Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-04-04
&eadiug fpr the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
fOriginal.
HEAVEN.

foriginaI.]
HEAVEN.
"Behold," says Peter to our Lord, "we have
forsaken all and followed thee; what shall
we. have therefore?" 1t may be said that this
question was characteristic of Peter. He
was an impulsve man, and naturally very
rash and imprudent man. Still, the question
is one which is asked by countless multitudes
to-day, all over Cnrstendom. What are the
followers of the meek and lowly Jesus to have
when the affairs of this world are all adj justed
What is to be their portion when time shall
be no more, aud Gods government is ap-
proved as rigidly righteous by all sentient
creatures in the universe2 1t is not difficult
to tell what they now have. Multitudes Of
those who have dedicated their lives to the
service of the most high God, the saviour Of
sinners, have very little of those things which
the carnal mind desires. Still, even in this
world, they are not neglected land the blessings
which await them, in another world, are glo-
rious. 81 reckon" says Paul, "that the suf-
ferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in u.s." Romans viii II.
That the present state of existence is rot to
be of eternal duration, is most manifest to
any sober mind. Human governments, even
the hest of them, are only reign of terror
modified. Human courts are necessarily de.
fective and incapable of melting out justice
with an even hand. Judges, lawyers, jurors,
witnesses and spectators, are incapable of
being just. They are miserable creatures,
swayed by individual interests, BIASED by
preconceved opinions, impelled by violent
passions, and controlled by political alliances.
Under such circumstances, it is not to be won
dered at that justice lies trampled in the dust
at the threshold of the temple which bears her
name. Instnctively, humanity looks beyond
the line which divides time and eternity, where
there is court that "lays judgment to the
line and righteousness to The plummet." The
events which are daily trans spiring around
u.s. only indicate, but certainly Indicate, that
we are gradually, but surely, approaching the
throne of him who will do right.
Although the providence of God suggests
the idea that the righteous, or those who fear
God and keep his commandments will, ulti.
mately, be rewarded, it is only in the Bible
that we find the fact positively stated. What,
it may be asked, does the Bible teach on this
subject? Briefly, we may answer, it teaches
a great deal about heaven. The wonder is,
that those who are longing for the New Je-
rusalem, know 80 little about it, since so much
is revealed concerning it.
Heaven is called, in the Bible, a place in
opposition to mere mythical existence. Our
Savior tells his people that "ln my fathers
house are many mansions !: if it we're not so, 1
would have told you. 60 to prepare place
for YOU" John xiv g. Gods house and
the heaven which the Lord Jesus Christ pur-
chased with his blood, are one aud the same
place. Heaven, or the dwelling place of God,
is frequently, in the Scriptures, called Gods
house. The reader may substantiate this dec
laration by reference to Deut., XVI: ID /;
Psalms, xxxiii IA; 2 Cor. vi; together
with a number of other passages. Where
that particular place is, we do not know.
We are not prepared even to say, positively,
that heaven, the home of the blessed, is any
particular spot in the vast universe of him
who made alfthings Heaven is the Lords
Throne, (Psalms XII A. but where that throne
is located, we dare not say. Again, the earth
is said to be the footstool of God and heaven
his throne. Matt. v:31-35. Whether these
are 6gurative or literal expressions, We dare
not say 1t seems, from quite a number of
passages in the Scriptures, that there is par
ticular locality in some quarter of Gods vast
domain, which he has seen fit to select as his
dwelling place, and call it his throne We
dare not, however, speak positively on this
point. We may not give Gods word cor
rect Interpretation.
With regard to the nature of heaven, we
can speak with greater positiveness, because
more is said in the Scriptures IN this point
The language of our Saviour to his disciples
is very suggestive. They were heart-broken,
because he had told them that he was soon to
leave them-their hearts we're troubled. To
comfort them, he said "in my fathers house
are many mansions" Every word in this
sentence is emphatic. The disciples are not
simply told that there is place somewhere
in the universe where they will be made hap
py, but they are told that their eternal home
is in his fathers house. Gods home is to be
their home AS children, they are to dwell
forever in the house of God. This is the
blessing which the Psalmist contemplated as
in reservation for him and all Gods people.
"Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life; and will dwell in
the house of God forever" Psalms xiii 6.
When we speak of an individual dwelling
in the house of another as a child, we indi-
cate, by this mode of expression, that the in.
divdual is loved, respected and in every way
treated as child. This is exactly what the
Scriptures teach concerning those who believe
in Christ Jesus. They are heirs of God and
ioiut-heirs with Christ. Romans viii: II.
Sharers of Christ's suffering will be sharers Of
his glory, also. This seems like treading on
holy ground with shoes on our feet; but the
Scriptures say most positively, "believers in
Christ are the sons of God," and what God
says in bis word, we may repeat. There is
something overwhelming in the thought that
any of Adams ruined race are to spend an
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