish ponds, and so on _ad libitum_. They may try to
hide the smell of their Egyptian diet, but anybody can tell when one has
been eating onions and garlic.
Thank God some folks got such a boost when they left Egypt, that they
never long for any of the former life. Like the palm tree, they are
above it all.
Imagine the Apostle Paul attending the performances which some churches
have these days! There are pilgrims scattered over the world today so
lofty in their spiritual makeup, that to stoop to the level of the
pleasures of the worldly professors would be so utterly incongruous that
it would border on the ridiculous.
The palm tree blessing is a high blessing. It is the "higher life"
indeed. "And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called
the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it" (Isa. 35:8).
"There is a path which no vulture's eye hath seen." This is the path of
the pilgrim. It is so high that the vulture in his aerial flights has
never yet been able to look down upon it. Pity such a person? Never! The
world thinks they are looking down upon us, but no worldling on this
mundane globe ever looks down on the palm tree saint as he walks the
narrow, heavenly trail, practically oblivious of conditions below. Let
not any worldling think that he is looking down on God's holy ones; they
are looking down on him and they are so far above, that he looks like a
mere dot upon the surface.
The minds of many are turned toward the airships of the day. The
aviators are vying with each other in long distances, speed, altitudes,
and endurance; but the palm tree saints have solved the problems of
aviation long ago. They have an heirship, though it may not be spelled
exactly like those of the world, yet, for altitude, endurance, speed,
and long traveling, it perfectly eclipses them all. The aviator of the
world may break the world's record today, and break his neck tomorrow,
but the possibilities of the Christian aviator are exceedingly charming
and the dangers are reduced to naught. He is safer in his heirship than
on the earth. Borne upward on the wings of faith, pushed onward by the
propeller of perfect love, with a lateral stability which is a marvel to
many who gave him "just three weeks to hold out," he is still rushing on
toward the meridian sun, and has been out of sight for years. He never
expects to come down again. Some day he will fly so far away from
earth's attraction, and get so near heaven, that the gravitation,
inversely to the square of their distances, will pull so in the other
direction, that he will sail into glory and drop his pardon and purity
biplane on the gold-paved streets of the New Jerusalem, amidst the
shouts and cheers of the angelic host and the multitudes that have
sailed in before, there to enjoy an eternal "aviation meet" with prizes
and crowns of glory for all.
CHAPTER XIII
THE PALM TREE IS PECULIAR IN ITS GROWTH
We have in the botanical world the exogenous and the endogenous tree.
The exogenous tree grows by adding to its exterior. Year after year adds
layers or rings to the outside, thus increasing its size. It is in this
way that scientists are enabled to determine the age of trees. Some of
the mammoth trees of California show an age of many hundred years. Most
of the trees with which we have to do are of the exogenous type.
The endogenous tree increases by internal growth. The palm tree is
endogenous. Its growth is internal; out from the center and out at the
top.
How exact to the analogy was the Holy Spirit when He inspired the
statement, that "the righteous shall flourish like the palm tree"! The
palm tree saint does not have his growth from the external, pushing out
along the lines of earth, and parallel to things of the world; but his
growth is internal, and upward toward God and heaven, and perpendicular
or diametrically opposed to the world, the flesh and the Devil.
When the Holy Spirit gave us a picture of the sinner, it was "spreading
himself like a green bay tree." A glance at the margin of this text will
reveal that the green bay tree indicates one that is growing in its own
soil. It has never been transplanted. It remains in the same old
conditions and environments. It spreads out on the earth and clings to
things terrestrial. Thus, the sinner, growing in the same soil, in the
same surroundings and conditions of sin year after year, having never
been transplanted nor translated from nature's darkness to the marvelous
light of God, pushes out along worldly lines and worldly pleasures,
knowing nothing of the internal developments of grace, nor upward growth
toward God and glory.
Whenever a professing Christian spreads out with worldly ambitions, is
determined to lay up his treasures upon earth, hungering more for the
adjoining quarter section of land than for the mansions beyond,
determined to have a name down here at the risk of having none in
heaven, he certainly is far from the palm tree type.
With Christ crowned inside, and all the elements of Christian growth
firmly planted within the heart, no wonder there are inward developments
unseen by mortal eye, that expand the saint's soul more and more as the
years roll on, and enable him to rise more and more above terrestrial
things to heights in the heavenlies.
With the secret of growth internal, it is not hindered by elements
external, for one's life "is hid with Christ in God." How comforting,
then, to the soul, to know that his secret growth is so far from
external things, that neither trials, tests, troubles, tribulations,
persecutions, disappointments, losses, crosses, circumstances, men, nor
devils can necessarily hinder him from pushing out and up in the divine
life.
In the earlier days of persecution of holiness professors, how often the
fighting faction has tried to snow some of God's fire-baptized saints
under, only to see them rise up through the snowdrift, with perennial
freshness and smiling face ready for the next cold blizzard of snow. Or,
perhaps it was a wet blanket suddenly thrown over them and their
testimony, but the fire within only burnt its way through and turned the
wet into steam and proved the possessor to be practically invulnerable.
It is indeed hard to cut off one's growth when it comes from within.
There may be a momentary check at times when unforeseen obstacles are
thrust in one's way, but the growth producing qualities within assert
themselves and burst out with increasing force which make the tormentors
wonder "what next?"
CHAPTER XIV
THE PALM TREE HAS A COARSE, ROUGH EXTERIOR; BUT IT IS SOFT AT HEART
In spite of its symmetry, its wonderful beauty and its perennial
freshness, the palm tree has rather a harsh exterior. But being an
endogenous tree, its pithy interior makes it always soft at the center,
or heart.
In the realm of grace, we often find some of God's best saints with a
somewhat coarse-grained exterior. They may be uncouth, unlettered,
uncultured, and reared in the backwoods, but they can look up with Job
and say, "He maketh my heart soft."
While Christian education is to be prized, and culture to be much
esteemed, there are some who have not had these advantages, yet have
proved by actual experience that God's grace is free for all, and a
clean, soft heart can abide beneath a rough exterior.
Methinks Elijah, with his rough garments and shaggy hair, had underneath
his crude exterior one of the softest hearts of his time. John the
Baptist, with camel's hair clothing, leathern girdle, and locust pabulum
had a kind, soft heart within.
Sometimes God's people are much misunderstood because of their natural
uncouthness and blunt manners, when, if their hearts could be seen,
they would appear whiter than snow and softer than silk. Thank God, He
knows.
The beautiful blessing of "perfect love" has been often misunderstood.
Some seem to think it is a sort of lovey-dovey, sentimental something
that makes its possessor smile on everybody and everything no matter
what the moral quality may be. Perfect love sometimes assumes the rugged
type, and deals along drastic lines. It can weep with those who weep,
but when there is a very critical operation to perform, there may be no
place for tears just then, for tears would blind the eyes.
Elijah, whose heart was full of perfect love, came to a place where the
false prophets had to be exterminated, and he had grace and grit enough
to carry out the heaven-appointed program.
John the Baptist, whose experience Jesus Christ himself did not
question, could face the hypocritical church members and say, "O
generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to
come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance" (Matt. 3:7, 8).
No, perfect love deals death blows where death blows are needed. A mad
dog is running loose in the street. Children are playing on the opposite
corner. Some one rushes out with a bludgeon in his hand, and jeopardizes
his life, but he lays out the mad dog. Some sentimental on-looker asks,
"Was that love that prompted you to treat that dog thus?" He answers,
"Yes; love for those innocent children over on the corner."
A man is drowning. In vain he struggles and screams. He is about to
perish, when a stalwart specimen of humanity swims out and deals the
poor man a terrible blow in the proper place to stun him. He ceases to
struggle, and the expert life-saver swims ashore and lays his man at the
feet of rejoicing friends. Some one says, "Was that love that made you
strike that poor, helpless man?" He replies, "Yes; if I hadn't stunned
him, he would have drowned himself and me too."
A freight train was pulling into an Illinois town in the night. The crew
saw a building on fire and had reason to believe that a friend was
upstairs in a certain room. The train was stopped and two men rushed to
the scene of the fire. Up the stairs they mounted and never stopped to
knock at the chamber door, but rushed to the slumberer. There was no
time for ceremonies. They grabbed the man and dragged him down the
stairs most abruptly. They had scarcely reached the outside when the
stairway fell in, and had they been a minute later all would have been
lost. Imagine that rescued victim complaining of harsh treatment,
skinned shins and sprained ankles! Love made the rescuers adopt speedy
and most drastic measures and nothing else would have saved.
When the writer was a small boy in Iowa, a presiding elder of the M. E.
church lived in his town. He was an exceedingly corpulent man, weighing
something over three hundred fifty pounds. One day he was taken very
sick and a physician prescribed for him, leaving the medicine in the
form of powders for him to take. The great, big preacher looked at the
small powders and then at his bigness, and said to himself: "I am so
large I think I would better take two of them." He accordingly took a
double dose and soon discovered that they were putting him to sleep. His
family and friends saw the awful mistake he had made, and determined to
use desperate measures to keep him awake, or they well knew they would
soon have a dead presiding elder on their hands. Accordingly, love went
to work. They walked him about, switched him, and punished him in any
way their quickened ingenuity could invent. In vain he begged them to
let him alone and sleep, but they threshed him and punished him till
they wore off the effect of the opiate and saved his life. Would any one
question the promptings of love that led those people to give their
presiding elder such a beating? I trow not.
Did Jesus Christ love when He drove the money changers out of the temple
at the end of a whip? Did Daniel have love when he faced the wicked
Belshazzar and told him of his sins at the risk of his own life? Was
there love in Jeremiah's heart when he swore to the truth and changed
not, even if he did land in the dark, miry dungeon? Where was Joshua's
love when he put his foot on the necks of the Canaanitish kings? What
about Samuel and Agag? Look over the history of the Old and New
Testaments and note some of the rugged measures taken by God's prophets
and others, and see that it was not always of the easy-going,
soft-gloved, alligator-teared type.
In the far North, when it was an object to get the mail over those
bleak, barren plains, with the thermometer many degrees below zero, one
frightfully frigid morning the express driver was bundled up for his
long, cold ride in his sleigh. Just as he was about to start, a rather
scantily dressed woman came up with a baby in her arms, and told the
driver that she had just received news of her husband's death, and she
must go to him. He remonstrated with her and tried to show her that she
could never stand the cold trip; that she would certainly freeze on the
way. But his words were futile, for she climbed into the sleigh and was
determined to go to her husband. Finding that he could not prevail upon
her to desist, he tucked her in the bottom of the sleigh, piled the
straw around, placed the wraps about her and her baby and started on. As
they progressed, the cold grew more and more intense. The icy flakes
began to fill the air, and the wind was cutting its way through to the
very marrow. Finally, the driver saw the poor woman nodding, and
discovered the sleepy droop of her eyelids. He thought, "Oh, the poor
woman is freezing to death and what shall I do?" He hastily tried to
think of some way of saving her life, when suddenly he stopped the
sleigh, and quietly, without saying a word, took the baby from her arms
and lifted the freezing form of the woman into the road; then he took
the babe in his own arms and drove on. At first she staggered and
stumbled around and then seemed to come to herself and discovered that
the driver was actually running off with her baby. The chase then began
in good earnest. He managed to keep just far enough ahead to encourage
her in her desperate run. Finally, he saw the glow return to her cheek,
and knew that the warm blood was again coursing through her body, and
then he quietly let her in, placed the babe in her arms, snugly tucked
them in and drove on to their destination. At the journey's end she
said, "Oh, how I thank you for what you did! If you had not done that,
my baby would have been an orphan tonight." Rough treatment was that;
but it was prompted by love. Judging from the exterior appearance, it
surely looked rough and frightfully cruel; but a heart of kindness was
beneath it all.
