American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-08-30


cold and lonely graves, but as the sainted
citizens of Jerusalem that is above. Our
dwelling place, endeared by associations,
may be laid in ruins by the devouring
flames, but we will regard our loss as triv-
ial if our loved ones are safely rescued.
So daath may dissolve the earthly home
of those we love, but it is of little conse-
quence if we can only be assured that
their immortal souls are safe, and that
they have found dwelling place in the
building of God, an house not made with
hands, and that their citizenship is in
h aven. Surely God will not be jealous
if we love and long for heaven more be-
cause our beloved Christian dead are
gathered there But heavens chief at
traction is the presence of Christ. Christ
repders heaven attainable, and His pres
ence there makes it especially desirable.
The best boon promised is to be With
Christ the best condition promised is to
be like Him. In the contemplation Of
the heavenly land of his citizenship, the
Apostles mind seems to have been alb
sorbed with thoughts of Christ. He
knew He had gone before to the Father;
that He had gone to prepare place for
His people. He beheld Him, the glori-
GUS King of the better country, busily
preparing the land for the reception'of It's
citizens, and he boldly avows his allegi-
ance. But the thought that was upper
most in his mind was the promised glori-
GUS appearing of the assembled Savior
Z" from whence p' There has been much
useless speculation about the exact tine
of Christs second appearance upon our
earth, but there is no room to doubt the
fact. We have as good reason to believe
that He will come again as we have to be-
lieve that He has ever appeared on earth.
His own promise is +" / will come again !"
Angels assured the astonished disciples
at his ascension that the same Jesus
which was taken up from them into hea
ven should so come in like manner as they
had seen Him 90 into heaven" The
apostles believed the truth and preached
il unhssitatingly The axact time is one
of Gods secrets, which men have vainly
endeavored to discover. The circumstan-
ces and objects Of His coming are limited
at in the inspired word. He will not
come in humility to-suffer, but in power
and glory to reign. No lone star will
guide few inquiring wise men to His
humble birth place. No lone angel will
whisper the news. of His coming in the
ear IF humble shepherds in the silent
night and tell them of an infant in swad-
ding clothes in manger at Bethlehem.
Oh, no! He will come in His glory, with
His shining retinue of holy angels with
Him. He will be clothed in such bright
ness that every eye shall see Him.
Noise of trumpets and astonishing won
ders will announce Him to waiting
world He will come till the worlds
mission is fulfilled till Gods purposes
concerning it are all accomplished, till
God is ready to seal the worlds history,
to empty earth and melt it with fervent
heat, to close both heaven and hell forev-
er, and place the impossible gulf between.
He will not come till all things are ready;
till His chosen people have all beer born
and have fulfilled their earthly mission
and are prepared to enter their heavenly
rest and then He will come to call slum-
bering dust from countless graves, to
gather the living and the dead, apd caught
up together, the chariot of clouds shall
bear all to the place of Judgment, the
books shall be opened, the doctrines of
eternity shall be ysaa.; those who can
prove their citizenship shall enter heaven
to enjoy its rest and beauty forever, while
aliens and foreigners of the blessed COM
monwealth shall be forever banished.-
The mind of the Apostle rested upon one
cheering thought in connection With the
expected coming Of the Lord, viz, that
He would change the vile body, the body
of humiliation, the earthly home, and
fashion it like His own glorious body
On earth, Christ's body was like ours; in
HeaTep, our body shall be like His. This
desirable change shall be conferred upon
those whose citizenship is in Heaven
This change must be produced before we
could be naturalized, before we would be
fitted for so blessed an abode. How could
we take bodies Of sin and death to realm
where sin cannot enter and where death
is unknown? How could we take vile
bodies that are burnt up with passion and
destructable to land of purity, for an
eternal existence We want to be rid of
all mortality when the crown of immor-
talitv is nlaced upon our head We must