St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-30
IN GODS PHARMACY,
Where One Divine Touch
Makes the Human Spirit
Whole.
An Interesting Sermon by
Rev. Edwards, OF the
Church Of Christ.
What st. John Found and
Told Humanity in the
Revelations.
A Picture of Gods Watchful
Care of the Children
of Men.

John here depicted is pc ssible to the
man or woman whose life touches that
of the Almighty. The Book of Revela-
ton is the experience of one who pos
sessed spirituality that could peer
into the Understandable glories of heaven
and make desert island the verdant
camping ground of angel hosts. 1t is
song compiled by one whose faith was
as firm as everlasting hills, and whose
heart beat with the rapturous touch
OF Gods omnipotence. The Apocalypse
seems to US mysterious admixture of
prophecies, symbols, illusions, the
meaning of which we cannot explicitly
solve. 1t is overwhelming in the mag
nficence of its depicted visions. Some
we can understand, others we can only
admire. Among its most int resting
features is a description of the city
whose builder and maker is God, and
which is to be the dwelling place
of the redeemed. Nothing is there
wanting to supply our. loftiest con-
ceptions of happiness, and more
is revealed than the widest flights
OF our imagination can picture.
BeWilderng professions of unthinkable
Nv
describably majestic is the picture OF
the New Jerusalem and its features as it
rises upon our mental vision that we
fail to compass it. We must confess our
inability to adequately understand the
description, against which Milton'S
paradise LOST bears no comparison.
1t gives defiance to our reason, murders
despair, resurrects faith, and lifts itself
beyond the reach of the most sweeping
fancy. That feature OF Gods abode to
which direct your attention this morn.
ing is profoundly Suggestivesin the way
of lessons. We shall study it, not in
reference to our future life, but in its
relation TO our present existence. The
language is undoubtedly fgurative and
capable of many fanciful interpreted
tiOnS. That does not enter into the
thoughts presented for your conSldera
ton this morning. We
Seek Some Practical Truths
that shall administer to our temporal
welfare. To enjoy the fruit of the tree
of life it is not necessary that we reach
heaven. The man or woman who waits
to reach pardaiSe before enjoying it has
missed the choicest experience of the
Christian pilgrimage. When we have
gained an insight into the true spirit of
Christianity, when we shall have incor-
porated its principles into our lives,
when we discover and learn that the
blessings of religion are in no small
measure found in our associations of
earth life. then have We tasted of the
tree of life. A life of sacrifice for
others puts us under its shade; obedi-
ence to God here and now brings the
fruit within our reach. Why should not
the tree of life supply humanity with its
chi FRI al n
en-. On earth it would decay and per-
ish. Coos omnipotence keeps it per-
petualiy green, heavens atmosphere
causes it to blossom, the crystal river
must water it into fruitfulnesS. Blessed
by the mercy Of Jesus, 1t supports the
dearest hope of mankind, and gives life
and strength and joy to the sons Of men.
Angels touch not its fruit. They have
reached the presence of God, and walks
in the light of His countenance. Their
strife is ended, their victory won, and
they battle in the fountain Of perpetual
Joy. Not so with us. We still struggle
against sin and temptation, sorrow and
despair, grief and dependency. Blank
and dark and iOyleSS indeed would be
our existence had God not graciOusly
permitted us to taste of the tree of life.
Life. eternal, everlasting life is ours, not
in the future, but now. Immortality we
have. Did not Jesus say, ''Whosoever
liveth and beleveth in me-
Shall Never Die.
"This is eternal life-to know Thee
the only living and true God, and Jesus
Christ whom Thou has sent.' Do not
imagine that the Saviour would mock
humanity thus. Can you find an ele-
ment in the life of heavens inhabitants
that we do not experience? Is there any
feature of heaven which we do not at
least in part enjoy on earth? 10 sigh
for heaven is to ignore what makes for
present peace and rest. Much of suffer-
ing in this life comes frOm failure to
understand that we can i'll large
measure anticipate the glory that awaits
our departure from earth. 1t is the same
philosophy that refuses few flowers
to our companions in Christ while they
lived. and is profuse with emblems of re-
spect when they are gone. The person
who unselfishly devoteS his life for good
of others, and who best maDifests the
spirit of Christ in His contact with men
is one whose feet stand near the gates
of pearl and experiences a happiness
insufferably great. AS | read that 1.-THE
leaves of the tree were for the healing
of the nations" l am deeply impressed
with the thought of Gods super-abound-
| ing benevolence and provision for His
children. Ii that tree grows not for
mans benefit, why should it blossom at
all? Johns description of heaven leads
us to conclude that those within its
| gates need not the healing of anything
| as regards their souls. Am / then
wrong in stating that we have in this
! life much that we mistakenly walt to
enjoy in the life to come? How vivid
| The contrast between the first and
| last Eden? By his disObedlence
man was banished from Eden,
the place of exquisite joys. the
paradise of sweetest treasures, the seat
was the tree Of life. Beside it God
placed an angel with flaming sword of
fire to guard 1t from man. Adam knew
not what he had forfeited. Subsequent
disasters. unremitting toll, sorrow and
pain and tribulation followed him. Sad
indeed would be the history of mankind
had the guardian of the tree retained
his threatening attitude. We would
wander lost in the solitude of our own
misery and swept on by the river OF
tears. Over us clouds would omipOusly
hang and darkness Defall our pathway.
How Inexpressibly Sad
would be the condition Of US all! In
the wisdom and goodness of Almighty
God such was not to- be the history of
His creatures. What John saw and
called the tree of life had been growing
and developing for ages. Its leaves of
healing were awaiting the power that
should shake them in showers of bless
ing into the lap of the world. You
need not search long nor far to know
when the storm swayed it. Go TO Cal
vary, where the Son of God hangs upon
the cruel cross. The storm is brewing.
The heavens are darkened, the form of
nature convulsed; terrible flashes of
lightning lick with forked tongues the
awful scenes of that evening. The
rumbling and growing and rolling
agony of earth sweeps up to heavens
gate There it finds no resting place.
Beating in fury against the twelVe-gate