Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-07-19
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the weel
BEGINNING July ~.


BY REV. S. H. DOYLE.
Topic. = Preparing for our heavenly
home.-Phf Ill., 90 q; Heb XII, $40 1916.
Christ came to bring life and i'm
mortality to light through the gospel"
He came to declare and to demonstrate
by His own resurrection the absolute
assurance of the future life. lie be-
came the first fruits Of them that slept
and thereby demonstrated that all
should rise again. This Is one of the
most important truths rcvcaled in
Coo; word Life means infinitely
more since we know that death does
not md all Men had dreamed Of i'm
mortality, and had hoped and longed
for il. but no one was able to prove il
until christ came He not only proved
It by His testimony. as one coming
from the other world. but actually
demonstrated il by rising from the
dead. There need be no doubt now
about the future life.
The future life of the Christian has
been set forth under many different
figures and symbols. To describe 1t
literally is, very naturally. hnpo 81 le-
1t win be life vastly different from
the one In which we now live. and
hence it could only he tyn,Gcd to us.
Some facts concerning it have been re
vealed! There will be no sin in heaven,
no Ceath, no separation and M s0.-
row. 4 world without sin, death, sot-
row and separation IS almost incoA-
ceivable to us. These have Eeeu the
features of this LIE that have been
most deeply impressed upon Us;
hence to give us any conception OF
heaven. it was necessary to use types
and symbols. 1t is called a city-"the
Holy City, New Jerusalem;' 1t is also
called q land-''the land of Canaan,
flowing with milk and honey" it has
also been likened to a temple.
Perhaps of all the symbols by which
heaven is represented the sweetest and
best loved is that of home or
~heavenly home" Christ Himself thus
speaks of 1t: In Ny Fathers house
are many mansions" When the clos
ing hours of life come and we are
drawing near 10 the end of life the
IDEA of heaven that attracts us most
h not that of the splendid city o. OF a
country, however blessed, but that of
home. Then more than any other time
re feel that we are absent from our
real home. and, being tired and wea-
rled, we want to go home. How often
ut such times we hear the words from
saints about to depart: Il want to go
home" 81 am only waiting - g
home" Let us keep this ilea of heav-
On before us. 1t is to be our eternal
home The remembrance of this fact
will strengthen and cheer MS amid
nfe's active duties and greatly comfort
Us in the declining days of life.
Heaven being our eternal home we
should In this life prepare for 1t. II we
were going to change our place OF resi-
dence we would prepare more or less
for the new home. The people in no
two places live exactly alike. Houses,
furniture, customs, are all different.
and every one In moving takes these
things into consideration. So as we
look forward to new lie under vast
Iy different circumstances we should
prepare for it, In heaven we are TO
live in closest fellowship with God and
with Christ. We should therefore
commune with them much in this life.
IL heaven there is to be no sin; hence
we should by the grace of God try TO
overcome sin here. In heaven we are
to live in peace and harmony with all
about us. Let us therefore try to know
each other better on earth and live
more peaceably together here. Our
citizenship is in heaven" Let us there
fore strive TO live here as citizens Of
the heavenly country.
BIBLE READINGS.
Gen. xviii. 2O-22; Ps. viii. 1-s; Feel.
xii, 1-5; Luke xiii, AZ, 43: John xiv.
rs; II Cor. V. /; Matt. vi. 1921; Eph.
nj, 1927; l Pet. i, 3-5; Rev. xxi. IA.