A certain phrenologist was giving a public exhibition showing the
science of phrenology. A well-known citizen was on the platform having
his cranium and physiognomy examined, the result of which was being
communicated to the audience. The man had some very prominent bumps and
features which indicated a disposition far from pleasant, and the
examiner was telling it out to the congregation as one striking, ugly
point after another was discovered. As the phrenologist proceeded from
one statement to another, delineating the man's character, the
congregation first smiled, and then burst into laughter. The professor
was actually describing the man opposite to what he really was. They
knew the man, and it excited their risibilities to see the scientist so
far miss the mark. Of course it was embarrassing to him, but on
concluding his talk, the gentleman who had been examined asked if he
might say a word. He then told the people that the phrenologist had told
the truth and had given a very accurate description of his natural
disposition; that he had perfectly pictured out his former life; that
the reason why he was not that way now, was because of the grace of God
that had come into his life. Grace had made the change, but the old,
rough exterior was not worn off, and the phrenologist had judged from
the appearance.
Let us not judge by the external simply. Like the palm tree, one may be
crude and rough outside, but inside he may meet the loving approbation
of God.
CHAPTER XV
THE LIFE OF THE PALM TREE IS AT THE CENTER
This is unlike the life of all the exogenous trees, which is at the
surface, or rather just beneath the bark. When the life-giving sap
circulates along the length of these trees, it moves in its course close
to the outside surface. When the maple tree is tapped they catch this
flow of sap, because it is near to the outside. When farmers want to
destroy a tree, all they have to do is to girdle it, or, in other words,
cut the bark down to the wood all around the tree, and thus stop the
circulation of sap, and the tree soon withers and dies. Such a tree can
not stand too much abuse. If it is chopped and hacked and peeled, or
girdled, it seems to discourage it, and it gives up and dies. Not so
with the palm tree. It has its life at the center. One may rip it and
peel it and girdle it, and it grows just the same; it has a hidden life.
We have actually seen a row of palms which had been burnt, and yet they
had pushed out of their dismal darkness, and thrown out fresh foliage.
They do not get discouraged and quit when the odds are against them.
Does the reader still find himself flourishing like the palm tree? The
perplexing and persecuting times will come more or less to all of us,
and then how we will need the palm tree blessing!
Take the professor of religion minus the real possession, and let him be
placed under the distressing ordeal of certain lines of adversity. Let
him be cut with the cruel tongue of the talker, peeled with popular
prejudice, girdled with the scalpel of the religious dissecter, crunched
by cruel cannibals who love to devour one another, and see how quickly
the spiritual sap ceases to flow. See how soon he withers and shrinks up
and says, "What is the use of trying any more; I might as well give up
my religion." He may not come out openly and above board and declare his
intentions, but that is about the outcome. But see how it works on the
palm tree saint, whose life is "hid with Christ in God." Drag him
through the streets by the hair of his head as they did John Wesley;
incarcerate him as they did John Bunyan; incinerate him as they did the
martyrs of old; excommunicate him and revile him as they did some in our
own day; ecclesiastically decapitate him and skin him alive and girdle
him clear around, and then see him leap and dance, and sing and shout
"Hallelujah! You can't hurt me, for I have the palm tree blessing, and
my life is hidden inside." The sap flows right on, and, though the
outside may be somewhat worse for the wear, yet the Christ-life within
surmounts it all and shouts its victorious way over all obstacles.
Had the early saints not known this wonderful blessing, they surely
would have failed in the struggles of life. Hear the Apostle Paul as he
faces the guillotine block: "For I am now ready to be offered, and the
time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth, there is laid up
for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also
that love his appearing" (2 Tim. 4:6-8).
Hear the Apostle John on that dreary Isle of Patmos: "He that
overcometh, shall inherit all things." "These are they which come out of
great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb."
See the martyrs all down the ages with an inner current of joy as they
faced fagots, and with unfaltering step gave up their lives and flew to
heaven in chariots of fire. There were no outside punishments that could
cut off their life flow. It was hidden so deep that stripes, nor stocks,
nor sword, nor stones, nor any other kind of affliction or infliction
could reach its fountain head.
There are those of our present day who know by actual experience the
joys of this inner, invulnerable gift. Had it not been for this, they
would have been swept into the vortex of discouragement and despair long
ago. O, the unspeakable joy of a life that is not superficial, but
hidden so deep that the Devil's darts or any of his devices can not
reach it!
How is it that sister can sing and smile when a thousand trials
conspire to cut off the flow of holy joy? Because she has the palm tree
blessing, and her life of devotion and blessing is not external where
the things of earth can reach it.
When one murmurs and complains, and finds fault with environments and
the things which would tend to annoy, let him know that he is living at
the external, and does not know the joys of internal rest where these
things do not intrude. Thank God for an inner current of holy life,
which flows on, supplying the life more abundant and keeping the soul in
blessed equipoise amidst the surging of life's storms.
So we see that the palm tree is endowed with an abundant life. Jesus
said in John 10:10, "I am come that they might have life, and that they
might have it more abundantly." The palm tree is certainly a fine type
or illustration of life more abundant. Now, if the Christian is to
measure up alongside of this characteristic, then he must have that
which Jesus meant by the more abundant life. It is not sufficient to
have life in Christ; he must have it abundantly.
What is this life more abundant? Look at the schoolboys as they file out
of school. They can scarcely contain themselves, having been pentup
through the day. Some are yelling, some are running and some are
manifesting their life in other ways. They seem to have more than they
know what to do with. Look at the stall-fed calf. See it gamboling over
the meadow. Notice the lambs frisk and frolic. Every action signifies
abundant life. This is all physical life; yet the Holy Ghost coming
into the believer's heart and life will impart the spiritual life more
abundant. Wherever there is life, we may hope to see the manifestation
of that life. If there is life more abundant, then we may hope to see
more abundant manifestations of that life. The sinner is dead in
trespasses and sins. The believer is made alive in Jesus Christ. The
difference between a Christian and a sinner is the difference between a
living body and a corpse. If a funeral was in progress and Jesus Christ
should come by as He did when the procession was on the way from Nain to
the cemetery, and speak life into the dead body, how long would it be
before the person in the coffin would find it out, and also the people
looking on? When a soul is born again, regenerated by power divine,
there are manifestations of that life, and the individual certainly
finds it out, and it is obvious to those who know him. Where there are
no manifestations of life it is certainly taxing to one's credulity to
believe there is life. The other day we read in the paper of a funeral
in progress, and in the midst of the service the child who was dead or
supposed to be, arose in the casket and looked quietly around. The
grandmother sitting near by was so shocked at the sight that she
instantly fell over dead. It would not take the observers long to
ascertain that the child on the one hand was alive and that the
grandmother on the other hand was dead. There is too much in these
latter days that passes for life when it is death. It is certainly a
marvelous experience to be made alive unto God. We pick up a paper and
read of a certain revival where hundreds and perhaps thousands have
been converted. The question is: Have they really been made alive from
the dead, or have they simply made a resolution and joined the church?
We have never been very visionary, nor have we been carried away in
trances; but we did have a dream once that we felt sure was from the
Lord; at least the interpretation came so clearly and quickly at the
moment of waking, that we have felt the Lord's hand was in it. The dream
ran thus: We had gone into a cemetery and followed a lady into a tomb.
At the center of this tomb was a casket. The lady walked up to the
casket and quietly lifted the lid and laid it aside. She then gently
placed her hands inside the casket and lifted out of it the form of a
young man. This young man seemed to come to life as she took him out.
She then placed him on her lap, took a clothes brush and nicely brushed
his clothes. He then stood up. We were standing near the wall, and this
young man was observed to roll a cigarette between his fingers and
looking our way, asked for a match. We had none for that purpose and
never do. Immediately we said, "Just out of the grave and yet he
continues in his sins." Then the lady gently took this young man and
laid him within the casket, and he was as dead as before. The lid was
placed in shape and immediately we awoke, whereupon a voice seemed to
say clearly, "This is a modern revival." And is it not true? Do they not
have many who stand up or sign their names and join the church? They
seem to have a little life for awhile; are brushed up and stood up,
when, lo, and behold the old sinful life clings to them, and in a few
days they are back in their old state of death just as dead as before.
Surely, this is not the kind of life Jesus came to bring.
Now, if in the incipient life which Jesus brings, there are
manifestations of the same, does it not hold true that in the life more
abundant there should be expected greater manifestations of that life?
We read that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, etc. This
obtains in the justified relation, when the power of an endless life
begins to work in the heart and life of an individual. Then when that
life becomes more abundant in the sanctified experience, the love, joy,
peace, and all the rest are more abundant. In pardon we have love; in
purity, perfect love. In pardon we have joy; in purity, fulness of joy.
In pardon we have peace; in purity perfect peace. In pardon we have
salvation; in purity, full salvation. In pardon we have life; in purity
life more abundant. Surely, the sanctified soul ought to manifest more
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, and the rest of the imparted graces
than those who do not enjoy sanctification. Alas, too many who profess
this "second blessing, properly so-called," do not manifest it in their
lives. The palm tree abundance seems to be wanting. When our dear mother
was very old, and did not always get her letters properly connected in
her letter writing, one time she wrote us a letter in which she spoke of
the blessing of sanctification. She got all the letters in, but placed
the "c" before the "a" and made it spell "scantified." We thought that
was true of far too many; their sanctification is scantification; alas,
far too scant.
We had this life more abundant wonderfully illustrated on a certain
occasion while holding a meeting in the city of Indianapolis. We stepped
into a doctor's office and observed a platform about four feet square.
This platform was perfectly insulated by having glass feet beneath. The
object of the platform was to form a place for an individual to sit and
then fill him full of electricity. A chair was placed on this platform,
and we were asked to take a seat on it. At first we were somewhat
dubious. We had read of the electrocuting chair, and did not know to
just what extent the lightning might be turned on. After a little
persuasion, and looking at the matter rather philosophically, thinking
that others had been there without being killed, we ventured to take a
seat. At once the power was turned on and in a moment every hair on our
head was standing straight up, we observed in the mirror. The power went
through and through our body from head to foot. It felt glorious, and no
one needed to tell us that something was going on inside. The doctor
placed his hand near our body, and a sharp crack was heard, a spark of
lightning flew out to meet him. Every time the hand approached any part
of us, the report was heard and lightning would flash. Our friend was
sitting near and he was asked to shake hands with us, whereby he
responded, "No, you don't." He felt there was too much going on for him
to trifle with lightning that way. Now, we would not want to convey the
thought, that necessarily when one obtains the blessing of holiness
there will be felt electric shocks throughout his being; but we do mean
to say that when an individual places himself and all that he has on
God's platform of consecration, and becomes perfectly insulated from
this world, that God will turn on the power of the sanctifying baptism
with the Holy Ghost, and that individual will surely know that the
mighty work has taken place. And not only the one who receives the
blessing will be cognizant of the fact, but others who come in contact
with him will ascertain the same. To say that one has the blessing of
holiness, but has no power, is to say what is not true. To say, "I am
still sanctified, but I have lost the power," is to speak contradictory
to the Word of God. There are some things which God has joined together,
and surely we have no right to put them asunder. When the individual
becomes perfectly insulated from the world and worldliness, and makes
proper connection with the dynamos of the skies, something is surely
going to happen.
Once we heard a preacher tell an experience he had when a telegraph
operator. It sometimes fell to his lot to go down the line and see what
caused obstructions to the messages. One time while out on such duty he
observed the line was broken. Usually he took along with him a telegraph
instrument with which to send and receive messages. This time he had
neglected to carry such an instrument. He saw the importance of sending
back a message, but having no instrument, he did not see how it could be
done. At length he thought of placing the two ends of the wire together,
and by joining them in the proper way he could use the Morse code of
dots and dashes, etc. He accordingly tried the experiment and it worked
so successfully that he managed to get a message through to the office.
