Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-11-01

helSnt Is the same MS the length and
the width? Does he mean that the
walls are. as he says. IA cubits high
"a multiple OF twelve? Oh, no. This
apocalypse has a figurative iuterpreta-
ton. II means that the walls of heav-
en- are SO high that none of the mean
nesses or contemptibilities or evil
thoughts or sins of earth can ever
overleap them. 1t means that the
walls OF heaven are so high that when
we once enter into heaven all the evil
desires of our lower natures shall
cease and we shall stand before Christ.
perfect as he is perfect. pure as he is
pure. holy as he is holy. When you
pass through those gates of pearl you
will never again be tempted TO be self
ish, never again be tempted to speak
a harsh word against your nighbors,
never again be tempted to do what YOU
ought not to do or TO leave undone
those things which you ought to do.
Then all bitterness. all envy. all hate,
all evil desires, shall forever pass away
Speed that day, o most merciful
Father, when / shall awake in thy
glory and my sinful nature shall be
cleansed and purified
The Breadth of che Walls.
But the most blessed thing to me
about this text l have not yet dwelt
upon. That is the breadth of the walls
We are not told, but l think they are
very broad. When 1 talk about the
width of the walls, think there is a
hidden meaning. If some one should
say. "Why are those walls thickT' most
would answer, ITO give them strength"
That is true. But do not believe that
is the true meaning. Those walls 4
the ancient cities were used for the
most pleasurable Of purposes. Upon
the tops OF their city walls the old
Babylonish inhabitants used to drive.
There the citizens of most OF the east
ern cities used to build many of their
houses Do you not remember how
Rahab had her house built upon the
top of city wall where the Hebrew
spies visited her? And there, upon the
hot summer evenings, the people used
to gather upon the city walls to catch
the cool breezes from the mountains.
Upon the city walls those who were
expecting their friends to come to visit
them would assemble and watch the
approaching cavalcades. Thus, when
/ think Of the broad walls of heaven
/ always think of them as crowded
with our dear ones There they are,
watching and waiting Every little
while methinks | can hear some Of
them say. DO you see him coming?
Do you see my l,yy Do you see MY
brother? DO you see my husband or
wife or sister? Il is surely time for
them to be coming along. Oh, we have
waited for them so lopgl Do you think
we are waiting in vain?' Oh, the
broad walls of heaven! The crowded
walls Of heaven! Oh, the multitudes
Of dear ones who are today upon the
walls watching and waiting for our
arrival. While the multitudes of our
dear ones are watching for us from
the broad walls OF heaven. every one
of the twelve gates of pearl is stand
Ing wide open. When / used to think
about these twelve gates of pearl, al
ways thought of the angelic watch
men closing them at nightfall. But ST.
John in his apocalypse declares there
is no darkness in heaven. he also dis
tinctly afiirms, "The gates OF it shall
not be shut at all, for there shall be no
night there" What does this mean
Why, it means that God is keeping the
pearly gates wide open for all to enter
who will. He is keeping those gates
open now. Are we prepared to enter
fhnD1o