Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-09-21
THE CITY OF GOD.

THE CITY OF GOD.
ny Rev. canon Brams'd.
And John saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down from God
out of heaven, prepared as bride
adorned for her husband. "-Reyela-
ton xxi, >.
Jerusalem, the Holy City" The
title sounds strange read in the light
of the writings of the prophets. There
we find one denunciauon after another
Of the sins Of the paople--one woe af-
ter another pronounced against the
guilty city. Hence the captiyities;
hence the lay ing waste of the sacred
city itself; and hence the retribution
that, sooner or later, follows all wrong
doing, Tie cup of the city's iniquity
was full 10 the brim in the time of
our blessed Lord, lie himself was full
Of the deepest ANA tenderest affection
for the people who had so Wiley trans
crossed. In spite of its Journalism, its
hypocrisy, its open sin, it is recorded
that when Jesus was come near he
bcneld the city and wept over it," and
deep breathing fr0m his inmost heart
came the touching words of grief and
sorrow. 20 Jerusalem. Jerusalem, thou
that kiliest the prophets and stonest
them that are sent into thee, how of
ten would | have gathered thy chill
dren together. even as hen gather
eth her chickens under her wings. and
We would not" And SO the day of
retrbution came and, after a siege
full Of the most terrible sufferings. the
city and the temple persisted. mot oGe
stone being left upon another
Then 1t was-then. when the holy
temple had been defiled, and Jerusalem
had been made a heap of stOnes-that
Joan wrote the glorious vision Of the
text. And / john saw the holy city,
new Jerusalem, coming down from
God out of heaven, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband"
What does the vision mean? People
tell us that it has altogether TO dc
with the future-that Christians will
have a grand time in the new Jerusa.
lem. Sursum corda, lift up your hearts
| Ia little time all the sorrows and
the sins Of earth will be o~er, and
in the heavenly city bright and glo
! rious things are in store for Us ~;
And so in awe and rapture men II
every age have lifted their faces heav
EDWARDS, longing for the first glimpse
Of that far off land.
O my sweet home. Jerusalem;
Would God | were in thee.
When shall my labors have an end
Thy joys when shall ] see!
/ think there &, real danger here
why stand We gazing up into hetv
en-" was tie question put to the sor
rowing disciples at the ascension OF
our Lord. and I think it is still put
! to all who gaze upward SO much that
| they sce 10 have IA, 'ther time nor in
Gina to do their dnsy on earth
/ LEAVING the world 10 20 where and as
1 il LIKES for anything they care Read
carefully. our text does not couute
nance such inaction The vision has
/ to DO with the present as well rs the
4 future, Il is not a vision OF earth be
: ing lifted up to heaven, bnt Of heay
eli coming down upon elrth~a holy
city descending out Of heaven from
God" Have we not | would like
to ask. here a picture Of what great
| Christian cities are by God intended
70 be? 1t has been said: God made
the country. and man made the town.
| 1t sounds specious enough, but sure
/ IL it is utterly untrue. 1t Is Coo
himself that "maketh the solitary &c
dwell together Ia families" These
great cities Of the world are Of Gods
appointment. and under his loving care
and protection Even heather Nine
yeh. that exceeding great city, was
rs the Hebrew literally means. "great
unto God. lie knew exactly how
many thousands Of inhabitants il had
ana he called them all by their names
/ lie watched over the very cattle with
! in their gates. Believe me. 1t is fol
/ you and lne to try and make the grea
I ri'y n which we I've "a city Of God >