The next thing was, how could he get a message from the office to
himself? He could not hear the dots and dashes as they might pass along
the wire to him. Finally, the thought struck him, that he could make his
body a means of transmission of the message. Accordingly, he took hold
of one end of the wire with one hand and the other wire with the other
hand, when here came along the message and passed right through his
body, making the dots and dashes of the system perceptibly realized by
the jerking of the hands and arms. Here he had hold of one wire
connected with the office, and with the other hand he had grasped the
wire that connected with the other side and through him came the
message. Would to God that more people had learned the secret of perfect
insulation, and could have their very being so transformed that they
would become channels through which the Holy Ghost could pour His own
messages of divine truth out on a careless and deceived world! We need
to become channels of life, abundant life to a lost and ruined world.
The world is perishing for life. The old humdrum of lifeless religion is
too repulsive. When a certain noted preacher was asked why more people
did not attend church, the answer was, "Because they can not stand the
humdrum." There is something about life that is attractive. A jumping,
laughing, rollicking baby always attracts attention. The frisking lamb,
the playing pups, the rollicking children, all attract. Folks don't like
death. Funerals are sad. Graveyards are quiet places. The heart of man
cries out for life. God puts a spiritual hunger within the breast for
the life more abundant. The lifeless, emotionless, joyless prayermeeting
or preaching service never had its origin in the pentecostal upper room.
They are not the congregations of Spirit-filled, fire-baptized souls.
David said, "My cup runneth over." Isaiah said in that memorable twelfth
chapter, that people would do five things: praise, pray, testify, sing,
and shout. Then he gives as a cause for it all, that "Great is the Holy
One of Israel in the midst of thee." And it is true to the letter. When
God gets in the midst of people there are these beautiful
manifestations. The people praise the Lord, call upon His name, make
mention that His name is exalted, sing and shout. When the meeting dies,
these things are wanting. "Life, life, eternal life!" Let this be our
cry till the dead wake up, and the slumbering church arouses from its
stupor, and the pulpit pulsates with pentecostal fire.
The last thing a person wants to meet is death. No wonder it is termed
an enemy. If then death is so dreaded in the material world, why should
we not abhor spiritual death? Thank God we do not need to have it
around. With Christ the very embodiment of life, who was dead, but now
is alive forevermore; with heaven's mighty reservoir of the elixir of
life at our command, there is no need of spiritual cemeteries. We do not
have to leak out our life because somebody said so; because some
persecutor said something detrimental to us, or used some weapon of war
against us. Did not martyrs of old face death at every turn? Paul said,
"I die daily." He was in constant jeopardy. He never could tell when an
angry mob would swoop down upon him, or he would be cast to the wild
beasts. Yet none of these things moved him. He had a life like the palm
tree, so hidden inside that external things did not affect. Indeed some
of the early martyrs seemed to be endowed with miraculous physical life.
It is recorded that the Apostle John was cast into a cauldron of boiling
oil, but was miraculously delivered, the oil having no effect on him.
When Blandina, a Christian lady, was undergoing such tremendous tortures
by her persecutors, though weak in her constitution, yet she sustained
such aid from heaven, that her tormentors several times became weary in
their wicked work, and declared that she must have been supported by
some invisible power.
Sanctus was a deacon at Vienne. He was tortured for Jesus' sake and bore
it all with marked fortitude and exclaimed, "I am a Christian." When
red-hot plates were applied repeatedly to the most sensitive parts of
his body, till the sinews were contracted, still he remained unmovable,
inflexible in his steadfastness, and he was again placed in prison. In
a few days he was brought forth again, when his tormentors were
wonderfully astonished to find that his wounds were healed and his body
sound and perfect. He was again put to the torture, but being unable to
take his life, he was again remanded to prison, where soon afterward he
was beheaded.
We may not be called upon to suffer physical torture at the hands of
heartless persecutors in these days, but "They that will live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." We surely will have it in some
form if true to God. The world does not love our Christ. Jesus told His
own brothers that the world could not hate them, but it hated Him,
because He told them their deeds were evil. When our persecutors come,
what are we going to do? If we have the palm tree blessing, we have a
life hidden so deep that the world can not reach it. This life is a
heart life. It does not lie on the surface where the enemy's tortures
can reach it. Look at the sainted martyrs in the early day; how they
endured the afflictions that were heaped upon them, without a murmur,
and would not flinch, nor compromise a hair's breadth. Their tormentors
were taxed to the extreme in devising modes of suffering by which they
hoped to succeed in getting the Christians to deny Christ. In order to
show the real hidden life of the palm tree saint we will record the case
of two martyrs as told in "The Historic Martyrs of the Primitive
Church," by A. J. Mason.
Probus was presented. "Put away all foolish language," said Maximus,
"and tell me what you are called."
"My first and best name is Christian; my second, by which men call me,
is Probus."
"Of what station in life?"
"My father was a Thracian, but I was born at Sida in Pamphilia. I am a
civilian, but a Christian."
"Little good you will get from that name. Follow my advice, and
sacrifice to the gods, that you may receive honor from the emperors, and
be a friend of mine."
"I do not want the honor of the emperors, nor am I anxious for your good
offices. I had a considerable property, but I gave it up, to serve the
living God through Christ."
"Take off his cloak. Gird him up. Put him at the stretch. Beat him with
thongs of rawhide."
The compassionate centurion, Demetrius, again spoke: "Spare yourself,
man; you see your blood running to the ground."
"My body is at your disposal," answered Probus. "But your punishments to
me are an anointing with sweet ointments."
After a time Maximus began again his attempts at persuasion: "Will you
not have done with this madness now? Do you persist in it, unhappy man?"
"I am not mad. I am wiser than you. I do not serve devils."
"Turn him over and beat him on the belly."
"Lord, help thy servant."
"As you beat him, say, 'Christian man, where is your helper?"
"He has helped, and He helps me still. I care so little for your
punishment, that I will not obey you."
"Think of your body, unhappy wretch. All the floor is covered with the
blood from it."
"Let me tell you this: the more my body suffers for Christ's sake, the
better it is for the health of my soul."
"Put him in irons, and stretch him to the fourth hole. Let him have no
attention paid to him."
Tarachus is then brought before Maximus.
"Well, well, Tarachus," said Maximus. "I suppose that the reason why
people honor old age is because of the greater wisdom in counsel that
comes with it. Therefore, give yourself good advice, and do not today
persist in your former notions, but sacrifice to the gods, and earn the
praise of piety."
"I am a Christian," answered Tarachus, "and I pray that you and your
emperors may earn the same praise, and may put away all hardness of
heart and blindness, and be quickened by the true God to a higher and
better grounded conviction."
"Knock his mouth with stones, and say to him, 'Cease your folly.'"
"If I were not of sound mind, I should be a fool as you are."
"See, your teeth are all loosened. Have pity on yourself, unhappy man."
"Nothing that you can do hurts me, not if you were to cut off all my
extremities. I stand steadfastly before you in Christ which
strengtheneth me."
"Follow my advice. You had better. Come and sacrifice."
"If I knew that I had better do it, I should not suffer as I do."
"Strike him on the mouth and tell him to cry out."
"When my teeth are dashed out, and my jaws crushed, I can not cry out."
"Will you not even now comply, impious man? Come to the altars, and pour
a drink-offering to the gods."
"Though you have stopped my voice so that I can not cry out, you can not
hinder the thoughts of my soul. You have made me bolder and firmer."
"I will take down your firmness, ruffian."
"I am at your disposal. Whatever you devise, I shall be more than a
match for you in the name of God who strengtheneth me."
"Open his hands and put fire in them."
"I am not afraid of your fire, which endures for a moment; but I am
afraid lest, if I were to obey you, I should become a partaker of the
eternal fire."
"Look, your hands are consumed with the fire. Will you leave off your
madness, senseless man, and sacrifice?"
"You talk to me as if I had begged you not to use your arts of
persuasion upon my body. I am proof against all that you are doing to
me."
"Tie his feet and hang him aloft by them; then send up a thick smoke in
his face."
"I thought nothing of your fire; do you suppose that I shall be afraid
of your smoke?"
"Consent to sacrifice, now that you are hung up."
"_You_ may sacrifice, sir; you are accustomed to sacrificing--even to
sacrificing men. But God forbid that I should do so."
"Put strong vinegar, mixed with salt up his nostrils."
"Your vinegar is sweet and your salt has lost its saltness."
"Mix mustard with the vinegar and pour it into his nostrils."
"Your officers are deceiving you, Maximus; they gave me honey instead of
vinegar."
"I will think of some punishment for you next court day, and I will put
an end to your folly."
"And I shall be the readier for your devices."
"Take him down; put him in chains and give him over to the gaoler. Call
the next."
CHAPTER XVI
THE PALM BRANCH IS THE SYMBOL OF VICTORY
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could
number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood
before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and
_palms_ in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation
to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. * * * These
are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7:9, 14).
"When this cruel war is over," and the last enemy, death, has been
conquered, and every tribulation has been passed through triumphantly,
then we shall come forth on the victor's side, clothed with white robes,
and waving our palm branches gloriously, having overcome by the blood of
the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
When Jesus made that triumphal entry into Jerusalem, just before His
crucifixion, the rejoicing followers acknowledged His kingly victories,
and did homage by preparing His way, and "took branches of palm trees,
and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of
Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord" (John 12:13).
Not only did the palm branch have the significance of victory in the
Bible, but certain countries have used it as a token of victory and
rejoicing, a symbol or evidence of superiority or success. In our
present day, "to bear the palm" means to come off victoriously. This
expression has evidently been borrowed from the ancient symbol.
What other tree in all the world could so well be used to signify
victory? When we think of its beauty, its perpendicular straightness,
its perennial freshness, its sweet and abundant fruitfulness even in old
age, its almost incomprehensible utility, its successful development
where other trees fail, its natural propensity to ascend heavenward, its
marvelous hardiness with its internal and upward growth, does it not
stand to reason that the palm branch should be the most fitting type of
Christian triumph and joyous victory? No other tree could be used so
well to symbolize the victory of him who is fighting under the banner of
King Emmanuel.
Now, if we are to flourish like the palm tree, then we shall flourish
with victory.
We are taught in the Word that "we are more than conquerors through him
that loved us" (Rom. 8:37). This means that the palm tree saint can
fight and win and be ready to fight again.
David's fight with Goliath illustrates it. He marched out against his
enemy and God's enemy with five sling stones, and the first throw
something entered Goliath's head that made an impression which he never
got over. And then the stripling, shepherd lad had four more stones to
kill four more giants if necessary.
In the economy of God's grace He never arranged for us to be succumbers,
but rather overcomers. Read the marvelous promises of Revelation for
those who overcome. There are seven of them, and note the ascending
scale.
1. "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which
is in the midst of the paradise of God."
2. "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."
3. "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I
will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written which
no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."
4. "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him
will I give power over the nations. * * * And I will give him the
morning star."
5. "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and
I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess
his name before my Father, and before his angels."
6. "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God,
and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my
God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which
cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new
name."
7. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,
even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne."
Wonderful stepping stones to the throne! Seven steps and into glory!
Let us examine them in their order:
1. He eats of the tree of life. Death has slipped away and eternal life
has come. He is living forever _now_. We eat of earth's food to live
here, and we eat of the tree of life to live forever.
2. He has promise of a safe passage and a proper landing. He shall not
be hurt with the second death. Insurance in the King's Insurance
Company, secures a positive guaranty against the second death. Wrapped
in the asbestos robes of full salvation, makes one immune from the fires
of perdition.
3. He eats again; but now it is hidden manna. Hidden manna was inside
the holy of holies. Thus, he reaches the "second blessing" properly
so-called. Now arises special persecution and calumny; but the great
Judge in casting the ballot for the condemned, puts in the white stone
for acquittal: hence, he receives the white stone at this stage. "What
shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against
us?" (Rom. 8:31).
4. Power, the positive side of holiness is now particularly manifested.
Also, the night of trouble, trial, testing, temptations, and tears will
pass away. The "morning star" is seen. He is looking toward the
sun-rising, toward the morning when the Sun of righteousness shall
appear.
