Coronation Day by C. Monroe

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 10, 1871

Coronation Day.

By C. Monroe

Oh, what a day! long foretold, now at hand! “Lo he comes,” Jesus comes, and is crowned “Lord of all.” Are we ready, all ready, for that day? Our hands, our heart, let us look at them and see if they are clean. Hands stained, not washed in the Saviour’s blood, cannot touch a crown of his nor do him honor. No, none but holy souls can enter those pure, celestial gates, the palace of the skies.

At the coronation of Alexander, emperor of Russia, at Moscow, 1801, Prince Paul Esterhazy was present and represented Charles V, emperor of Austria. His four Hungarian costumes were embroidered and covered with brilliants and costly pearls, valued at a million of dollars! And his carriages and liveries were not less rich.

The dress of “poor” Esterhazy (I dare not call him rich), may do for the coronation of earth’s proud, haughty princes, but not for the “meek and lowly Jesus.” No, all such dresses must be stripped off and hurled to the moles and to the bats, and men must be clad in robes prepared by Christ for the occasion, and washed in his most precious blood.

Brethren, have we been long looking for that day, and are we now looking sharper than ever? And do we see it at the door? Let us look at our hearts, our hands, again and again, and see how they look with the lamp of God, the Bible, shining upon them. Are they certainly clean, clean in the sight of God? This is it: not as seen by others, blind perhaps to their own, blind to the subtle nature and the amazing evil of sin; blind to the standard of God’s holiness, his terms of salvation. How dangerous trusting such eyes, as many do! The Son being one with the Father, is also of purer eyes than to behold evil, or to look on iniquity, is keen to detect sin, and hates it. No polluted hand can touch a crown of his, nor have a welcome there.

For my part, such is the view I have of sin that I deeply regret the commission of one sin that goes like a spear to his precious side; and how much more the sins of a lifetime! Let us then take up arms at once against every sin if, as yet, we have not so done, and be ripe and ready. Were it evidence of fitness for that day, I could say to men, It is a day of days, of all others the sweetest, best; when I can so well show my love and gratitude, in concert, to crown him Lord of all. This privilege, this beatitude, I expect soon, with all the saints to realize.

But, oh! poor sinner, what will become of you who have no lot or portion there? It grieves us sore to leave you here to perish in your sins. The thought is too shocking to support. “Oh! turn ye, for why will ye die?” Damnation is dreadful! Salvation is glorious, and worthy a last desperate struggle to obtain; and will you make it, and make it now? “The time is short,” and what we do, any of us, must be done quickly.

Brethren, let us awake and put on the coronation garment, and be ready, all ready, when our returning Lord shall come, to hail him with transports of joy unspeakable; to join the heavenly hosts and “crown him Lord of all.” C. MONROE.