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Watchman of the World
By Archer Willey

"WHEN history was young I was young, too. Many centuries ago I pushed aside warm earth to view my surroundings. Moisture and warmth let me grow. My companions towering in the sun swayed together in their new-found life.

"Why am I taller than the others? I'll tell you, stranger.

"You see that resting place against my trunk? You see that scar in my side? The greatest of teachers sat down there to teach His people, nearly two thousand years ago.

"I still remember part of His words as He, standing here beside me, reached out His right hand and said, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.' He leaned against my side and as I began repeating 'for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven,' something filled me, surging upward through my limbs-and oh, how joyful I felt that day that I had given Him shelter and shade. He talked about the fig tree, about the birds, and about the lilies of the field and I heard Him say, 'Whoso liveth and believeth shall never die. He shall never perish.'