p. 85 | An Ideal Home by B. M. Grandy

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Feb 9, 1915

An Ideal Home

By B. M. Grandy

Many Such Places Are Advertised — There Is a Home That Is Eternal — You Have a Deed to One — Do You Accept It?

By B. M. GRANDY

“MANY shall run to and fro.” Dan. 12: 4. A noticeable characteristic of the people in “the time of the end”! Never in the history of man has the wanderlust seemed to possess the world as now. A veritable spirit of running “to and fro” has taken possession of mankind.

Many are seeking for a better locality — somewhere, just a little beyond; a home that is just right; a country abounding in everything that promotes happiness, and lacking in nothing but that which brings unpleasantness.

No sacred tradition connected with the old homestead is strong enough to deter the adventurous heir from parting with the home of his forbears, that he may carve out his fortune in some other land.

Each Would Sell Out

Few indeed are the homes on which there is not placed a price. Every city or locality has its commercial body, with its publicity agent, whose duty it is to place before the public the advantages of some particular country. Expensively engraved pamphlets extol the virtues of city and countryside. Through the extensive construction of irrigation systems, the wild sagebrush desert is made to blossom and bring forth abundantly, and wealth and contentment are promoted to the fortunate investor. Vast sections of country have been opened to settlement by the daring railroad builders, and circulars everywhere tell of the possibilities in store for the wheat farmer and stock raiser. Glowing articles telling of places of rare beauty, unparalleled productiveness, unlimited wealth, unexcelled educational advantages, all add to the beauty of the descriptions set forth in the many pamphlets.

New indeed is the country, however, where some silent mound does not tell the sad story of death. Sparsely settled is the countryside that does not number among its residents some who are afflicted with physical or mental deformity — blind, lame, deaf, or dumb. The curse of sin encircles the globe. “Run to and fro” where you will, and Satan has blazed the trail before, and his blighting influence is discerned.

All Must Take the Journey

While the commercial bodies of the land are assiduously scattering broadcast their glowing advertisements, a book containing the gospel of the kingdom is also scattered with unparalleled swiftness. With it goes the message apprising all mankind that the day is soon to come when every one must take a journey, be he ready or not, willing or unwilling, rich or poor.

The message is the last that will go to the world, among whose inhabitants some are preparing for the journey, while many, alas, are indifferent and unbelieving.

Precious and tried are the promises and descriptions that are contained in the book of the gospel. A home is here promised and described, in comparison with which the descriptions and realities of the earthly homes pale into insignificance — a home in an earth made new, of which the prophet Isaiah sang, “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth” (Isa. 65: 17); to which the tried apostle Peter looked forward, saying, “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth” (2 Peter 3: 13); and which John, the beloved of Christ, beheld in vision, as through the vista of intervening centuries he beheld “a new heaven and a new earth.” Rev. 21: 1.

Here will be established the kingdom of Dan. 2: 44, which shall never pass away — the kingdom to be possessed by the saints of the Most High (Dan. 7: 18); the earth made new by the mighty power of God, the Creator of the universe.

In describing the beauties of this present world, no writer dare pen such words as the servants of God penned in the beautiful descriptions of the future home.

The Wilderness in Bloom

Listen: “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. . . . Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. . . . And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isa. 35: 1, 5, 6, 10. “But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. . . . And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Isa. 65: 18, 19, 24.

You Have a Deed to a Home

Reader, you cannot put off the journey that all must take. Are you looking forward to a home such as is here described? It is your privilege to do so.

There lies for you in the vaults of the bank of heaven a deed for a home in that glorious country. It is for you to accept, and put away your sins, which alone would be a bar to an entrance into that perfect abode.

“Some one will enter the pearly gates By and by, by and by— Taste of the glories that there await. Shall you? Shall I? Some one will travel the streets of gold, Beautiful visions will there behold, Feast on the pleasures so long foretold. Shall you? Shall I?”