5. Now, the "white raiment" of a holy life shines forth particularly.
His outward life and testimony give him away. His hidden life manifests
itself outwardly and differentiates itself from all other life. The
inward glory is shining out to the surface, and his life is seen and
felt. In proportion to the inward glory will the outward effulgence be
manifested. Jesus, on the mount of transfiguration, let the inward glory
out through His garments, and they became garments of light.
Now comes the announcement that his name will not be blotted out of the
book of life. While it is possible to pass the point in sin, where the
soul fixes its destiny for damnation, so it seems that there is a point
in the progress of spirituality and grace and overcoming, that fixes the
soul's destiny for glory. His name is confessed before God and the
angels. The veil is getting very thin here, between the overcoming
pilgrim and paradise. In fact he is living mostly in heaven now.
6. He is now counted a pillar in a peculiar sense. Like the pillars of
ancient Egypt and Babylon where great monarchs carved their names,
battles, victories, marvelous achievements, and chiseled their pedigree
and dynasty, so God takes this time-honored, battle-scarred,
self-sacrificing pilgrim at this stage and makes him an illustrious
pillar in the temple of God, and writes in his favor his victories and
exploits, his overcoming life. He is to go no more out. As some are
sealed for eternal damnation in this life, so he is sealed for eternal
glory.
"I will write upon him." Yes, God will carve upon him victories and
conquests. He will write upon him the city of God--his sure destination.
Like the address on a sealed letter, with the government of the country
back of it to see that it arrives safely at its destination, so with
God's "epistles," "sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise," with the
address of his destination plainly written thereon, and with the
government of all heaven interested in seeing him through, we see the
overcoming saint nearing the Great White Throne. The end is near; he is
overcoming to the last. He has been ascending the steps, till now he
sees inside the pearly gates, and one step more will put him inside.
7. Here he is in glory at last, and a place with Jesus in His throne.
Exalted place! With Christ, the great Overcomer, he sits down with Him
in His throne. It is more than finite minds can comprehend. Surely, it
will pay to be true to Jesus and be a final overcomer.
When we read these wonderful promises to the overcomer, and see with
what precision and certainty he is made to ascend the spiritual scale to
glory, we scarcely wonder, that before we reach the close of Revelation
we hear the sudden announcement: "He that overcometh shall inherit all
things."
"And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1
John 5:4). The overcoming, victorious life is the only kind that
satisfies the soul and qualifies for spiritual success in this world.
The outside world is looking upon us, and if they do not see something
in us beyond that which they see in themselves, there will be no
inducement from our standpoint for them to make any change.
God has provided a life in which it is possible to "rejoice evermore,
pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks." The psalmist said, "I
will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my
mouth." No person can, by mere volition, bring himself into a frame of
mind to bless the Lord at all times and have His praise continually in
his mouth. The harassing trials and nagging disappointments incident to
earthly life are too many and too severe to admit of the everlasting
praise life without the grace of God within. And many with a measure of
God's grace have not become acquainted with the secret of continual
praise. Let us look at two statements, one in the Old Testament, and the
other in the New Testament.
"All these things are against me" (Gen. 42:36).
"All things work together for good" (Rom. 8:28).
The first statement comes from Jacob; the second from the Apostle Paul.
Paul said he had learned whatsoever state he was in, therewith to be
content (Phil. 4:11). Jacob was looking at the mere external, and
judging accordingly. What were the things that were against Jacob? "Me
have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and
ye will take Benjamin away. All these things are against me." But Jacob,
you are very much mistaken. The very things you say are against you,
are all working together for your good. Joseph, right now is in Egypt,
the governor of that land, and is not dead as you suppose. Simeon is all
right under Joseph's watchful care, and Benjamin will be in the best of
hands. Joseph went before, to be a loadstone to draw Simeon there, and
Simeon is a loadstone to draw Benjamin there, and Benjamin will be a
loadstone to draw you there and all the rest of the family to preserve
you alive and to bring about God's wonderful plan and providence in the
Hebrew nation. No; the trouble with Jacob was with his foresight; had
that been half as good as his hindsight he never would have said what he
did.
Perhaps Paul did not have so much to contend with in his day. Let us
see. "In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more
frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes
save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I
suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; in
journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils
by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city,
in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false
brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger
and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those
things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of
all the churches" (2 Cor. 11:23-28). In spite of all these, hear his
overcoming, victorious faith say: "All things work together for good."
There is probably no department in the Christian life which is more
desired and for which more prayer is offered, than the victory
department. There are so many trials, disappointments and annoyances
from day to day, that if one allows them to overcome him he is
constantly confronting failure and chagrin. But to know that one is from
day to day and moment to moment living in the praise and overcoming
life, gives him a joy and satisfaction that is simply glorious in the
extreme.
There are many Christians who go through the world in a sort of
up-and-down, to-and-fro, in-and-out, zigzag way that is certainly
discouraging. To have victory today and defeat tomorrow, keeps one on
edge all the time, not knowing which way the battle is going to turn. A
lesson from the Book of Joshua is encouraging. When he began that
wonderful series of conquests just after crossing the Jordan into
Canaan, it was victory after victory. Here is a sample of the records:
"And he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho."
Then follows like statements in almost the identical language except
that the cities are different, showing that he took the last city and
conquered it and its king in precisely the same manner as he did the one
before. God had previously promised him that he should have just that
kind of victory in Canaan. "Hereby ye shall know that the living God is
among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the
Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and
the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites" (Joshua 3:10).
Notice two things in this: It was to occur in Canaan, and there were to
be seven nations conquered. Is not this typical of Holy Ghost victory in
the sanctified life? Canaan is a type of holiness, and seven is the
perfect number. God wants us to have perfect victory from day to day
over all our foes, and He will supply that which will enable us to
overcome.
So many so-called soldiers of the cross are living simply on the
defensive with scarcely a thought of spiritual, aggressive warfare. Look
at the great battles that have been won in the world's history. Were not
most of them won by the aggressive side? Look at the whole armor of God
as the inspired pen of Paul pictures it out in the sixth chapter of
Ephesians; the helmet for the head, the breastplate for the vital organs
of the body, the shield for the whole man, and a sword to do aggressive
execution. We see the whole front of the man protected, but what about
the back? There is no protection for that part of the body, for God's
soldiers are not expected to turn their back to the foe. If they do,
they are sure to be hit. When the writer was a boy, accompanied by other
boys, he discovered an old Indian burying ground on the beach bluff near
Santa Barbara, California. They had seen indications of such a place,
and were diligently searching for the exact spot. Finally, they
discovered some rib bones sticking out of the bank, where the constant
washing of the waves had in time crumbled the bank down. With shovels in
hand they went about the delightsome task of uncovering the dead, with
the hopes of finding wampum, arrowheads, pottery or any other relics
which might have been buried with their owner. Finally, a section of an
Indian's backbone was unearthed, and upon examination it was found that
an arrow head had pierced the vertebra, just missing the spinal cord,
and was wedged in like a nail driven into a board. The question might be
asked: "How did the arrow head get into that Indian's backbone?"
Evidently, because the Indian was on the retreat, and his enemy shot him
in the back.
Where is the victorious life, when life is spent simply in the humdrum
of daily routine of selfish interests? No wonder people have an
up-and-down experience. No wonder they never get anywhere outside of the
treadmill of life. God wants us to branch out and bless the world and be
conquerors. In the Garden of Eden we read about the wonderful river that
flowed through it and watered it; but it was not self-centered nor
self-contained; it branched out. So it is in sanctified human experience
today; the Edenic stream of full salvation flows through the soul, but
it does not stop there and center itself in the individual. The stream
waters one's life and experience, but it flows out and on to bless
others also. The Edenic stream started out as one stream, but the
account tells us that it branched out into four streams and watered the
world around. So it is with that soul who will let the Holy Ghost have
His way with him. Out of his inmost being will flow rivers of living
water. This fourfold Edenic stream went out in four directions, to the
four quarters of the earth, so to speak. Four is the human number of the
Bible, and when one gets the Holy Ghost, he is expected to branch out to
the people everywhere and water the world with the precious water of
life. Holiness is not self-centered. It consists of two elements--purity
and power. If one has the thought of purity alone when he seeks the
blessing, he has a one-sided idea of it. There is a power side which
enables the possessor to conquer. Purity for the individual, and power
for the world; or in other words, power for aggressive warfare.
Whoever became a conqueror that stayed always in one little, beaten
path? The world is so big, the possibilities are so great, and the grace
of God so boundless, that it looks as if we all ought to set our stakes
for bigger results in the Christian life. One day we were passing along
a street in a certain city and observed a gentleman constructing a very
peculiar piece of frame work, and our curiosity was so aroused that we
went over and asked him what he was building. He answered, "I am
building a razzle-dazzle." He then explained what that was. He said that
a razzle-dazzle was something like a merry-go-round, except that as it
went round and round it also went up and down. We thought how many
people in their so-called Christian life are riding the razzle-dazzle.
They want to be going and moving, but they are going round and round,
and not only that, they are going up and down, up and down, and never
getting anywhere in their experience. Now, we never were much in favor
of running off on tangents, but in this case we think it would be very
advantageous to strike a tangent and take a bee-line for Canaan.
Many are hindered in their victorious life by the "little foxes which
spoil the vines." Their spiritual wall which surrounds them seems to
admit so many of the aggravating cares, that they find themselves
frequently overcome thereby. "Salvation, will God appoint for walls and
bulwarks" (Isa. 26:1). "But thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy
gates Praise" (Isa. 60:18). When we remember that "God is our
salvation," and "Our God is a consuming fire," and this God, the
consuming fire, is the wall of salvation around us, we believe the wall
is so high that the devil's little foxes can not jump over it; so thick
they can not bore through it, and so deep they can not dig under it.
This is surely a blessed protection for those on the inside. But the
promised protection of God is still more. He will insphere His trusting
child and make him doubly safe, and make his surrounding simply
glorious. Notice the divine insphering: "As the mountains are round
about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth
even forever" (Psalm 125:2). Here is the Lord all around us. "Because he
is at my right hand, I shall not be moved" (Psa. 16:8). The Lord is by
our side. "Underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deut. 33:27). The Lord
is beneath us. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1). The Lord is
over us. And we are also taught that we may abide in Him and He will
abide in us. Think of this marvelous protection: the Lord all around us,
by our side, underneath us, over us, in us and we in Him. Then shall we
allow the trifling things of earth to conquer us and spoil our
experience? How often we hear one say words like this: "I wouldn't give
up my experience for all the world," and then possibly in an unguarded
moment go down over something not worth a quarter. We once heard of a
sailor that had braved the sea and storms for years, and finally got
drowned in a bucket of water. While drinking he had some fit or accident
which caused him to fall, so that his face was buried in the water and
he was strangled to death. Be careful of the little things; they are
sometimes more dangerous than the bigger ones. A brother was once
accosted by one of the Lord's workers and asked how he was getting along
in his Christian experience. He replied that he got along very well
usually through the day, but when he went home from his work in the
evening, his wife nagged at him so much that he invariably lost out. He
would be blessed along through the day, but when that nagging spirit of
his wife got started, even though he would hold out for some time and
keep the victory, yet as sure as he would open his mouth, the victory
was gone. He told the worker that he had an experience like a pelican.
He then described how the pelican would start out in the morning and
load up its big pouch with fish, and then in the evening it would start
for home, whereupon the little birds would get after it and peck it
first on one side of the bill and then on the other, till the poor
pelican would throw its head around from one side to the other, and
finally its mouth would fly open and out would go the fish, which was
just what the birds were after. He said he had a pelican experience;
that he would get along well through the day, but the constant annoyance
of the wife in the evening would finally cause him to open his mouth,
and away would go his victory. Many a blessing has been lost, simply by
opening the mouth. It is much harder sometimes to keep the mouth shut
than to open it. "So he openeth not his mouth," was the attitude of Him
who was our example.
