Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1885-10-15

mitted to Him by all who unite in that
song in heaven and on earth.
Our love for the place where our
treasure is deposited may be further H.
! lustrated by the feelings Of an afflicted
and weary pilgrim on Garth, towards
heaven Perhaps his dearest earthly
! friends have gone there. HIS home on
earth is all broken up or at least robbed
of its chief interest to him. Tuc world
has lost It's charms for him. lie eX-
poets or wishes for nothing which this
earth can give. His home is in the
skies, whittier his friends, his treasures,
have gone. There he expects to tind
all he has lost and to be perfectly hap
pv in the presence Of Christ. When
such an one reads of heaven, when h.
hears descriptions of it, his soul long
eth. yea, even panteth'' Tor its courts.
What is the reason of his interest in
heaven above that of his fellow Christ
ians around him. His treasure is all
there, and there his heart is II lso.
II we have any just and proper con-
ceptions Of heaven, as the place Of the
final abode of the righteous, we will b.
ready to admit that it is very desirable
that we should be supremeIy interested
in it, Heaven is happiness. Il would
be very strange if intelligent creatures
did not regard supreme happiness as a
desirable thing, desirable not on| |v for
Themselves but for their fellow men -
Now the way to be suprcmeIy interest
ed in heaven is to become interested in
the cause of Christ, which is the saliva
ton of men, on earth. The church in
heaven and ON earth is one; and it is
income, vablc that any one should be
interested IN heaven and not in the
church on earth. Tur angels in heav
en- are interested H., and desire to look
into the cause of Christ here below
The apostle SAYS concerning Christ, "Ot
whom the whole family in heaven and
earth is named That man, therefore,
is greatly to be pitied, who thinks he is
interested in heaven, who ha n vague,
imaginary hope Of entering heaven,who
has vet no interest in, or connection
with, the church on earth. 1t is the
glory Of the church that Its end and
aim is heaven All o.her organizations
end as to their advantages in time. The
church alone looks forward into etnr-
nifty. " hen a man enters a corporation
and invests money in business part
nrrship it is ALWAYS out Of Consldcra-
ton for the worldly return it will bring
to MIN. His alm Is Il temporal oNs. -
But wher one enters the church aud
levotes his first fruits to Col he LOOKS
for no financial return in this life. His
object is Il purely benevolent and heav-
cnlv one. Though ''9o1liness has the
promise of the life that now is as we'll
As ''oi that which is to come it Is
chiefly from endless misery under the
wrath of God, that Christ, and the
church He "gathers, defends and pre-
serves to llmset,' seek to save mcn.-
Trade and commerce and the benefits
of human societies are deemed essential
to human happiness; but W! !at if this
short life be the onl y period of our hap
piness: Tie profession Of medicine Is
deemed by some Indispensable; but sup
pose that II man proIongs human life,
and the disord, 7 Which kills beyond the
tomb remains in the souls of himself
and patients? The profession Of the law
is regarded by many as e-sentlaI to hu
man intercourse and the maintenance
Of the rights of men; but suppose that
the successful lawyer and his clients
are condemned hereafter, at that triDl-
nal whose Judgment is the second
| death. The cause of education is Ger
tainly very important; bat what I
teachers and pupils fail to know God,
and Jesus Christ whom He has sent,
and Their mental inproven"nt--th
intellectual cultivation -onl Y makes
them more susceptible to suffering here
after as the subjects of the dispIeasnre
of neglected God and Saviour: HUI
man government is important; but
when ruler dies it is of more interest
to him and his subjects whether his
soul enters heaven, or is shut ont, than
it ever was to know how great were hls
dominions, treasures and hosts on earth.
1t is the soul in eternity which is the
subject Of supreme importance; and
whatever our calling in this life it
should be SO prosecuted as to make
heaven our chief concern. The cause
of Christianity alone is Of permanent
importance. Government, commerce,