The palm, among many of the ancient nations, was an emblem of victory. Hence its branches were used to adorn triumphal pro- cessions. The general whose victories the triumph was intended to celebrate carried a small branch of it in his hand, and was thus recognized as a conqueror. Therefore when the redeemed are described as having " palms in their hands," we are reminded that they were once soldiers who were not ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, but fought manfully under His banner, and by the strength of His arm completely conquered every enemy. The saints on earth indeed are warring the same warfare in which these glorified beings were engaged, and are continually obtaining victories in it ; but then they must wait till all the days of their warfare are accomplished before they can have the triumphal chariot and the palm. The soldier never triumphs till the war is ended, and the enemy completely subdued. The saints in heaven have finished the painful conflict, and are now gone up for their reward to Jehovah's temple.
^ In the spiritual realm there is no such thing as absolute and conclusive victory. We must not imagine that Ad^le Kamm spent her latter years in undisturbed tranquillity and peace. Like an Alpine climber, who before he can reach the topmost peak must make his toilsome way along the edge of a precipice, she had to strain every nerve in order to keep her footing. It is not surprising to learn that she had to fight many a hard and lonely conflict, and though she nearly always managed to meet her visitors with a smile, yet when night came, and she was alone, the almost intolerable suffering would sometimes wring from her bitter tears. Either from stoicism or pride she would hide this feeling from those whom she did not know well ; and she never spoke of it to those who depended on her brave example for inspiration. On the 9th of November 1909 she wrote to Miss Schlumberger :
" If you only knew, Lily, how strange it seems to me to have to struggle to live, when all the time I feel an irresistible long- ing to be with Jesus Christ. From month to month He becomes
196 THE NOBLE ARMY OF MARTYRS
more wonderfully attractive to me, His Light seems more radiant, His words more living and deeper in meaning, and I feel so trustful, so happy, so joyful, that it is with real difficulty that I make myself stay here when I want to fly away, to throw off the burden of this suffering body, and to penetrate into that mysterious Beyond, to enter fully into the wonder of that intense Divine Love ! Still, I am a very ordinary mortal, and it has been my habit ever since I was a child to put duty before inclination, and this view of things helps me more than I can say at this critical moment. Duty first ! Those are my orders ! and I must stick to my post and not neglect anything for that ; I believe that I can live for a good while longer if only I am brave." ^
2. Those who came out of the great tribulation are arrayed in white robes. Their attire, as well as the palms they carry, proclaim their victory. White robes suggest that they are in the act of triumph, and occupied in a scene of rejoicing. And in this respect also their robes have been " washed and made white." In their unredeemed condition they were captives, not conquerors ; slaves, not kings; rebels, not priests; miserable victims, not rejoicing sons. But now all this is changed. Heaven rejoices over them as the lost found and the dead come to life, and they share in the joy. But it is all founded on the blood of the Kedeemer. No doubt their rest after toil and their bliss after pain are augmented by the past of their own history, yet the ground of all their joy and triumph is the blood of Christ. They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and for the testimony of Jesus. It was given them even when they suffered for His sake, and they were made more than conquerors through Him that loved them.
^ Often when generals have returned from battle they and the warriors have been clothed in white, or have ridden upon white horses. True, the Komans adopted purple as their imperial colour, and well they might, for their victories and their rule were alike bloody and cruel ; but the Christ of God sets forth His gentle and holy victories by white ; it is on a " white cloud " that He shall come to judge the world, and His seat of judgment shall be "the great white throne." Upon a "white horse" He shall ride, and all the armies of heaven shall follow Him on white horses. Lo, He is clothed with a " white " garment down to the feet. Thus has He chosen white as the symbolic colour of His victorious kingdom, and so the redeemed wear it, even the newly born,
1 A Living Witness: The Life of Adile Kamm (1914), 165, 169.
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freshly escaped out of the great tribulation, because they are all of them more than conquerors. They wear the victor garb and bear the palm which is the victor symbol.^