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.