The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-22

The sermon at Plymoth Congrega-
aional church yesterday morning was
preached by the pastor, Rev. j. ID. Nut
ting. from tho texts Lay up for your
selves treasures in heaven and ''The
kingdom Of heaven is like to treasure
Matthew vi, 20, and xiii, a. The main
thoughts were as follows:
The 8 800 national banks of the United
States received in one day of 1892 over
1881, 900. 0e9, and our other banks per
haps nearly as much more. The eleven
chief foreign nations hal as bank cGpi-
tai and deposits in 1890 nearly $11, co.,
Oa0. 900. Uncle Sam had in his bank
and in circulation last November over
two billions in cash. The totals Of these
latter items would be beyond the grasp
of any mind. yet they would convey
only a small idea of even the treasure
of the world which is kept behind the
doors Of bank and government vaults
But if this earth were all gl1tering Dail
of gold and were thrown in the scales
with it: il the planets and uyriads of
stars were likewise added in gold
and the whole We're brought to
the bank of heaven, any one out OF
millions of its items in store would over
balance all. And thousands Of earth s
poorest have many such items Of
wealth, while some Of her richest give
evidence of none at all. The last day 8
halance-sheet win be to some a terrible
surprise, as they find little or none of
this treasure awaiting them. For the
bank of heaven is like the banks of
earth in that some form of deposit must
precede any drawing out of funds.
The fundamental form of deposit must
n .1-C .Ar,-
Heaven will be continuation OF the
life begun here to every one who at
tains it, and so will be the opposite con-
dition Each Is the fruitage of the
tree planted and cared for here,
whether sweet or bitter Otherwise
identity would cease at death and a new
being would enter the future state in
stead of ourselves. Purity of thought Is
one of these treasures of character
The arrest Of sixty-seven professional
criminals in cur city last Thursday eve
ming in dens OF vice, sixty-two of them
debased women, and the Arrest of de-
faulting cashier a few days before,
are terrible evidences against US as a
community on this point. IF the num-
Der had been much larger, with several
times the number of equally-guilty
males added, the picture would probably
have been still more terribly true
Thought Is before act, always and
thought is the mirror of the character
which enters either heaven or the op-
posite place. Keep thyself pure" is
one paraphrase of our first text, and
one terribly needed.
High feeling, thinking and choosing
are other elements of this treasure Of
character The emotions, the intellect,
the will itself, may run along lines OF
existence almost purely animal, or they
may soar habitually heavenwards as
they were created to do. The viii may
become the slave of the body and both
together the slaves of Satan, or 1t may
triumph over everything. in the name
of the Almighty. Whether broadcloth
or rags be its garment makes no differ
ence: the character which is covered
by the garment is everything. IF its
ideals, its feelings, thoughts and choices
are conscientious according to the bible,
that character is laying up treasure in
heaven which will outweigh the world
In gold If these be base, we might
change the figure to say that it was lay
ing up treasure in very he'll. For if
there were no other, he would be maxi
ing hell for himself in maturing a
character repugnant even to itself, and
at variance with every law of Gods
universe. Every character fixed in this
world will finally voice this wall.
"Where / am IS hell; myself am hell,
post in the bank Of heaven, If done for
Christs sake and in no spirit of self
pride. Christ himself said that even a
Gun of cold ater given Sin the name Of
q disciple should not be without its
reward. The bank books Of souls in ac-
count with heaven nave long pages Of
debts for sins and the squandered CAPT
tai of life, but good deeds such; as the
above are entered on the credit side,
along with the points OF character adj
ready named. The account never yet
balanced in the case of a. single soul.
except through Christ, but the differ
ence between some credit and none at
all is a great one, at least, and the
character will find abundant opportun-
aty to manifest itself in good deeds foD
Christ's sake. Chiefest among these
will be the saving of others to likeness
of character IN Christ and through him
The meeting Of one such soul in glory
will outweigh all the joys of mamTnon
haanod together; and probably every
Christian could have this as one Of his
eternal treasures if he sought earnestly
enough for this greatest service to men.
There are two of our greatest heaven
Gy treasures which we cannot be said to
sgav llp" in the words of the text di-
rectly One of the greatest joys Of
glory viii be the meeting of friends
whom God not we, has laid UP in
heavens safety beforehand for our
coming. I believe truly that such will
be known to us in glory, and that the
accounting with them of earth's VIC
tories over sin will form some of the
brightest hunan SPOTS in glory-land.
But a far more glorious treasure in
heaven than ali the rest together will
be the meeting and fellowship and wor-
ship Of Christ. our elder brother, and
with him IF Goo the Father and God
the Holy Spirit. No words can describe
The joy. the ineffable transport of soul,
which the hank Of heaven contains for
the saved in this particular. Treasure
IS valuable only Cor the real blessing it
can giye--the real needs which 1t car,
meet. The very highest need of every
soul is fellowship with God here as well
as hereafter. He, himself is the SOULS
greatest treasure. in heaven and upon
earth. And by fitting ourselves here to
enjoy him forever, we are in the fullest
sense making deposits in tho bank of
glory which shall continually increase
as they are used throughout eternity.
Men dig. and toll and sweat and strain
every nerve to increase their stock Of
this worlds treasure; but all the worlds
10 solid diamonds, with an Eden in
= which to enjoy the pleasure which they
arisht be supposed to buy, would not be
worth one thought compared with this
The kingdom of heaven for ours and
God as our personal, beloved friend.
ds the greatest. greatest treasure. Lay
not UP for yourselves treasures upon
earth, where moth and rust doth cor
rupt and where thieves break through
and steal; bat lay up for yourselves
{ treasures ia heaven" Thus said hs
WIN came down from heaven to make
III possible that we should enter there
with him: and no message more i'm