Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-10
The Holy City
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD w. TOMKiHs.
Text. Rev. XVI. and xii. I-5.

Il
Texts Rev. XVI. and xii. In
Gauls Holy city" Is one OF the mos,
Deautiful oratorios ever written. And
we all know how popular the song
Jerusalem" has become with Adams'
musical setting. so bernard OF Cluny
IN ili5 wrote the long hymn. parts of
which we love to sing In our churches.
especially ;hat part beginning "Jeru-
s ,;n the golden" and dear Isaac
watts In 1909 wrote the hymn There
Is a Land Of Pure Delight" MI Of
these are founded on St. Johns Won
aerful revelation of the New Jerusalem
ana they meet Il need in our lives which
only vision OF the beautiful and The
periect can satisfy in any measure
the complete satisfaction viii only
come when at last we enter. by Christ's
mercy. the Golden Gates" How good
oi COO to give us at the end of the
blole this glowing picture! We turn
10 1t again and again. We thinx OF
inc dear ones who have entered in and
who are perchancc linEcring. near the
gales to welcome US when we come
Even our childhood WAS frightened By
the dear old hymns, now almost for
gotten. Around the Throne o. God in
HeaVen Thousands Of Children Stand"
and The Promised Land" How we
used to think OF the little ones guarded
the praises OF the King. All. In the
midst Of earth's struggles. in the con-
fusion ami uSlincss OF The worlds big
cities. bcsct with temptation and sor-
row. how We love 10 think OF the
Happy Land. Far. Far Away" where
at last we snail live and go no more
out!
WHY GOD HAS GIVEN
VISION OF GLORIE.S 70 CONF;
oil
not that we should Sit idly in contcin-
plat ton. ncglcc;inG LIES duties. but
that wc may know the g!ories 10 come
and find our work frightened by the
Thought OF them. and then try to bring
some Of their Siorios to earth. We
read Of the Holy city not alone 10 be
transported in spirit bu. 10 be in.
fpired With new courage and now ac-
tiv!ty. For with the new heavens all
come al las: new earth. wherein
shall dwell. and we mus,
have share ~ preparing that new
tarth for the coming of the King. The
pictures Of the celestial city are not
ireams OF the impossible. They are not
hlone visions OF something afar on 10
which at last we shall come; but they
ire eAhortations TO us to make the dear
world which God loved ana stlli loves
81. John I'LL, lC). and for which Chris,
He'd a place where goodness and purity
md truth shall reign. Some people
mile at Christians singing about hea-
zen You do not know anything
about Heaven" they say and you
neglect your work here while sou are
Dreaming Of some mysterious place
which you may never see or Hnow."
tATuRAI. HUMAN
LONGING FOR BEAUTY
The answer to such critics Is t.yoto!ci.
irst. the very fact that we long for
'eauty and goodness and purity ana
est proves thai; there is some place
there these Viii be our blessed portion
'ur longiEEs do not mock W.. And sec
nd. we keep our eyes on this Holy
lily that We may the more readily
trivc to I've rightly and 10 5rin; bet
Ter things 10 the world where we live
man without Il vision mGst &c As
luch at sea as would be bai,dcr
ithout his plans or :, mariner without
is chart and map. can work better
Or good world when ] see the pat
ern on the mount deb. Wis. 81 Ger
iinly OF final victory and encourage
lent and in5D.ra ton for life's s;ru:,-
lc-these are what We need. AMI
iese are what the Bible gives us in
picture Of the Holy city Let us
old fast to them and rejoice in the
!sion and sing for JOY as We labor TO
king the new earth
lated in tn" life OF that celestial civ.
10 tears no NOR. sen, "ith it's terror.
id separations; no rrorc death. no
ore mourning nor crying, no pain.
thirst. Here We have an ihcs. we
g trying our best by Gods help 10
knquer them. Til" sea is almost mas
red. but not quite. The sea is al
fred. but not quite. We try To be
ave and not weak, but it is difficult.
iough do not think brave Christians
y as much as they used TO. We COM
Ut tho mourners: noble physicians
e working hard TO conquer disease
d pain.
1ATH NOT FEARED
AS 1T WAS Or OLD
!Death alone remains unmaSternd but
Is not feared of old. Yet the
uggle is long and we only sec light
we compare century with century
id as the promise sings its symphony
pm the Eternal City. No temple
are. for VIC shall soc God face 10
re. and every day win he a joyous
tbbath. No need OF sun or moon:
night. but 4 perpetual light fror.
I'm Who will be The LiSh. of Life. Al!
{cleanness gone. My, what battle
is here on earth to keen clean in
fly and mind. 70 keen cities clean
list! it gets OH my books. on nv
ek. on the floor: and in the streets
breathe II in aud it blinds my eyes
1ere all Will be purity. for there will
nothing TO defilc or tarnish. We
rk hard hesc for such condition.
1. alas! it is slow in coming. Satan
tms to scatter nth with lavish hand.
IL we feel oppressed by the dcfle-
int OF thought and deed and word.
Ii we keep on toiling. we will not
Re up; and at last the power OF
Ian will be taken away. oh. the
feet purity of Heaven. And there
IL be no moro curse All fear OF sin
u its consequences will he gone The
NIB Who bore the curse for U.S. oven
Cross. will he there to claim us
His own. and His five precious
funds Will glow in our eyes "a we
i down and worship Him. Thank
II tor such n vision TO make our
es here patient and full OF hope
service
bION OF BLESSINGS
WE SHALL FIND THERE: