The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-12-04
SUNDAY MEDITATION.


written by st. John on PatmOs about A. ID. SO,
a little before Nervs became Emperor Of Rome.
The APOSTLE was banished thither by Domitian.
We do not know how long st. John was held q
prisoner on Patmos Domitian became En-
peror A. ID. 81. Nerva followed him A. d. 96.
Hence, Domitiaa reigned 10 years. As PatmOs
reminds one of st. Helena-as PatmO5 suggests
st. John, and st. Helena brings to mind Napo-
leon-so the period Of Punishment of st. John
and that of Napoleon may be similar. NapO-
leon was captive from October 1916 to May
1921, five years and seven months. So. John
was probably prisoner for about the same
length of time. 1t is TO be noticed, however,
Napoleon was released only by death, while st.
John lived two or three years after being re-
called from Punishment, ultimately dying
natural death, at about 100 years Of age, in the
city OF Ephesus, Asia Minor.
One notices in the Revelation the number
occurring so Often-7 churches (1:11); Z can
dlesticks (13l; stars 10; lamps "a: 81; z
seals %: u; Z horns,j Z eyes, spirits 90; 2
Inscriptions 12, Is, 7:12l; Z angels SD;
trumpets (2); thunders (10:4); thousand
I'll: 49,; Z heads, crowns 12:3); headed
beast (13:1l; plaques u.s.: u; walls (ehap.
16; z mountains (l9:7); Kings t10). The
Hebrews expressed perfection by the number
Z. n sevenfOld cord Is very strong one. The
operation of the Holy Spirit in Z directions
Q:4) is equivalent to universal activity. He
is omnipresent and has part in all energy of
nature and grace. The z churches Il III en-
brace the Church Catholic, or universal Christ
ianity. The ascribing TO Christ of the Z grand
qualities OF blessing, glory, wisdom, thanks
giving, honor, power and might q: ~ IS prac-
tically to say he is worthy of everything
Nothing should be withheld from him.
The lesson is a glance into Heaven-a fore
sight of eternal bliss, an ideal of the employ
ments of angels and saints in glory. The OBJ
ject was to give encouragement TO the early
church, enabling the faithful 10 face trial, per-
secution, suffering, death, having in prospect
the reward lover There" the joy beyond the
grave. Chopping- blocks, gridiron chairs, wild
beasts gibbets lost their power over men who
saw glory by decease, who eouTted death for
the joy set before them in the Revelation, who
only the more wished to depart as they were
the more abused and harmed. And the book
has been comfort to Christians all through
the centuries. Even without persecution, life
is to the great majority a struggle, battle, a
fierce opposition TO satanic resistance, con-
slant friction with evil things and wicked men.
The fact of Paradise. the glory Of Heaven, the
rewards of the righteous, the unspeakable bliss
in store after death-these grand prospects
make life endurable, rob auimOsity OF sting,
render toll supportable edge clouds of sorrow
with silvery light, fringe graves, build ladders
on stony pillows, serve as napkins to wipe
away tears, send rays Of delightful sunlight
down into dark homes. dark minds dark souls,
| fill dying chambers with angels and cause the
| pallet to seem soft as downy pillows.
Verses Is show the vast number Of Jews
rescued from sin. Every tribe was represented.
! Then we are told Of the salvation of the Gen
tiles. The number of the redeemed OF this
| class is not stated. They were beyond human
computation. For 1000 years there were nc
| Jews. Abraham was the first Of the Hebrew
| race. Practically there were no Jews after
| Christ. He broke up all distinction so far a;
| religious matters were concerned. Hence Jews
/ were a race existent for only about 1000 years
| 1t is nearly 1000 years since Christ lett earth
/ In the numbers of the saved the Hebrews will
/ be comparatively meager, and that specially Il
/ the earth in its present condition and the
work Of saving men from sin 90 on for many
| centuries to come. The Jews were but a small
| race in numbers in their palniest days as con
| trasted with the Gentle classes. In poetic
| way il might be easy TO state their numbers q!
| in verses Is. Not so of the Gentiles. They
were not of a single nation, but of all nation!
and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues" Yea
"a great multitude" The saved are innocent
fact symbOIized by their being represented a
clothed with white robes" They were con
querOrs over sin, which is symboliZed by thei
bearing palms in their hands" They seFvet
God, symbolized by the fact they stood" TIL
attitude of servants waiting orders. They wor
SHIPPED God, ascribing to him and to Jesus, tn
Lamb, praises, shouting their reclamation
with a loud voice" The saints were repre-
| scented by the 81 elders and four living beings
Hence it is said the angels Joined these last, in
| Guiding probably the Jews of vs.. l-8-HebTew
and Gcntiles-joined them, angels and all tn
| saved crying, Blessing and glory. and wisdom
and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, ant
might, be unto our God forever and eve
amen"
St. John was filed with unutterable wonder
! He would fain know whence came the grea
multitude whom he saw in white, and wbOr
he heard praising God. and yet he could 10
venture TO ask question. The very face @
the Apostle was an interrogation point.
Sometimes teacher, to arouse curiosity an
stimulate inquiry, asks q question as thong
ignorant and seeking information. So one q
the elders urges st. John to tell whom he be
held and heard. The Apostle at once sa'
through the question, and practically reptile
thus, %, Elder, thou knowest. / can give the
no information-tell thee nothing new" The
he was informed they were men and wOme
saved from sin, rescued from suffering, forgive
through belief in Christ and love of holmes
St. John knew inhabitants of earth rs sinner
But the multitude which he saw were elOthe
in white, pure in mind. st. John knew me
and women as tried, prosecuted, suffering, bU
| the groups he saw IN the vision were HAPPY
What q wonder How did it happen the mu
titudes were in Heaven? Because belieyin
! in ChTistis death, moved by his love, the
abandoned sin, bore their crosses, suffered an
died in the Christian faith and passed on
glory. Hence the logical . therefore - Their
fore are they before the throne of God" The
took the only way to reach Heaven-Chris
cross, crown the way to the crown is by Chri
and the cross Being Christians, we must be;
r crosses. We can enter glory only as we con
: up out OF tribulation. White robes are cOngr
4 Gus only with pure minds. As we mediate
Christ shedding his blood our faces crimson
l the remembrance of sin. Knowing sin MAJ
Christ suffer, we, out of very love for him, ha
!, evil.
1 Practical thoughts:
o 1. Here is encouragement for mission wor
!, We are to reach every creature with the &C
l pei. The saints are to come from all nation
i kindreds, peoples, tongues. The languages
r heather lands should be mastered, the Biz
taught and Christian literature spread.
2. We should worship God. Song is becOl
y ing the redeemed. Angels can glOrify him 1
!. creation and unnumbered blessings. So far d
: worship of all in Heaven may be common.
Is angelic to be reverent. Notice further th
worship should be audible. Mumbling is
insult TO Deity. Song and prayer should be
tered with voice loud enough to be understoC
(V. 10) We observe st. John was able to d
tinguish the words uttered in the worship
y angels and saints. (V. 12.) This is more tn
can be said of all church singing in earth
temples.
e 3. Adopt an interrogative method of instru