STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS.
By Lettie E. Reed
“THESE all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Heb. 11:13. This earth is not our home. We are pilgrims journeying to a better land; to a land that eye hath not seen nor ear heard of the beauties that await the faithful. If we truly realize that this earth is not our home, and that a better land awaits us, it will be our daily desire for the time to hasten on when we can enter that land. We will not only be longing ourselves to be there, but will be continually telling someone else of the beautiful home to which we are going. We will be so enthused with the idea of the beauty and the glory of our heavenly home that no one can come in contact with us without being imbued with the desire to go with us and share the beauties of that country. But what idea will those around us get of our promised home if we settle down contentedly here and show by our actions that we are satisfied with the things which this world has to offer? Suppose we keep telling people about what a beautiful country is promised us and of the joy we will have there, and yet make no especial effort to get ready to receive that inheritance, what will they soon begin to think? They will think that if it were all that we represented it to be, we would be more earnestly longing to be there. For illustration: If a stranger should come into our town and begin describing the country he had come from, telling of its beauties, what a healthful place it was, what beautiful streams and picturesque valleys, what an abundance of all kinds of delicious fruits, etc., we would greatly desire to follow him to that land. But if this stranger should begin to gather property about him and show no signs of returning to his own land, what would we think about the country he had come from? We would think, “He is an impostor; there is no truth in what he says, or he would want to return to that beautiful land.” It is just so with us in reference to the heavenly home we are preparing for. If we tell people about what a beautiful home Christ is preparing for us, and yet by our actions show that we are very well contented where we are, they will begin to think that there is no such place, and that we, ourselves, do not believe what we are preaching. We, like the patriarchs of old, should confess that we are strangers and pilgrims, and that we are seeking a better country, even the heavenly city which Jesus is preparing for us. When a foreigner comes into our town he is recognized by his dress, actions and speech. They are not like those of our own people, and we instantly recognize him as a foreigner. We can tell what country he comes from by his speech and dress. So should the pilgrim and stranger journeying to the heavenly country be recognized by his speech and dress. People should be able to tell by these things to what country he belongs. Of the disciples we read that their persecutors “took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.” How did they recognize this?—By their manner and words. Truly, we are living in a time when every Christian should be earnestly longing for the coming of the Saviour to take him to the heavenly country. Why should we not long for Him to come. He is our Friend, our Elder Brother; He has been away for a long time, and is coming to take us to the beautiful home He is preparing. LETTIE E. REED.