American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-08-30
THE PULPIT.
n0ur Conversation Is In Heaven T"
A SERMON
BY THE
Rev. Charles A. Dickey,
A SERMON
Fourth United Presbyteria"
church. Allegheny, ia.


church. Allegheny, Pa.
For our conversation is in Heaven; from ""e"''
.,.o -. Iook for the SAVIOR the Lord Jesus ohr'''
ue.ven is never more attractive than
when presented under the figure OF home
II ia within the sacred precincts OF home
that the true heart finds its chief de-
light and the world is darkest and the
heart most desolate when one feels home
less Home is o feeling rather than a
place. The hearts home is not simply
the place in which we are confined by cir
c,mst,nees or convenience, not where we
eat and sleep, but our weary hearts rest
ing place; the heart's sanctuary, where 1t
holds communion with its kindred spr-
its: our place of refuge when the storms
of life beat in upon the soul; the foup-
tain of consolation to which we are driven
with dripping hearts by countless griefs
and crushing sorrows. Christians gener-
ally have happy earthly homes, made es-
pecially brightand attractive by the charms
of our holy religion, beautiful because
God is there, blessed because of common
hopes of continuance beyond the grave
Religion so sancti6es, softvns, and renews
the heart that Christians necessarily en-
ioy best the relations Of life; the ties OF
blood are strongest when associated with
the ties of grace But the earthly homes
of Christians are only really attractive
when graves are hidden in the light ct
the glorious resurrection morning, when
in faith we behold death swallowed up in
victory when the life that now is and
the life that is to come, instead Of beng
regarded as two days separated by night
of darkness, is by faith made to appear
continuous day, of which the former is
the early, DINNER dawn, the latter the
bright, effulgent noon-day. These homes
of earth are the playthiugs of the decrees
of God, as changeable as the appearance
of the sky Often in the morning tfs
sun rises in beauty. drives off the glitter
ing stars and bathes in golden light the
cloudess sky; but before he has risen far
on his wings of light, suddenly the 10y
muttering thunders are hesrd, huge clouds
cover the brightness with their blackness,
their blackpess is girded with fire light
nings, the glory of the morning goes out
in. the gloom of night at MONDAY, and
the defiant storm spends its fury op the
earth. AS suddenly our homes are dark
encd we often have midnight at noon
day-storms that mock feeble mortal re-
sistauce come up suddenly, hide our sun
light, and drop their shadows on our souls.
Christians are frequently cautioned by
merciful God who only seeks their good,
whose soul purpose is to enable them to
secure perfect and enduring happiness,
though His ways are in the sea and can
not be traced, and His dispensations hard
to understand and bear; though He
sometimes leads US through the Red Sea
and the wasted wilderness, before 4 e al
lows our eyes to fall upon the promised
land In view of the chapgeableness
and trying character Of .earths experien-
ces, God continually epdeavors in His
word to lead His people in faith to the
mountain top, from which they may enjoy
visions of the heavenly country, the per-
manent home, the sorrowless existence
that is viewed and promised. While in
the flesh we are so influenced by the sur
roundiugs and relations of the flesh, and
faith by which alone we can make sub-
stance of things hoped for, and an evi-
dence of things not seen, is so interfered
with in its exercise by natural feeling and
inclination, that We are disposed too much
to confne our attention to the life that
now is, to be toe much affected by its
events and circumstances, and to take too
little comfort from the plain promises and
assurances of the word of God. We are
frequently reminded that this is not our
rest, not our home, not where we may
hope to enjoy uninterrupted communion
with those we love; and they alone are
happy, they alone are strengthened against
earth's bereavements, they alone are CON-
forted in times Of trial, who realize the
fact, and act accordingly. 1t is with a
reference to this general idea of earthly
pilgrimage aad heavenly rest, that the
apostle says in the text sour conversa-
tion, &C." Such is the meaning usually
attached to this word conversatiep, that
we are not likely at first glance to catch
the true idea of the passage. Our word
citizenship or country better expresses
the meaning of Paal. To have our citi
zenship in heaven, is to have our home
there, our inheritance there our posses
lsions there, our friends there, and our
cor,mun;o, With them II ia to have our