CHAPTER XVII
THE PALM TREE WILL NOT ADMIT OF GRAFTING
For many years the process of grafting has been known and practiced by
horticulturists. This is accomplished by taking a scion, usually of the
previous year's growth, from a shrub or tree, and inserting it into
another shrub or tree more or less closely related to the first. It must
be so inserted that the cambium layer of the scion, that is, the layer
of formative tissue between the bark and natural wood, is closely united
to that of the stock. In time, these two parts grow together into a
perfect union. The scion thus inserted will derive its life and strength
from the original root and stock, but will bear its fruit according to
the nature of the scion.
When we come to the palm tree, we find something that is opposed to this
method and will not respond. It will not yield to any mixture. It has
not the qualifications that admit of grafting processes. It can neither
be grafted in with any other tree, nor can any other tree be united with
the palm. It will not mix. It is an endogenous tree, and the cambium
layer does not obtain. It has no joining tissue that can be thus united
with any other plant.
Did the Omniscient Inspirer of the Word make any mistake when He said,
"The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree?"
The Word of God is diametrically opposed to unholy mixtures. Hear the
word of the Lord in Deut. 22:9-11. "Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with
divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the
fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled. Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an
ass together. Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of
woolen and linen together."
Who has not seen the evil effects of mixing the planting of various
seeds together, such as melons and pumpkins, or other incompatible
varieties? Why not yoke an ox and an ass together? They are neither
mated in size, breed, nor disposition. It makes a lopsided pair. One is
classed with the clean animals, and the other with the unclean. We once
saw an oriental picture in the back part of a Bible where some native
was plowing with an ox and an ass together, and they had the appearance
of being ashamed of themselves. It looked as if the poor plowman would
have a hard job to get any work out of the pair.
But why not the mixed garment, of woolen and linen? "They shall be
clothed with linen garments, and no wool shall come upon them, whiles
they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within. They shall
have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon
their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth
sweat" (Eze. 44:17, 18). God did not want them to chafe and sweat in
performing their religious service; hence, the prohibition of the
mixture in garments.
In this we find a beautiful lesson for spiritual experience. We have too
much of the linsey-woolsey type of religion in our day. How God must
abhor unholy mixing up!
In this threefold prohibition we see the three sides of religion. Pure
religion consists of three things: doctrine, service, and experience.
First, they were not to mix the seed. What does seed typify? Read the
parable of the sower in the eighth chapter of Luke. "The seed is the
word of God." Here we have the thought: it is the doctrine of God. One
part of religion is doctrine, and we must not be mixed in this respect.
When the Bible speaks of that teaching which comes from God, it is put
in the singular and called "doctrine." When it comes from men or devils
it is called "doctrines." God's doctrine is one; men and devils' are
many. Paul admonished Timothy to take heed unto the doctrine. In Paul's
time, and in the times of the early fathers, heresy abounded. In our own
time, Christendom is rent with heresy. Unscriptural doctrine obtains
everywhere. Universalism proclaims the mercy of God reaching "from
everlasting to everlasting." So, in the ultimate outcome, all, because
Christ died for all, will be housed safely, in spite of a
Christ-rejecting life. Unitarianism, as the name suggests, believes in
one God; hence, rejects the deity of Jesus Christ, and being
Universalists also in belief, they are all going to get in by the
example of the Savior. While the Universalist believes that God is too
good to damn him, the Unitarian believes that he is too good to be
damned. Then comes along the soul-sleeper, who mixes with his doctrine
the heresy of no conscious existence after death till the resurrection,
and the utter annihilation of the wicked following the judgment, all of
which is in direct opposition to the plain teaching of the Word.
Mormonism comes in with its deluded adherents and claims a new
revelation in the Book of Mormon, and repudiates hell, flaunts its
mantle of polygamous fornication over its dupes, and gives the world a
mixture indeed. Christian Science, the greatest misnomer in modern
parlance, foists its counterfeit religious currency over our fair land
and makes the unwary deny the existence of sin, death, Devil, and the
real personality of God himself. The blood atonement of our Savior is
obnoxious to them, and hell is not in their creed. Surely theirs is a
mixed seed, with scarcely any real truth. Then springs up the _ignis
fatuus_ fallacy of Russellism with its promised "Millennial Dawn,"
spreading out the "Plan of the Ages" so that its deceived votaries
discount the deity of Christ until His resurrection. They claim that His
body was not resurrected, but may have passed off into gases; that one
is not born again till he is resurrected; that hell is a farce; that the
world will have a further chance of being saved after death. Not content
with these forces, the disseminator of mixed seeds raises up a regiment
of Higher Critics, who, with their Jehoiakim penknives, have cut and
slashed the blessed, inspired Word of God till it is beyond recognition
as it comes from their hands. To follow their vandalism is to get into
the meshes of mysticism and doubt, and wonder what part, if any, is to
be relied upon as actual inspiration. Then we have the "New Thought,"
and the "New Theology," and the "Aquarian Gospel," and their name is
Legion, the "isms" that are foisted upon gullible humanity in these
latter days. Occasionally one pokes up his personality above the horizon
and declares himself Jesus Christ, when, lo, and behold a following! Sad
indeed is it that so many people and many good people, have been
beguiled into the unscriptural teaching couched in the creed of the
so-called "Tongues Movement." When it first claimed the attention of the
Christian world their theory was first, justification, in which all sins
were forgiven; then following this experience came sanctification, which
involved the cleansing of the heart from all inbred sin; following this
definite work, comes the baptism with the Holy Ghost, accompanying which
is the speaking in tongues as an evidence of said baptism. No one must
rest satisfied that he has received his Pentecost till he has spoken in
tongues. Then the factions began to arise. Leaders opposed each other,
and all spoke in tongues as claimed. Their creed began to change, and
now one of the leading factions of the movement ridicules the thought of
sanctification as a second work of grace, and declares, that while
sanctification does come in, yet all the cleansing one gets is in the
first work when pardon takes place; that is, all inbred sin is then
eradicated from the heart. They still hold to the baptism with the Holy
Ghost and speaking in tongues. Many of the good people of the land have
been caught in this theological mix-up, and have dropped out of the
old-time holiness ranks. What does it all signify? It signifies a mixing
of seed--a mixing of doctrine. The theocracy of the Old Testament
forbade it in the literal, and the inspired Word also forbids it in the
spiritual, in the present dispensation.
A person who is mixed in his doctrine is a dangerous element in the
community. His work is not to settle, root and ground others in the
faith, but rather to unsettle them. "A heretic after the first and
second admonition, reject." Has it ever occurred to the reader that
heresy is one of the works of the flesh, or carnal mind? Read it in Gal.
5:20. The Conservator of orthodoxy is the Holy Ghost in a purified
heart. Outside of that, where is the hope of preserving inviolate the
purity of the doctrine of God? Let me illustrate how this works. There
enters an intelligent, so-called expounder of the truth, into a pulpit,
and he proceeds to teach the people. There sits in the congregation one
with a purified heart, in whom dwells the Holy Ghost, the Author of the
inspired Word. As this ingenious mixer of seed throws out some good
truth, he adroitly mixes into it his heresy, and makes it so plausible,
that, if possible, it would deceive the very elect. His arguments are so
clear, and he uses the Scriptures so well to prove his statements, that
even to the minds of the most spiritual, it seems that he has made the
points scripturally plain. The head responds and says, "It looks that
way," but the Holy Ghost dwelling in that purified heart causes a
shrinking. The soul closes in, and the listener says, "I do not feel
right somehow. I am not comfortable." What is the matter? It is the
blessed Conservator of orthodoxy, the Preserver of the purity of the
Word of God operating in that heart to hinder it from accepting heresy.
But here sits another who has not been so fortunate as to have the
element of inbred sin purged from the heart; hence, has not the abiding
fulness of the Holy Spirit in the heart. The speaker appeals to him in
the same way he did to the other. The head nods assent, for he certainly
makes it plain. But he has that in his heart from which heresy springs,
and so the heresy from this man appeals to its kindred spirit in the
listener, and the result is, it is swallowed down, the poison has done
its work, and another victim is numbered. Oh, reader, is it of small
import that we should be filled with the Holy Ghost, and thus have our
spiritual Protector always guarding us from poisonous seed? We would not
want to take the stand that this is the infallible rule with all people,
but we do certainly believe that this is the secret of some remaining
firm and immovable in doctrine, while others are swept from their
moorings.
The next department of religion we wish to notice in connection with
wrong mixtures is that of service. The ox and the ass were not to be
yoked together. This signifies service. Service constitutes a large
portion of our religion. Without proper service to God we could not hope
to continue in the grace of God. Certainly it stands one in hand to know
what kind of service he should engage in.
The world and the religion of Jesus Christ were never calculated to mix.
It is the unholy mixtures all down the ages that have brought the stigma
upon the Church of God. It always causes trouble. "And the mixed
multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel
also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?" The children
of Israel fell into line with the murmurings of the mixture they had on
hand. God's plan has always been for His people to be separated people.
That is the reason He took them out of Egypt. He warned them before they
ever got to Canaan, that they must remain separated from the inhabitants
of the land. They were not to intermarry; they were not to mix. When
Balaam utterly failed to curse the children of Israel for Balak's sake,
because the Lord would not let him, yet on his departure he told Balak
how he could succeed anyway. He told him to mix up with the children of
Israel in an unholy and abominable alliance. He did so and brought the
curse and plague of God upon Israel, and thousands were slain thereby.
When Nehemiah was sent to rebuild Jerusalem, he found a terrible state
of affairs had arisen by the intermarriage of the Jews with the women of
Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. There were a lot of little half-breeds running
around that could not talk the Jews' language. So Nehemiah had a great
cleaning up time on his hands.
God has called His Church to stand out clean and spotless from the
world. What a power she would have been had she always taken the
separated, clean way! But how sad to see those who profess to be
followers of the meek and lowly Nazarene, courting the world and mixing
with them in their pleasures, pride, popularity, and polluted politics!
One of the saddest things to behold today is the reckless transgression
of that plain command, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers." See the unhappy homes everywhere, because Christians did
not counsel with God and His Word in taking a life-partner. Oh, the
anguish, and heartaches, and backslidings, because the plain Word was
not followed! There was a certain Christian lady, who neglected to
follow the Guide Book in this important step, and right soon after the
marriage she knelt down to offer a little prayer to God, and His voice
was heard clear and distinct: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers." It was too late now to remedy the affair, but the same
word was in the Book before she got into trouble. For thirty years this
lady wandered on in darkness thereafter and never heard the voice of
God, till in mercy she was brought back to saving grace.
How many there are who take upon them the name of Jesus Christ and yet
are mixed up in secret societies and labor unions. Let the world have
these institutions if they want, for they are simply worldly. Their
methods and practices and pleasures are not conducive to spiritual life.
It is a wrong mixture. "Come out from among them and be ye separate."
Let me not pass by another mixing which does not have the blessing of
God upon it. It is that of partnership in business with the unsaved. How
many of God's people have found themselves in serious difficulty on
account of unscriptural business partnership. More than once God has had
to force the alternative upon one of His children to buy out or sell
out; that he could not continue in such alliance to the glory of God. We
have been astonished and grieved at the careless and reckless way so
many professing Christians, yea, holiness people have disregarded this
command of separation, and allowed themselves to be drawn into stock
companies with the unsaved. Is it not an unequal yoking together? Shall
we take God's money, and put it in the control of the world? No wonder
so many who have been so fortunate as to possess a little of this
world's goods have suddenly found their money taking wings and flying
away. Had they counseled with God in the business, they would not have
been beguiled into the unequal yoking with unbelievers. Let us not think
we can fly in the face of the plain Word of God and take matters in our
own hands with impunity.
Neither should we yoke up in church fellowship with those who are not
saved. We would not take the stand, that perchance some might not be
taking the track, that it should bar us from church membership, but when
the mass of members are not obeying God, and are opposed to holiness,
and are worldly in their trend, it is no place for one who wishes to be
spiritual and keep blessed. How long will it be if one mixes in with
such a crowd till he will be like them? We once were passing through the
state of Colorado and saw from the car window a beautiful, clear stream
of water join with another stream that was dark and muddy. How long did
it take the crystal stream to become muddy like the other? It certainly
did not clarify the muddy current, but the muddy current mixed right
into it and all became impure.
Poor Ephraim ought to stand out as a warning to those who think they can
mix with the world with impunity. Hear the Word on his case: "Ephraim,
he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned."
Poor, unturned cake. He had mixed so much among the people that he did
not have fire enough to bake him on both sides; it did not pay to turn
him over. What is an unbaked cake good for? It is so sticky that it will
adhere to almost anything. Ephraim adhered to this people and that, and
met with sad failure. Sticky, soggy, heavy, indigestible, unpalatable!
Who wants it? "Hot cakes" is the call, and not cold, unturned ones.
The next department of religion we wish to notice is that of experience.
Here we have the prohibition of the linen and woolen garments mixed.
What is closer to a person than his garments? God has seen fit to
express salvation under the fitting emblem of garments. "For fine linen
is the righteousness of saints" (Rev. 19:8). "These are they which came
out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7:14). "Let thy garments be always
white, and let thy head lack no ointment" (Eccl. 9:8). "Put on thy
beautiful garments, O Jerusalem" (Isa. 52:1). "He hath clothed me with
the garments of salvation; he hath covered me with the robe of
righteousness" (Isa. 61:10). We have given these beautiful Scriptures to
show that garments are used to symbolize Christian experience. Now, as
the garment is the closest thing that comes to a person, so one's
experience is the closest thing in his religion. It certainly gets up
close to a man. God forbade under the theocracy the wearing of linen and
woolen garments mixed. This mixture causes chafing and sweat and
hardship that He wanted avoided in their religion. But in this present
day we find, alas, too frequently a linsey-woolsey religion.
Let us carry out the figure. Linen is the pure, clean, vegetable
creation, and is used to signify the righteousness of the saints. Wool
is the product of the animal, and is carnal; hence, signifies the carnal
element in one's experience. This carnal element sometimes called the
flesh, obtains in every Christian's heart until he obtains the baptism
with the Holy Ghost, wherein his heart is thus made pure.
"Neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woolen come upon thee"
(Lev. 19:19). As the Word of God was against the garment of this
mixture, so that experience today that is allowed to remain in the
heart whereby there is righteousness and carnality dwelling together is
forbidden. There must not remain carnality where grace has taken up its
abode. There will be spiritual sweating and chafing, and one's religion
will be hindered and thwarted, and in all probability there will be
failure in the end. As it was scientifically incompatible, the mixing of
linen and woolen together for a garment, so it is spiritually
incompatible, the mixing of righteousness and carnality in the same
heart. There is always more or less chafing and hardships and
discouragements. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other;
so that ye can not do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:17). Thank God,
in the economy of grace there is provided an elimination of the carnal
element of one's experience, leaving the pure, clean linen of
righteousness. Then the chafing, and galling, and spiritual
perspiration, working against carnal odds, will cease.
Now for a word of application. "The righteous shall flourish like the
palm tree" in preclusion of uniting or mixing with others. There is
something in the very nature of the palm that precludes the graft, or
intermixing. There is something in the spiritual makeup of the holy,
palm tree saints that have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness. They are a class by themselves. They will not mix their
religion with the world. In doctrine they are clean, true, clear, and
scriptural. They are holding to the old landmarks which their fathers
have set. They are not running after the new fads under the guise of
religion. They are settled, rooted and grounded in the truth. In service
they are separate from the world. They are not mixing with the fun,
frolic and general pastime and pleasure of the worldly element. They
scrupulously adhere to the admonition to "come out from among them" and
not to be unequally yoked together in any way. In experience, they have
no admixture of the carnal and spiritual elements. They have had their
hearts cleansed from all sin, and are really clothed with the pure,
spotless garment of salvation. They lack that cambium layer of formative
tissue that unites them to any other stock. Of course the world hates
them for standing out against them and failing to unite. The worldly
minded church members steer clear of them, for these members retain a
formative tissue that will admit of joining with the world and allowing
the world to join with them; but the palm tree saints stand aloof; they
do not mix.
CHAPTER XVIII
IT IS ADAPTED TO WARM CLIMATES
Our God is the God of nature as well as of grace. Trees thrive best when
in the sphere that nature intended them for. The palm tree is especially
a hot climate tree, and when taken out of its proper place it stands to
reason that it will succumb. It can not stand the cold. It was not made
that way. It matters not how hot the place may be, even in the broiling
sun of the desert, it will thrive. But place it in the cold regions, and
death will inevitably be the result.
The palm tree saint has this same characteristic in the spiritual realm.
A red-hot meeting is his delight. His very nature calls out for the fire
which burns in meetings where God has His way. The warmer the meetings
the better he likes them, and the better he thrives. He can not stand
the cold. God did not make him to stand cold meetings, and so he is not
responsible for it. Cold meetings seem to chill him to the marrow. And
should he providentially be placed in such a sphere, he would feel that
he must do something to start the circulation or he would soon be frozen
to death. Why do not more people have the wisdom of those in cold
climates? To illustrate: A man starts out on a load of wood to take it
to the market several miles away. The thermometer is many degrees below
zero. A friend meets him in the way and informs him that he saw him
nodding as he came down the road; that his nose is white and that frost
has gathered on his eyebrows. The poor man still has sense enough left
to see his danger, and he at once jumps off the load and begins to kick
his toes against the sled, and swing his arms around his body in that
peculiar, cold-climate style to warm himself. After a most heroic effort
he finds himself thoroughly awake, and the warm blood again coursing
through his veins, and he says to himself, "I will not allow that to
happen again."
How often have we seen an iceberg in the pulpit, icicles in the pews,
and polar breezes sweeping through the place! Surely, to live in that
climate long would be to freeze to death. One would have to make a
tremendous stir if he hoped to keep up circulation in such a place. And
should the stir be made, there would be a hue and cry of fanaticism,
wild fire, crazy, or such like. But the Holy Ghost never intended
Christians to live in such an element. He never intended palm tree
saints to live in refrigerators. One may ask if refrigerators are not
good for something. Surely, they are. One can preserve a dead chicken
well in one of them, but put a live chicken in and it will soon chill
and die. The idea of thinking that a lot of little, new-born babes could
live and thrive in church refrigerators! No, they must have warmth. It
is their nature, and when one goes contrary to nature, bad results will
surely follow. Thank God there is a warm climate for those who must
have it. Let us see to it that we live under the warm rays of the Sun of
righteousness, and in an element conducive to spiritual growth and
health.
There is a mistaken idea abroad concerning unity. Because there is no
outward eruption, and because things seem to run smooth, they take it
for granted that there is oneness. There is such a thing as being frozen
together instead of melted together. Jesus prayed for His disciples that
they might be sanctified, that they all might be one. It is the
sanctifying baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire that makes people one
in the proper and scriptural sense. If one had any fire in which to keep
warm, and should attempt to live in some frozen regions, they would soon
cool him off, and he would be frozen together with them. The story is
told of an eagle floating down the Niagara river on a cake of ice. He
was enjoying a feast on a lamb which was frozen to the ice. After a
while the eagle neared the falls, but he was not afraid, because he
could fly. Finally, as the water got swifter, the eagle was seen to
spread his wings and prepare for the escape. When he saw that he could
remain no longer with impunity, he attempted to spring from the ice,
when, lo and behold, he found himself frozen to the cake of ice. With an
awful screech and wings flapping he went over the falls to destruction.
May the Lord save _us_ from too much self-confidence and from remaining
where death and destruction are inevitable, and where freezing and
falling go together.
Quite a number of years ago the writer and another evangelist were
invited to a certain church in New Orleans for revival services. A
certain, noted evangelist had formerly served in that church as pastor,
and great good had resulted from his ministry. The pastor at this time
stated in his invitation to us, that should we accept it, it must be
with the understanding that we were not to preach holiness as a second
work of grace; that the church had previously undergone quite an
upheaval on that line, but now things had quieted down, and peace was
now reigning instead. It might be of some interest to know if we
accepted his invitation. Our answer was about on this line: "We thank
you for your invitation to assist in meetings in your church, but
inasmuch as you have placed an embargo on the stream of holiness as a
second work of grace, which is the only way any one ever received it, we
feel if we should accept the invitation under such conditions we would
be selling Jesus Christ at a less figure than Judas got for Him. And
furthermore, may not that peace and quietude of which you speak relative
to the church, be the quietude of the graveyard instead of a live
church?" Suffice it to say, we did not receive any further invitation.
It is a very easy thing to compromise both as preachers and laymen, and
accommodate ourselves to cooled off environments, till we are a very
part of the thing ourselves. As long as God has provided a warm home for
His sheep and lambs, let us see to it that we have the benefit of the
same. Amen!
CHAPTER XIX
PALM TREE PECULIARITIES
We are told in Titus 2:14, that pilgrims are a peculiar people. They
have characteristics exclusively their own. They belong wholly to the
Lord, and are unlike other people. To the world they appear singular,
strange.
These people are peculiar in the source of their enjoyment, in their
conversation, in their dress, and in other ways which differentiate them
from the world. One saint may have a peculiarity which is not in any
other. He may have a peculiar way in manifesting his emotions when he
gets blessed, or in some striking manner of speech, or sphere of
service, or mode of dress. So it is with different varieties of the
palm. Some have peculiar characteristics which indeed belong only to
their species, and some are strikingly curious. The Christian life is
illustrated so plainly by some of these, that we will note a few.
I. THE EXPLOSIVE FLOWER
There is a certain palm which buds out in enormous clusters. It is said
that "the flowers occur in an enormous cluster, at first ensheathed by
large and frequently wooden spathes, which often burst with an
explosion." Much fault has been found with some of God's palm tree
saints because they have a peculiarity akin to this. To hinder this
explosive emotion in them might hinder their spiritual life itself. For
them to quench the Spirit, would be to thwart the plan and purpose of
God himself. Many precious souls have been tempted and tried because
they seem to be put up different from some others. They have wished to
be more quiet, and have wondered why they have to shout so much. Some
always have a gush of tears and have gone so far as to ask the Lord to
dry their tears, and when the Lord answered their prayer, they
invariably were made lean, and prayed again for Him to open the
fountain. On whatever plan of peculiar disposition we may be built, let
us thank God for it and let the Holy Ghost have His way in all the
minutia of life. All people do not shout, and all do not laugh, but all
get blessed if the Lord has His way. We must not be tried over those
whose blessings do not fall within our desired method, nor should we be
discouraged because the manifestations of the Spirit within us are not
exactly like some others whom we admire.
"The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit
withal." The emotions which follow these operations of the Spirit vary
according to the peculiar makeup of the individual. If there were a row
of various combustibles, such as shavings, salt, powder, gasoline, etc.,
and fire were put to each one of them, there would be manifestations
according to their various characteristics. The shavings would quietly
blaze up, the salt would flicker, the powder would blow up and that
would be the end of it, while the gasoline would blaze all over and keep
on till all was burned. So, when the fire of the Holy Ghost is turned
loose on a lot of consecrated saints, the manifestations of the Spirit
will vary according to the peculiar characteristics of the spiritual
material on hand. When all do the same thing it might be an evidence of
custom or training, and not of the Spirit's manifestation, for God does
not confine Himself in ruts. What could be more stirring, and conducive
to conviction than a body of fire-baptized souls under the control of
the Holy Ghost, some shouting, some laughing, some crying, and some
leaping and dancing, while others might be praying or exhorting; all
letting the Spirit work through them severally as He will. Such scenes
never fail to produce conviction upon an audience. The altar is
frequently filled with weeping penitents after such a scene.
