58 THE PALMS OP EUROPE AND AFRICA. 



and of all the increase of the field." And may 

 not this circumstance, and the blessing which 

 descended upon the Jews for their liberality in 

 this instance, remind Christians in the present 

 day, both of their far greater obligations to 

 remember that God claims not only their hearts 

 but their wealth for his service, and also of the 

 gracious promise of personal blessing upon such 

 a consecration of their property ? " Prove me 

 no^y herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will 

 not open you the Avindows of heaven, and pour 

 you out a blessing, that there shall not be room 

 enough to receive it." Which of our religious 

 institutions would have to lament over their 

 want of success, and the feebleness of their 

 progress from lack of funds, if Christians had 

 but full faith in this promise? There is 

 another interesting allusion to the date, as one 

 of the most important of the fruits of tlie Holy 

 Land, in Joel i. 12 — when, describing God's 

 heavy judgments, and showing how easily he 

 can humble and chastise the proudest b}'^ with- 

 holdino; those fruits of the earth which are 

 necessaries of life, the prophet says, " The vine 

 is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth ; the 

 pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the 

 apple tree, oven all the trees of the field are 

 withered : because joy is Avilhered away from 



