The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1910-08-11
LOOKING
HOMEWARD
By Rev. James E. E. Sawyer
Montreal, Can.
-.

I'VE are confident say. and willing
rather TO be absent from the body. and
to be present with the Lord."-2 Cor VS.
That noble spirit, Lamennais. who
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 It is only lodg-
Ing for the night"
The abiding home of humanity is
not here. We are all wanderers. Our
real home is elsewhere. This is not
he place of our rest All noble souls,
Ioftily or lowly, are travellers, walking
not by sight but by faith. Our dearest
treasures are laid up in heaven. Our
hopes, our interests. our hearts. are
there. They that say such things de-
clare plainly that they seek 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 land
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 a peaceful and permanent
home awaiting the Christian-a city
that hath foundations, settled habi-
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
seen and know as we are known.
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
II be were to choose a place to die
In II should be an inn, for that would
look 90 like q 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
II Is not in the darkest hours Of life
alone that the vision of that home Is
most attractive. Often the thought Of
its peace. its fruition, its 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 en-
deavor, or when we have beheld the
mystic beauty of perfect morning or
have looked into eternity through the
splendor of the sunset, the thought OF
the home of the soul has been a rap
ture Of desire. Our best and happiest
hours are prophetic Of heaven. are
windows through which we obtain
fascinating glimpses of its ideal beau
ty. 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 min
ute of absolutely perfect health.
perfect spiritual vision and harmony
and happiness. the veil between us
and our home would disappear. With
out dying we would arrive instantly
at home.
The longing for home is not the
WEAKNESS of weaklings, the ennui of
workings, the Incidence of the ease
loving, the synicism and disgust Of
those who do not find this life worth
living. 1t is characteristic of fulness
Of spiritual life and energy. None
have more earnestly longed for heaven
than the bravest soldiers Of the cross.
and heroes of the faith. Paul. though
for the sake of others willing to re-
main in the flesh. confessed to a de-
sire to depart II was because to live
was Christ that to die would be gain.
lie said: For indeed we that are in
this tabernacle do groan. being bur
dened; not for that we would be un.
clothed. but that we would be clothed
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, 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, Luther
longed to be with Christ and behold
his glory. He toiled tremendously
and with undated heroic energy till
within few days of his death; but
he had often expressed his desire for
release. Nearly five years before his
decease, on his recovery from a pain.