The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1902-11-11

mere. Inc suHer1nKs Oh OOus peopie
are not always punishment for their
sins, nor will they expiate or atone for
them. They are fatherly corrections of
Almighty love, and intended only to
lead them nearer to Himself. 1t is a
fatal error to suppose that Affections in
this world are passport to joys in the
next. This opinion is refuted by the
rext clause in the text. Perhaps we
may think that these glorified spirits
which st. John saw had merited their
reward in heaven by their great suffering
in the cause of God. But what says the
text? "These are they who came and
washed their robes, and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb" In
that assembly of saints in heaven were
apostles, prophets and martyrs, yet their
own holiness, excellence and virtue, all
their courage and perseverance, even
unto death, were wholly inadequate to
Justify them before God and to gain
them place in heaven. After all they
were defled and polluted till they had
washed their robed and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb.
Who then, with this example before
his eyes. can hope to gain eternal life in
any other way than that in which they
were purified? Will our righteousness
exceed theirs who saw Jesus face to face,
heard His voice and followed Him, and
after his departure shed their blood in
defense of the doctrine which He had
promulgated? Shall we be more faith
full than st. Paul, more holy than st.
James, or more imbued with the spirit
of love than st. John? Every one of
that great number had been sinner
like our elves; had come out of great
tribulations, and had been redeemed out
OF all by the sufficient sacrifice of Christ,
and therefore by these means alone are
they before the throne of God and serve
Him in His temple.
Let us now further contemplate the
unspeakable happiness to which these
persons had attained by faith in the
blood of Christ, the worlds only Saviour.
This is harp we shall touch with a
feeble hand this is theme so high, so
pure, so heavenly that we defile when
we presume to touch upon it. The
negative joys of heaven are thus de-
scribed in the words before us: "They
shall hunger no more; neither thirst
any more; neither shall the sun light
on them, nor any heat" That is, they
shall be delivered from all those cares
and trials with which they are troubled
in this world Here perhaps, they were
hungry, and cold, and suffering but
there, no want, no sorrow, no poverty
shall ever afflict them. In this world
they were sometimes elated with hope
and then cast down in despair. But in
the next every hope shall be fulfilled !;
every desire gratified their JOY shall be
full. Now they fight against tempta-
ton; they wrestle with the powers of
darkness; they are perplexed by doubts
and shaken by fears. But there every
spiritual want shall be supplied, every
enemy shall be subdued and none shall
make them afraid. This world is
troubled and stormy ocean; that world
is calm and unrutfled deep. The pill
grim on his way is often lost in mists
and darkness, but when he is in heaven
the sun of Gods presence shall never
cease to shine, no cloud shall intervene,
no storm arise. Every doubt shall be
cleared away, every mystery unraveled,
no tempter shall be near to entrap his
steps. no false and flattering world shall
mislead him, no corrupt and evil heart
shall assist the Vaccinations of his
enemies; he is far above the scene of
his conflicts, and the fearful strife shall
never be renewed.
And how beautiful is the subsequent
declaration of the text: "God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes,"
We can hardly form a conception of that
land where no tears are shed, for we
live in vale of tears, and the emblem
OF sorrow glistens in every eye. Where
is the condition in this world which is
exempt from sorrow? Who among us is
so young that grief has never crossed
his path? Man is born to sorrow as the
sparks fly upward. This is wise, and
good, and merciful. 1t reminds us that
we have sinned and therefore must
mourn. But how consolatory to be told
that God shall wipe away all tears from
your eyes. blessed are We that mourn,
for We shall be comforted.'' BLESSED