The Newtown bee., 1907-11-15
LITTLE SERMON.
THE SAINTS AT nEsT-BY c. 0,
 WRIGHT,

VI "is Asp'n aHh PN"HiNp ailu toHEuNai standing before the throne and before the Lamb. arrayed in white robes. and palms in their hands: and they cry with great voice. saying. Salvation unto our God who sitteth on the throne and unto the Lamb. ."-Rey. 7:9-ll.
 The Holy Catholic Church "the blessed company of all faithful peo- ple,' is set before us in the Word of God. in three parts or states. On the earth It Is the Church militant: in Par. adise it Is expectant: and in Heaven it will be triumphant. And still 1t is but one Church, whether here or there: it has but one divine Head and Spirit and purpose: and the fellowship and com munion of all the saints in Christ is the same always and everywhere.
 Our spiritual life is one of progress. through this world with its slow growth and trial. and tribulation; on into the spirit-land of rest and joy. and peace, where we wait and worship and are prepared for that higher life of the heavenly city. the New Jerusalem of everlasting glory.
 In our baptism we are signed with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter we shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucifed and manfully to fight under His banner, against sin. the world, and the devil, and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto our life's end." The life of faith is in the nature of the case a life of warfare. We bear the Cross here in the hope of the Grown wonder i; and when we come to the grave in the fellowship of the Church we pray that we, with all those that are de- parted in the true faith of thy holy name, may have our perfect consum- nation and bliss, both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory, "and we do not in our Christian faith and love leave our loved ones at the grave, but we follow them in our highest acts of devotion in the Holy Communion when we pray: most humbly beseechng thee to grant, that by the merits and death of thy Son Je- sus Christ and through faith in His blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of His passion"
 "ln my Fathers house." He said "are many mansions; if it were not so, l would have told you; for l go to pre- pare place for you." It is said that the word in Latin and in the Greek for mansions" refers to resting places," stations on great road, where travel CTS found refreshment. There is not only repose in these abiding places, but progress, perhaps, from one to an- other. There is a place prepared for each, place adapted to the rest of the soul, and also to its stage of prog ress in the divine life, and the state of preparation for another step onward, as the saints go on from glory to glory, and are delighted more and more with the beautiful and precious things which the Lord has in store for all those who love Him.
 How many wonderful and beautiful things there are in this world which we would like to behold, and examine, and enjoyl Suppose that we had nothing else to do but to go about over the earth with perfect ease and safety. and under the most favorable condit- ions, with guides, teachers, and dear est friends, that we might enter into the most intimate contact and commu- nion with God in and through His mar vicious works in this material globe Suppose that everywhere we should choose to go we could find beautiful homes awaiting us Mansions fitted up just to our minds, and furnished to meet our every want Not hotels, as we are wont to think of them, but rest stations on the highways of free and unlimited spiritual pro- gressl Suppose the whole earth, in Gods providence, should become one universal pleasure-park, and we should learn to be at home everywhere! Does this give us some little idea of Para disc?
 But supposing such liberty to behold and enjoy all the good things of this beautiful world of God, we must also suppose ourselves developed, and re- fined, and wise enough to understand and interpret the Creators works which are everywhere open to our in- spection.
 This world is a beautlul world but how little of the earth's fair propor- tions and deep spiritual suggestion can be perceived by the sordid life of the senses To see the beauty there must be the love of beauty in the soul To read and feel the poetry of the land Scane we must have inc snirit of +ho