Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-05-07
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beautifed and ad0rned all the mansions of
heaven. That heaven will be a place of
great beauty we infer from the fact that it
Is to be our home. If God SO loved us as
that he spared not his own Son but freely
gave btm up to die for US, how much more
freely shall ne give us all things necessary
To- satisfy every want of our natures and
,s&ho can doubt that the capacity to appre-
<elate and delight in the beautiful will sur
ylve the grave, and that all our capacities
and tastes will be enlarged and refined, and
that there will be everything in our faith
ers house to crafty them; for Heaven is
not a state merely but a place-the place
whittier our great forerunner has assembled
bodily and where the bodies of his redeem.
ed ones are to be with him. If we take de-.
light IN beholding the beautiful creatures,
and listen to the music with which all ma
ture animate and inanimate is continually
"hymning its Creator praise" how much
more shall we do so when all our capacities
are enlarged and refined and we are per-
mitted to range at will through all his
works. Who can doubt that there will be
physical beauties to delight the eye, sounds
of music to ravish the ear, and fragrant
Odors to regale the smell of that body with
which we shall rise. If so much beauty is
lavished upon this earth which is only a tenn
porary abode and which is to pass away when
it has subserved its brief purpose, what may
we not expect to behold in that world pre-
pared as the everlasting home of the re
deemed. We repeat the thought, if thu
hoa,arao rl oar+h xrh1oI 49, La ~-1.o u
ina little shall be burned up. as useless ant
unworthy tabernacle, are SO fullof beauty
surely the new heavens and new eartl
wherein dwell righteousness. shall surpas
any thing of which we can possibly con
! ceive. That this home will be one of grea
beauty is also evident from the imager
employed in its description. The Reyels
2 tor describes it as a great city, prepared as
Z bride for her. husband, In the Holy City
Il the new Jerusalem. 1t is surrounded b
: jasper walls, it is built of fine gold, il
! foundations are most precious stones, il
] twelve gates pearl, it's streets pure golc
: like unto transparent glass. There is MI
I sic there-the inhabitants have golde
harps, they are clothed in white raimen
u and wear glittering crowns, and have pain
of victory. Not only will his home |
full of beauty, but nothing will detractfro
or disparage it-nothing that can offend tt
= most delicate sense or most refined tas
will be there. Its inhabitants freed fro
bodily suffering, distress of .mind-endov
ed with immortal youth and beauty
flowers fadeless, its roses thornless-i
music without a discordant. note-its fl
9 grant orders untainted by decay. Beho
Is the home in prospect! The splendid ma
sion, the beautiful and t~astefully decorat
&c homes of wealth should not excite one
3 vious thought-we can well afford to fo
ie go so brief, SO inferior an inheritance.
Reader, have you a title to this beau
W full heaven? Over every one of it's twel
gates of pearl is inscribed the inexora1
er law" There shall in no wise enter
anything that defleth." Mere taste, m
0 n love for the beautiful, will not suffice a
NJ preparation for this home.
LEI But what an enhancement of your do
'is' will the possession of such tastes be wi
ser finally shut out from everything that
minister to their qualification. Assure
there wtU be nothing beautiful IN the p
~ 70 Ons Of despair.