A Rich Reward Awaits Faithful Parents. --If parents give their children the
proper education, they themselves will be made happy by seeing the fruit of
their careful training in the Christlike character of their children. They are
doing God the highest service by presenting to the world well-ordered,
well-disciplined families, who not only fear the Lord, but honour and glorify
Him by their influence upon other families; and they will receive their reward.
Believing parents, you have a responsible work before you to guide the
footsteps of your children, even in their religious experience. When they truly
love God, they will bless and reverence you for the care which you have
manifested for them, and for your faithfulness in restraining their desires and
subduing their wills.
There is a reward when the seed of truth is early sown in the heart and
carefully tended.
Parents should labour with reference to the future harvest. While they sow in
tears, amid many discouragements, it should be with earnest prayer. They may see
the promise of but a late and scanty harvest, yet that should not prevent the
sowing. They should sow beside all waters, embracing every opportunity both to
improve themselves and to benefit their children. Such seed sowing will not be
in vain. At the harvest time many faithful parents will return with joy,
bringing their sheaves with them.
Give your children intellectual culture and moral training. Fortify their
young minds with firm, pure principles. While you have opportunity, lay the
foundation for a noble manhood and womanhood. Your labour will be rewarded a
thousandfold.
Parents Will Be Revered by Children Fitted for Heaven. --In the word of God
we find a beautiful description of a happy home and the woman who presides over
it: "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he
praiseth her." What greater commendation can be desired by the mistress of
a home than that which is here expressed?
If she [the true wife and mother] looks to God for her strength and comfort,
and in His wisdom and fear seeks to do her daily duty, she will bind her husband
to her heart and see her children coming to maturity honourable men and women,
having moral stamina to follow the example of their mother.
The great stimulus to the toiling, burdened mother should be that every child
who is trained aright, and who has the inward adorning, the ornament of a meek
and quiet spirit, will have a fitness for heaven and will shine in the courts of
the Lord.
The Joys of Heaven to Begin in the Home. --Heaven and earth are no wider
apart today than when shepherds listened to the angels' song. Humanity is still
as much the object of heaven's solicitude as when common men of common
occupations met angels at noonday and talked with the heavenly messengers in the
vineyards and the fields. To us in the common walks of life heaven may be very
near. Angels from the courts above will attend the steps of those who come and
go at God's command.
The life on earth is the beginning of the life in heaven; education on earth
is an initiation into the principles of heaven; the lifework here is a training
for the lifework there. What we now are, in character and holy service is the
sure foreshadowing of what we shall be.
The service rendered in sincerity of heart has great recompense. "Thy
Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly." By the life
we live through the grace of Christ, the character is formed. The original
loveliness begins to be restored to the soul. The attributes of the character of
Christ are imparted, and the image of the Divine begins to shine forth. The
faces of men and women who walk and work with God express the peace of heaven.
They are surrounded with the atmosphere of heaven. For these souls the kingdom
of God has begun. They have Christ's joy, the joy of being a blessing to
humanity. They have the honour of being accepted for the Master's use; they are
trusted to do His work in His name.
All to Be Fitted for the Society of Heaven. --God desires that heaven's plan
shall be carried out, and heaven's divine order and harmony prevail, in every
family, in every church, in every institution. Did this love leaven society, we
should see the outworking of noble principles in Christian refinement and
courtesy and in Christian charity toward the purchase of the blood of Christ.
Spiritual transformation would be seen in all our families, in our institutions,
in our churches. When this transformation takes place, these agencies will
become instrumentalities by which God will impart heaven's light to the world
and thus, through divine discipline and training, fit men and women for the
society of heaven.
Reward at the Last Great Day. --In your work for your children take hold of
the mighty power of God. Commit your children to the Lord in prayer. Work
earnestly and untiringly for them. God will hear your prayers and will draw them
to Himself. Then, at the last great day, you can bring them to God, saying,
"Here am I, and the children whom Thou hast given me."
When Samuel shall receive the crown of glory, he will wave it in honour
before the throne and gladly acknowledge that the faithful lessons of his
mother, through the merits of Christ, have crowned him with immortal glory.
The work of wise parents will never be appreciated by the world, but when the
judgement shall sit and the books shall be opened, their work will appear as God
views it and will be rewarded before men and angels. It will be seen that one
child who has been brought up in a faithful way has been a light in the world.
It cost tears and anxiety and sleepless nights to oversee the character building
of this child, but the work was done wisely, and the parents hear the "Well
done" of the Master.
Title to Admission to the King's Palace. --Let the youth and the little
children be taught to choose for themselves that royal robe woven in heaven's
loom, the "fine linen, clean and white" which all the holy ones of
earth will wear. This robe, Christ's own spotless character, is freely offered
to every human being. But all who receive it will receive and wear it here.
Let the children be taught that as they open their minds to pure, loving
thoughts and do loving and helpful deeds, they are clothing themselves with His
beautiful garment of character. This apparel will make them beautiful and beloved here and will hereafter be their title of admission to the palace
of the King. His promise is:
"They shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy."
A Divine Welcome to the Redeemed. --I saw a very great number of angels bring
from the city glorious crowns--a crown for every saint, with his name written
thereon. As Jesus called for the crowns, angels presented them to Him, and with
His own right hand the lovely Jesus placed the crowns on the heads of the
saints. In the same manner the angels brought the harps, and Jesus presented
them also to the saints. The commanding angels first struck the note, and then
every voice was raised in grateful, happy praise; and every hand skilfully swept
over the strings of the harp, sending forth melodious music in rich and perfect
strains.
Then I saw Jesus lead the redeemed company to the gate of the city. He laid
hold of the gate and swung it back on its glittering hinges and bade the nations
that had kept the truth enter in. Within the city there was everything to feast
the eye. Rich glory they beheld everywhere. Then Jesus looked upon His redeemed
saints; their countenances were radiant with glory; and as He fixed His loving
eyes upon them, He said, with His rich, musical voice, "I behold the
travail of My soul, and am satisfied. This rich glory is yours to enjoy
eternally. Your sorrows are ended. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow
nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." I saw the redeemed host
bow and cast their glittering crowns at the feet of Jesus; and then, as His
lovely hand raised them up, they touched their golden harps and filled all
heaven with their rich music and songs to the Lamb. . . .
Language is altogether too feeble to attempt a description of heaven. As the
scene rises before me, I am lost in amazement. Carried away with the surpassing
splendour and excellent glory, I lay down the pen and exclaim, "Oh, what
love! what wondrous love!" The most exalted language fails to describe the
glory of heaven or the matchless depths of a Saviour's love.