The Palm Tree Blessing Part 2

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 G.o.d!" 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 alt.i.tudes, 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d has not planned for spiritual declension in old age. The free grace of G.o.d 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 G.o.d. 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 G.o.d'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 circ.u.mference 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 pa.s.sed 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 cla.s.s and band meetings, and had special charge of the select societies. He appointed all the cla.s.s 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, G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d. 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, oak.u.m, 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, subst.i.tute for salt, oil for b.u.t.ter, 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 sh.e.l.l 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 subst.i.tute 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?

G.o.d 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. G.o.d 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 G.o.d, 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.