The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-04-16
A HEAVENLY CROWN.

- 0GAVGNIu S'nSvbNs
Significance of Fitting and Ineligible
Term-What 1t symbolizes.
Heaven and Heavenly things, as dis
closed in the Bible, are necessarily pre-
scented to our thoughts in the language
of earth. Primarily this language re-
lates to earthly things, and when ap-
piled to Heavenly things the use is sec
Ondary, but not therefore unmeaning.
The term croson, for example, has, from
time immemorial, been used to denote
the emblem of royalty and honor worn
by princes, as a sign or indication Of
their exalted station. 1t is hence both
. fitting and Ineligible term to repre-
sent the glory and honor of saintship in
the Heavenly life, and is so used in the
Bible Paul, in his Second Epistle to
Timothy, speaks Of the ''crOwn of right
eousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judgeP would give to him in the final
day, and also to all shat love His APP
pearing." He says that this crown lis
laid up for" him. I'LL Tim. 4, 81 In
his First Epistle to the Corinthians he
characterizes this crown as being sin
corruptible," in contrast with corrupt
ible" crowns worn on earth. II Cor.
Q, esq So. also, James declares
the man blessed who VIGOROUSLY
endureth temptation, and then adds
the reason in these words "For
when he is tried proved, he shall re-
ceive the crown of life, which the Lord
hath promised to them that love Him."
DANES 1, ls.) The auxiliary ideas here
subjoined to the term cr0,cn are that 1t
is the crown Of life and that it is prom
ased by the Lord beforehand to all who
love Him. Peter in his First Epistle
says: "And when the chief Shepherd
shall appear, We shall receive crown Of
glory that fadeth not away" Il Pet.
4, A. Christ, in the letter which
he dictates to John when an
exile in the isle of Patmos and d.
rected to be sent to the Church in
Smyrna, said: "Be thou faithful unto
death and will give thee crown of
life" (Rev. 2, 10.) The four-and-twenty
elders whom John, in one of his Wis
ions, saw sitting round about the throne
in Heaven, as representatives Of the
church triumphant were clothed in
white raiment, and they had on their
heads crowns of gold" REV. 4, A.
These crowns they are described as cast
ing before the throne, saying: "Thou
art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory and
honor and power; for Thou hast created
all things, and for thy pleasure they are
and we're created REV. 4, 10-11.)
In all these passages we find the term
Groom, evidently used with reference to
the Heavenly life, and supplemented
with adjunct phrases for the purpose of
giving fullness, completeness and in.
tensity to the idea meant to be con-
veyed. If the earthly crown is the en-
blem of dignity and royalty, what then
shall be said of the Heavenly crown
The latter is the 'crown Of righteous
nest" the Grown Of life," the crown
''incorruptible," the ''crown that fadetf
not away" the crown of glory and
the crown promised by the Lord to all
shat love Him." and are faithful unto
death" This language, though neces.
sarily that Of figure and borrowed from
earthly objects, is surely not meaning
less, and certainly not unintelligible il
the general idea which it conveys L
is true that we can not now understand
the Heavenly life with that familiarit,
and completeness that mark our knowl
edge of the present life; but when tina
life is symbolized to us under the figure
of q crown with various intensive ant
explanatory adjuncts, as is the fac
in the Bible, then we can under
stand that it is and must b.
state of great exaltation AM
glory as compared with any thing at
tainable in this world. The symboliza
ton is not fanciful, Elusive or mislead
ing in any way, but truthful, and emf
nently adapted to impress thought wit
the glory of Heaven and the glory O
living and acting in that world. 1t i
sufficient for all the present purposes o
faith and hope. 1t is sufficient to es
tablish the certainty that. while godli
ness has the promise of the life tina
now is" it has equally glorious prom
Use in respect to that life switch is :
come" Il Tim. 4, ~
1t is good and pleasant thing for tn
Christian to spend the days of hi
earthly sojourn under the sublime in
SEPARATION of what he expects, and has
right to expect. in the Heavenly man
sion, whittier the forerunner is entere
for him, ''even JesusF-that ''hous
not made with hands, eternal in tn
heavens" Heb. 8, 90, and ii Cor.
IL 1t is a good thing to have HOP
that while on earth ian anchor Of tn
soul, both sure and steadfast, also Eel
tereth into that within the vail. (Hel
6, 49, This is the sort Of faith, or col
fidence, or assurance, which one can NJ
afford to be without, and which, havin
It. he can not afford to cast away.
enriches and blesses. this life. N.
Independent. ttE !.
REST At LAST.