Yes, in nature we have the explosive element in the palm; so in grace we
have the bursting forth of holy emotions, the upgush of heavenly
raptures, and as a help and forewarning the Word tells us, "Quench not
the Spirit."
When a soul swings loose in the Spirit and becomes so free as to shout,
or laugh, or jump for joy, it is reasonable to suppose that it is the
mind of the Spirit for that soul to retain his freedom, not allowing
himself to be tied up so that such demonstrations could not be
duplicated should God so desire. Alas, how many have failed right here!
We have noted the freedom of a new, Spirit-filled soul. How the
peculiar manifestation of the Spirit blest the meeting, and the "profit
withal" was apparent. Later on we have observed how the Holy Spirit
tried to duplicate the freedom and blessing, but the dear soul felt
timid or backward and simply failed to keep abandoned to God. The
inevitable result was, that the heart closed up, the Spirit was grieved,
and dryness and leanness were the result. Let no one dare say, "I am
abandoned to the Holy Ghost" and then not let Him have His way with him
in every particular. To be consecrated means more than simply saying it.
If some one should place a thousand dollars on deposit in my name in
some bank and hand me over the bank book, telling me it all belonged to
me, and for me to draw upon it for any purpose up to the amount of the
deposit, I would certainly feel free to do with it as I pleased without
any fear of his interference. If I wanted five dollars for groceries, I
could draw on the deposit. If I wanted fifty dollars for missionary
work, it is on deposit. It is all mine; I can handle it as I please.
Consecration is putting our all--body, soul, and spirit, time, talent,
earthly store, family, future, service, all we have and know, and all we
do not know into heaven's bank on deposit and then handing the bank book
over to the Holy Ghost, saying, "Draw on the deposit for anything which
Thou in Thy infinite wisdom desirest." Be sure, then, that the Holy
Ghost will take us at our word. When He makes a draw for some particular
demonstration such as shouting, or taking a trip down the aisle, or
laughing, or crying, remember He controls the deposit and has a right to
do as He pleases with what has been turned over to Him. If our time is
placed in His hands He has a right to direct it. If our money is placed
at His disposal, we must let Him say in what channels it shall be used.
It means much to say, "I am all the Lord's."
II. THE LIVING SACRIFICE
The Coquito palm of Chile is a tree about fifty feet in height, with a
spreading crown of leaves. From its trunk a syrup is obtained called
_miel de palma_, which is much esteemed by the Chileans and foreigners
in cookery. This syrup is obtained by cutting down the tree, and lopping
off its crown of leaves, when the sap flows from the wound, and is
carefully collected. By cutting off a fresh slice from the wound daily,
or when the flow of sap becomes weak, it may be kept flowing for several
months. A good tree is said to yield as much as ninety gallons of sap,
which on being boiled down assumes the consistency of treacle or
molasses.
Here we have a beautiful and fitting illustration of the daily and
living sacrifice of a palm tree saint. If the righteous flourish like
the palm tree, might it not be well to emulate this peculiar
characteristic? When Paul admonished the Roman Christians to present
their "bodies a living sacrifice," he did not mean for them simply to
obtain the blessing of holiness and then stop and thereafter settle down
and enjoy themselves. He meant not only a sacrifice to be offered up at
the given time, but to remain offered up. Our sacrifice is to remain a
living sacrifice. The Christian life is one sacrificed to God's cause
for the sake of glorifying God and being used in His service. The very
word sacrifice means something offered up in devotion. Then if it is
offered up to another, can we claim it as our own? If we are to be like
this peculiar palm, then we are ready to be "poured forth" as Paul said
he was to the Philippians. Here is this sacrificed palm, with its very
life poured out from day to day for the benefit of humanity. And this is
kept up till there remains nothing but the trunk. Oh, what a symbol of
the constant, daily outpouring of one's life and strength for the
benefit of a lost world! Look at David Brainerd, David Livingstone,
Henry Martyn, yea, thousands of faithful men and women missionaries who
have literally poured out their lives, and died for their fellow-men.
The sacrifice element in the Christian life is further illustrated in
another kind of palm known as the Cabbage palm. The terminal bud, or
"cabbage," is enclosed among many thin, snow-white, brittle flakes. It
has the flavor of the almond, but of greater sweetness, and is boiled
and eaten with meat. As its removal causes the death of the tree, it is
regarded as an extravagant delicacy only rarely to be enjoyed.
Here we find the illustration of the martyr element of the palm tree
saint. Paul said, "I am now ready to be offered." Stephen gave himself a
living sacrifice to God, and right away lost his life. The martyrs are
numbered by thousands. Is not this an extravagant method of spreading
the gospel? It may be from a human standpoint, but God in His infinite
wisdom can see beyond our shortsightedness, and permits such to be. "The
blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." If there were more
persecution today there would doubtless be a better type of Christians.
We should possess the martyr spirit. The word "witness" in the original
is martyr. And surely many of those early Christians proved it. Every
consecrated soul should involve in his consecration the possibility of
losing his life for Jesus; then, if he ever faces the issue, he is
prepared for it, and if he never has to face such an issue, he might
consider it so much clear gain.
III. THE FOREIGN MISSIONARY
The peculiarity of a certain kind of palm, known as the Great Rattan is
its wandering or traveling characteristic. The stems of this very
peculiar variety are of prodigious length extending for hundreds of
feet; it is stated from twelve hundred to eighteen hundred feet,
clinging by hooks attached to their leaves to the trunks and boughs of
neighboring trees, or trailing on the ground. They are extremely hard
externally and usually smooth.
Here we have a beautiful illustration of the missionary spirit. We are
living in a day when many of God's dear palm tree saints are flourishing
like this Great Rattan. They have the missionary spirit. They have those
spiritual hooks attached to their experience which enable them to cling
to others with a tenacity which is not human. They are endowed with a
spiritual sturdiness which in truth enables them to "endure hardness as
good soldiers." They cross mountains, deserts and oceans, and live among
the heathen to win them to Christ. What we need in these days of
self-ease and luxury is more of this Great Rattan movement. We need more
pilgrims to foreign lands. If we are not called ourselves with this
peculiar characteristic, then let us help those who are thus called. We
can help them with our money and with our prayers.
We all have a call to the foreign field in one sense: "Go ye into all
the world." If God has let you off in person, then see to it that you
have a part anyway in evangelizing the world. If I can not go, I can
send. If I can not reach them by word of mouth, I can by way of the
throne. If I can not preach and teach in the foreign land, I can pray
and pay in the homeland. Amen!
With the thought of the missionary and also of the living sacrifice
before us, we have the perfect combination of the two in the
self-sacrificing experience of some of the early pioneers in the foreign
lands. We, in the home lands, can scarcely realize the toils and
hardships and dangers that some of these heroes of the cross waded
through. We think of the dauntless Livingstone, who penetrated Africa's
jungles in order to plant the gospel in that benighted region. Lost to
home and the world for years, no wonder people considered him worth
looking up, and sending a Stanley in search for him. But he was doing a
work which would open up nations to hear the Word of life. Though he
had to bury his loved one on the bank of the Zambesi, yet "with
undaunted courage, he set his face toward new paths." How the natives
loved this man--this living sacrifice. He was the means in God's hands
of bringing them light for darkness, comfort for sorrow, life for death.
He was the foe of the slave stealers, and delivered the poor helpless
mortals from their grasp. He toiled on in solitude, and gave his very
life to make a way to this dark and heathen world. Finally, far from the
shore, and thousands of miles from home, he took sick. He was a man of
prayer, and one morning when the native men looked into his abode, they
found only the body of this devoted follower of the Lamb; he was dead on
his knees. Those dusky, devoted souls determined to do the best they
could in memory of their apostle, and knowing that his great, loving
heart was centered in Africa, they took out his heart and buried it
beneath a tree. They then let the hot sun dry the body and those loyal
hands carried the remains many, many miles to the seashore, where, what
was left of the faithful missionary was shipped to England. And now,
with the heart of David Livingstone in the middle of Africa, his body in
Westminster Abbey, his soul in heaven, we have an example of the grace
of God in helping a man to give up his life for a lost world.
Let us take a glance at Henry Martyn. Leaving England as a young man in
feeble health, for six years he worked against fearful odds in India.
There in that disease-ladened land and in Persia he pursued his arduous
task of learning three languages utterly adverse, such as Hindustani,
Arabic, and Persian. In these three languages he translated the entire
New Testament in six years. This is one of the most astonishing of
intellectual feats on record. Besides these translations he made others
and when we remember that he was burning up with consumptive's fever,
and yet kept right on till, in order to perfect his translation in
Persian, he made a trip to that country, and crossing burning, sand
deserts with his own body literally burning up with fever, he was surely
a living sacrifice. His passionate love for the Savior and the souls of
lost men, made him suffer on in weakness and sickness, until the short
candle of his life consuming at both ends finally flickered out in that
faraway foreign land between Persia and the western shore, and where a
lone headstone marked the spot where one of God's sainted heroes lay
down and died. How small it makes me feel as I write these lines!
Another example is that of David Brainerd, the apostle to the Indians
before the colonies became independent. This young man, who died in his
thirtieth year in the home of Jonathan Edwards, was one of those early
pioneers of gospel work among the wild and pagan Indians. He was another
living sacrifice, very feeble in body, dying by inches with consumption,
yet toiled on without murmuring, and praying till his body would be
bathed in perspiration, he battled almost against hope till finally God
gave him marvelous success among those benighted savages. A few lines
from the journal of this marvelous man of prayer may stir up more of a
spirit of prayer and self-sacrifice in the reader:
"June 14, 1742.
"I set apart this day for secret fasting and prayer, to entreat God to
direct and bless me with regard to the great work which I have in view,
of preaching the gospel--and that the Lord would return to me and show
me the light of His countenance. Had little life and power in the
forenoon. Near the middle of the afternoon, God enabled me to wrestle
ardently in intercession for my friends. But just at night the Lord
visited me marvelously in prayer. I think my soul never was in such an
agony before. I felt no restraint; for the treasures of divine grace
were opened to me. I wrestled for absent friends, for the ingathering of
souls, for multitudes of poor souls, and for many that I thought were
the children of God, personally, in many distant places. I was in such
an agony from sun half an hour high, till near dark, that I was all over
wet with sweat; but yet it seemed to me that I had wasted the day and
done nothing. Oh, my dear Savior did sweat blood for poor souls! I
longed for more compassion towards them. Felt still in a sweet frame,
under a sense of divine love and grace, and went to bed in such a frame,
with my heart set on God.
"April 30, 1743.
"The presence of God is what I want. I live in the most lonely,
melancholy desert, about eighteen miles from Albany; for it was not
thought best that I should go to Delaware river. I board with a poor
Scotchman. His wife can talk scarce any English. My diet consists mostly
of hasty pudding, boiled corn, and bread baked in the ashes, and
sometimes a little meat and butter. My lodging is a little heap of
straw, laid upon some boards a little way from the ground; for it is a
log room, without any floor, that I lodge in. My work is exceedingly
hard and difficult. I travel on foot a mile and a half, the worst of
ways, almost daily, and back again; for I live so far from my Indians. I
have not seen an English person in this month. These, and many other
circumstances, equally uncomfortable, attend me. The Lord grant that I
may learn to 'endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.'
"August 15, 1743.
"Spent most of the day in labor to procure something to keep my horse on
in the winter. Enjoyed not much sweetness in the morning; was very weak
in body through the day, and thought that this frail body would soon
drop into the dust, and had some very realizing apprehensions of a
speedy entrance into another world. In this weak state of body, I was
not a little distressed for want of suitable food. I had no bread, nor
could I get any. I am forced to go or send ten or fifteen miles for all
the bread I eat; and sometimes it is moldy and sour before I eat it, if
I get any considerable quantity. And then again I have none for some
days together, for want of an opportunity to send for it, and can not
find my horse in the woods to go myself; and this was my case today.
