Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-06-10
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LOOKING HOMEWARD.
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ing rather to be absent from the body,
and to be present with the Lord. -
II. Cor, VS..
That noble spirit, Lamennais, whG
tasted the bitterness of exile from his
native land, comforted himself by
saying: Our homeland IS not here be-
low; man vainly seeks it here; that
which he takes for 1t is only lodg-
ing for the night"
The abiding home of humanity IL
not here We are all wanderers. Our
real home is elsewhere. This is not
the place of our rest. All noble souls,
loftily or lowly, are travellers, walking
not by sight, but by faith. Our dear
est treasures are laid up in heaven.
Our hopes, our interests, our hearts,
are there They that say such things
declare plainly that they seek a coun-
try" They desire a better country
that is heavenly; wherefore God is
not ashamed to be called their God;
for He hath prepared for them city"
Our adversities are the necessary
incidents Of journey. All earth's
joys are the shifting scenes of lana
through which we are travelling This
world is the scene of vicissitudes, of
storms, of sorrows, Of partings, of
heart-breaks and tragic loneliness.
There is peaceful and permanent
home awaiting the Christ1an-a city
that hath foundations, a settled hab1-
tation, a haven after life's tempestu-
Gus voyage, a refuge from all the sor-
rows of the present existence, land
of light where there is no more pain
full mystery, land of love and eternal
reunion, where sympathy Is perfect,
where the heart is satisfied, realm
secure and gladstone, thronged with
ancient folk and dear ones of our own
day. There we shall see as we are
There light intellectual is full-charged
with love, love Of true good; full
charged with gladness - gladness
which transcends every sweetness.
That is the goal of all our belongings.
Archbishop Leighton used to say that
if he were to choose place to die in
it should be an inn, for that would
look so like a pilgrims going home.
God gave him his wish. In an inn he
ended his pilgrimage, and went home
to the city of the sun, toward which
he had long looked wistfully. To the
spiritually minded that homeland Is
more real than anything round about
them here There lies all that they
dream of and hope for.
1t is not in the darkest hours OF
life alone that the vision Of that home
is most attractive. Often the thought
Of its peace, it's fruition, it's infinite
and eternal satisfaction of our desires
and possibilities comes to us with
strange power when life is strongest
and most joyous. In the hour of some
great joy, at the time of the accom-
plishment of some purpose which has
cost protracted and strenuous endeaV-
or, or when we have beheld the mys-
tic beauty of a perfect morning or
have looked into eternity through the
splendor of the sunset, the thought OF
the home of the soul has been rap
ture of desire. Our best and happiest
hours are prophetic Of heaven, are
windows through which we obtain fas-
cinating glimpses Of its ideal beauty.
When, like Simeon, we hold the Light
and Hope of the world in our arms,
like Him, our heart eXclaims, Now
lettest thou thy servant depart in
peace, for mine eyes have seen thy
salvation" Were we to have one
minute Of perfect existence, bodily,
mentally and spiritually, one minute
of absolutely perfect health, perfect
spiritual vision and harmony and hap
piness, the veil between us and our
home would disappear. Without dy-
ing we would arrive instantly at home.
The longing for home is not the
WEAKNESS of weddings, the ennui of
workings, the Incidence of the ease
loving, the cynicism and disgust of
those who do not find this life worth
living It is characteristic of fulness
Of spiritual life and energy. None
have more earnestly longed for the
heaven than the bravest soldiers of
the cross, the heroes of the faith. Paul,
though for the sakO of others willing
to remain in the flesh, confessed to
desire to depart. It was because to
live was Christ that to die would be
gain. He said: For indeed we that
are in this tabernacle do groan, being
burdened; not for that we would be
unclothed, but that we would be cloth
ed upon, that what is mortal may be
swallowed up of life. Being,
therefore, always of good courage and
knowing that whilst we are at home
in the body we are absent from the
Lord-for we walk by faith, not by
sight-we are Of good courage, l say,
and are willing rather to be absent
from the body and to be at home with
the Lord" He was so fully alive that
he longed for the land Of the living.
In his later years, though he was
not really aged, and was surrounded
by beloved and happy family, Luth-
er longed to be with Christ and behold