But through divine goodness I had some Indian meal, of which I made
little cakes, and fried them. Yet I felt contented with my
circumstances, and sweetly resigned to God. In prayer I enjoyed great
freedom, and blessed God as much for my present circumstances, as if I
had been a king; and thought that I found a disposition to be contented
in any circumstances. Blessed be God!
"January 23, 1744.
"I think I never felt more resigned to God, nor so dead to the world, in
every respect, as now. Am dead to all desire of reputation and
greatness, either in life or after death. All I long for is to be holy,
humble, and crucified to the world.
"March 2, 1744.
"Was most of the day employed in writing on a divine subject. Was
frequent in prayer and enjoyed some small degree of assistance. But in
the evening God was pleased to grant me divine sweetness in prayer
especially in the duty of intercession. I think I never felt so much
kindness and love to those who, I have reason to think, are my
enemies--though at that time I found such a disposition to think the
best of all, that I scarce knew how to think that any such thing as
enmity and hatred lodged in any soul. It seemed that all the world must
needs be friends. I never prayed with more freedom and delight for
myself, or dearest friend, than I did now for my enemies.
"March 3, 1744.
"In the morning, spent (I believe) an hour in prayer, with great
intenseness and freedom, and with the most soft and tender affection
toward mankind. I longed that those who, I have reason to think, bear me
ill will, might be eternally happy. It seemed refreshing to think of
meeting them in heaven, how much soever they had injured me on earth. I
had no disposition to insist upon any confession from them, in order to
reconciliation and the exercise of love and kindness to them. Oh, it is
an emblem of heaven itself, to love all the world with a love of
kindness, forgiveness, and benevolence; to feel our souls sedate, mild
and meek, to be void of all evil surmisings and suspicions, and scarce
able to think evil of any man upon any occasion; to find our hearts
simple, open, and free, to those that look upon me with a different eye!
Prayer was so sweet an exercise to me, that I knew not how to cease,
lest I should lose the spirit of prayer. Felt no disposition to eat or
drink, for the sake of the pleasure of it, but only to support my body,
and fit me for divine service. Could not be content without a very
particular mention of a great number of dear friends at the throne of
grace; as also the particular circumstances of many, so far as they were
known.
"July 24, 1744.
"Rode about seventeen miles westward, over a hideous mountain, to a
number of Indians. Got together near thirty of them; preached to them in
the evening and lodged among them. Was weak, and felt in some degree
disconsolate; yet could have no freedom in the thought of any other
circumstances or other business in life. All my desire was the
conversion of the heathen; and all hope was in God. God does not suffer
me to please or comfort myself with hopes of seeing friends, returning
to dear acquaintances, and enjoying worldly comforts.
"November 22, 1744.
"Came on my way from Rockciticus to the Delaware. Was very much
disordered with a cold and pain in my head. About six at night, I lost
my way in the wilderness, and wandered over rocks and mountains, down
hideous steeps, through swamps, and most dreadful and dangerous places,
and, the night being dark, so that few stars could be seen, I was
greatly exposed. I was much pinched with cold, and distressed with an
extreme pain in my head, attended with sickness at my stomach; so that
every step I took was distressing to me. I had little hope for several
hours together, but that I must lie out in the woods all night, in this
distressed case. But about nine o'clock, I found a house, through the
abundant goodness of God, and was kindly entertained. Thus I have
frequently been exposed, and sometimes lain out the whole night; but God
has hitherto preserved me, and blessed be His name. Such fatigues and
hardships as these serve to wean me from the earth; and, I trust, will
make heaven the sweeter. Formerly, when I was thus exposed to cold and
rain, I was ready to please myself with the thoughts of enjoying a
comfortable house, a warm fire, and other outward comforts; but now
these have less place in my heart, (through the grace of God), and my
eye is more to God for comfort. In this world I expect tribulation; and
it does not now, as formerly, appear strange to me. I do not in such
seasons of difficulty flatter myself that it will be better hereafter;
but rather think how much worse it might be; how much greater trials
others of God's children have endured, and how much greater are yet,
perhaps, reserved for me.
"October 5, 1746.
"After sermon, baptized two persons. Administered the Lord's Supper to
the Indians, besides divers dear Christians of the white people. It
seemed to be a season of divine power and grace; and numbers seemed to
rejoice in God. Oh, the sweet union and harmony then appearing among the
religious people! My soul was refreshed, and my religious friends of the
white people, with me. After the sacrament, could scarcely get home,
though it was not more than twenty rods; but was supported and led by my
friends, and laid on my bed; where I lay in pain till some time in the
evening; and then was able to sit up and discourse with friends. Oh, how
was this day spent in prayers and praises among my dear people! One
might hear them, all the morning before public worship, and in the
evening, till near midnight, praying and singing praises to God, in one
or other of their houses. My soul was refreshed, though my body was
weak."
Just before his death he wrote a letter to his brother Israel, who was
then in college. A part of this letter we give as follows:
"It is on the verge of eternity I now address you. I am heartily sorry
that I have so little strength to write what I long so much to
communicate to you. But, let me tell you, my brother, eternity is
another thing than we ordinarily take it to be when in a healthful
state. Oh, how fixed and unalterable! Oh, of what infinite importance it
is, that we be prepared for eternity! I have been just a dying, now for
more than a week; and all around me have thought me so. I have had clear
views of eternity, have seen the blessedness of the godly, in some
measure, and have longed to share their happy state, as well as been
comfortably satisfied, that through grace I shall do so; but oh, what
anguish is raised in my mind, to think of eternity for those who are
Christless, for those who are mistaken, and who bring their false hopes
to the grave with them! The sight was so dreadful, I could by no means
bear it. My thoughts recoiled, and I said, under a more affecting sense
than ever before, 'Who can dwell with everlasting burnings!' Oh,
methought, could I now see my friends, that I may warn them to see it,
that they lay their foundation for eternity sure. * * * If you have
reason to think you are graceless, O give yourself and the throne of
grace no rest, till God arise and save! But if the case should be
otherwise, bless God for His grace, and press after holiness.
"My soul longs, that you should be fitted for, and in due time go into
the work of the ministry. I can not bear to think of your going into any
other business in life. Do not be discouraged, because you see your
elder brothers in the ministry die early, one after another. I declare,
now I am dying, I would not have spent my life otherwise for the whole
world.
"Oh, my dear brother, flee fleshly lusts, and the enchanting amusements
as well as the corrupt doctrines of the present day, and strive to live
to God. Take this as the last line from your affectionate and dying
brother."
About a year and six months before this faithful, self-sacrificing
servant of God passed to his reward, he wrote in his diary something
which most beautifully sets forth the thought we are trying to bring out
in the illustration of the living sacrifice life of the missionary.
Under date of May 22, 1746, he wrote:
"If ever my soul presented itself to God for His service, without any
reserve of any kind, it did so now. The language of my thoughts and
disposition now was, 'Here I am, Lord, send me. Send me to the ends of
the earth. Send me to the rough, savage pagans of the wilderness. Send
me from all that is called comfort in earth, or earthly comfort. Send me
even to death itself, if it be but in Thy service, and to promote Thy
kingdom.' At the same time I had as quick and lively a sense of the
value of worldly comforts as I ever had; but only saw them infinitely
overmatched by the worth of Christ's kingdom, and the propagation of His
blessed gospel. A quiet settlement, a certain place of abode, the tender
friendships of life, appeared as valuable to me, considered absolutely
and in themselves, as ever before; but considered comparatively, they
appeared nothing. Compared with the value and preciousness of an
enlargement of Christ's kingdom, they vanished as stars before a rising
sun. Sure I am that though the comfortable accommodations of life
appeared valuable and clear to me, yet I did surrender and resign
myself, soul and body, to the service of God, and to the promotion of
Christ's kingdom, though it should be in the loss of them all. I could
not do any other, because I could not will or choose any other. I was
constrained, and yet chose, to say, 'Farewell, friends and earthly
comforts, the dearest of them all, the very dearest, if the Lord calls
for it. Adieu, adieu; I will spend my life to my latest moments, in the
caves and dens of the earth, if the kingdom of Christ may thereby be
advanced.'
"I felt extraordinary freedom at this time in pouring out my soul to God
for His cause, especially that His kingdom might be extended among the
Indians, far remote; and I had a great and strong hope that God would do
it. I continued wrestling with God in prayer for my dear little flock
here, and more especially for the Indians elsewhere, as well as for dear
friends in one place and another until it was bedtime, and I feared I
should hinder the family. But oh, with what reluctancy did I feel myself
obliged to consume time in sleep! I longed to be a flame of fire,
continually glowing in the divine service, and building up Christ's
kingdom, to my latest, my dying moment."
And God granted him his desire to his dying moment. David Brainerd was
truly a living sacrifice as a missionary to the pagan Indians, and won
many of them to Christ, where he is rejoicing with them in glory today.
IV. DIFFERENCE IN SIZE AND FORM
Here we find some very noted peculiarities. There are so many shapes and
sizes in the various departments of the palm tree world that one is lost
in wonder. Here is one gigantic tree two hundred feet high, while
another is only a few feet in height and both real palms. Some leaves
attain the enormous proportions of thirty-five feet in length by five or
six feet in breadth, while on other varieties the leaves are only a few
inches in length. Some palms have no flowers at all, while another known
as the Talipot palm throws up a branching inflorescence to a height of
thirty feet above the foliage, and it has been estimated that such an
inflorescence has included as many as sixty millions of flowers.
When we see such differences in size and propensities, we are reminded
of the vast differences in the Christian world. Some saints loom up
indeed like the giants of the forest, while others are more like house
plants. Some are so full of stupendous works for God's kingdom, and are
accomplishing such herculean tasks, while others seem to be more adapted
for the mantelpiece, or things to look at. We find the same differences
obtaining on other lines. In the physical world is a Samson who can
carry off the gates of Gaza, while here is another who can scarcely
carry himself. In the intellectual world there are men who can walk
through the heavens as we would stroll through a town; they weigh the
planets in their scales, and tell the composition of stars and their
distances; while others are still wondering if this world is not flat.
In the financial realm we find a man who can lug whole railroad systems,
or trans-Atlantic steamers on his shoulders, or thousands of tanks of
Standard oil. On the other hand we see some who would starve to death if
they were left to themselves. We know of one man who had been trying for
years to save up enough money on which to get divorced. We would not be
too hard on those, who, in the spiritual realm, are not able to walk off
with mountains on their shoulders; they may not be endowed with any
special gifts, and yet they may be the Lord's weak children.
We would not sit in judgment on any of God's children. Christ came to
save all who will put their trust in Him, and if one is naturally
endowed with great and peculiar talents, so much the more responsibility
rests upon him; but if one does not possess the extraordinary, he may be
a trustful follower of the Lamb after all. And yet we have known of some
who certainly did not seem possessed with anything above the ordinary,
yet because of their fidelity to Christ and their abandonment to the
Holy Ghost, were really blessed in usefulness beyond the ordinary. There
is no telling what the Lord will do with the weak ones if they will only
let Him put over against them His strength. So, as in the palm tree
realm, there is such a variety in size and form, so in the Christian
world we have the babe and the man, the weak and the strong, the tiny,
trusting heart who is scarcely known around the corner, and the giant of
God who wields his influence throughout the nation. So, whether we are
little or big, weak or strong, if we have the assurance that we belong
to God's kingdom, let us look up and rejoice evermore. We may be tempted
to discouragement when we see the stupendous accomplishments of some of
the palm tree saints, but we must remember that God requires from us
only that which we are able to perform. So while we may not do what some
others do, yet we can all, without an exception, measure up in our
individual sphere and prove that the Word of God is true, that "The
righteous shall flourish like the palm tree."
Reader, in closing this little message to you, let me entreat you, by
the aid of the Holy Spirit, to introspect your heart and life and see if
you possess a spiritual life which would warrant you in believing that
you are flourishing like the palm tree. Amen!
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