OUTLOOK, OUTLOOK, OUTLOOK.
By H. A. St. John
"THE word 'outlook' has three meanings: '(1) One who looks out; (2) the place from which one looks out; (3) the view obtained by one looking out.'—Webster. Now it is obvious to every one, made obvious by individual experience, that the description of a landscape, a storm, a battle, an object or a movement of any kind, depends very much for its accuracy upon the one who looks out and the place from which he looks. A terrible storm is raging on the mighty deep. The thunders roll, the lightnings flash, the floods descend, the winds blow, lashing the mountainous waves into a terrific fury. In your secure, sheltered, and comfortable mansion on the high and rocky beach, the place from which you look out,—your outlook,—you view the broad expanse of angry waters in the embrace of the mighty storm king, with composure and admiration; and when filled and wearied with the outlook, you retire to your couch, and sweetly repose, while still the storm is raging. Not so, however, with the passengers and crew on that noble ship in the storm, tossing, rolling, creaking, floundering, and perhaps sinking. They have a much less extended view of the warring elements than you have; but what they feel, and see from their point of observation—from their outlook—does not tend to composure or admiration, but, on the other hand, is exciting and terrifying in the extreme. A description of that storm from these two different outlooks would, no doubt, differ in many essential and important features. One would be a broad and comprehensive view of a mighty storm on the mighty deep, while the other would be a circumscribed and intensely exciting recital of terror, distress, and soul-anguish. It is, therefore, a matter of primary importance, if we propose to present a truthful outlook, a diagnosis and prognosis of any situation, condition, or movement among the children of men, that, first of all, we secure the very best point of observation attainable. And if there is one place of observation, one outlook, so superlatively good that it could not be better, from which place everything appears in its true relation and true light, then from that outlook may causes, conditions, and consequences be traced with accuracy and reliability. Now, it might seem presumptuous to affirm that there is one such outlook attainable to man, and one only. Nor is any other needed; for this one is accessible to all, and commands a clear view of all things earthly, whether past, present, or future. And all are lovingly invited by Him who knows all things from the beginning to come at once into this wonderful observatory, and thence look out upon the world of darkness and light, of sunshine and shadow, of sadness and gladness, of green and gray, of blossom and blight, of poverty and wealth, of sickness and death, of peace and war, of life and strife. And, more, you may be able to see, in this wonderful blending, the grand consummation to which all things are tending. By hearing the sayings of Jesus Christ, and doing them, take your position on the Rock of Ages, which is so impregnable and eternal that the gates of hell never have prevailed and never will prevail against it. It is the only immutable, invulnerable, and unchangeable thing in this world, and from this vantage-ground you may survey the past, present, and future, with the most perfect clearness, composure, and admiration. With your heart warmed by Christ's love, and your mind illuminated by His Spirit, with the telescope of His sacred Word at your service, you may sweep the horizon of earth from the beginning through all the ages, and read aright the causes and conclusions of all things. This marvelous telescope of sacred history, geography, biography, poetry, morality, chronology, theology, and prophecy, is to be found mounted nowhere else but on Mount Zion; and it is accessible to all who come into Zion (the fold of Christ), and cultivate an intimate acquaintance with the watchman on its walls. This experience will make you a reliable and trustworthy observer in a superlatively good and grand outlook, and will give to your view the quality of eternal truth. As your vision, aided by the Spirit and Word of God, sweeps over the nations of the earth, you will see strife, violence, war, murder, and every evil work prospering and increasing on every hand. You will see portentous signs and alarming perils thickening continually. You will see in all these things the unmistakable omens of the approach of the great and final battle of Armageddon, in which all nations will have an intense interest. You will see, during the progress of that universal struggle, the coming of the King of kings, the Prince of Peace, attended by the armies of heaven. He appears to gather the subjects of His kingdom, and to deliver them from all the consequences of sin. He comes to smite the warring nations, and destroy their national existence forever, preparatory to the establishment of His own everlasting kingdom of peace and glory. As your vision, thus divinely aided, sweeps over the churches, the multiplied religious organizations on the earth, you will see among these denominations, as among the nations of earth, confusion and warring elements. While there will be heard on every hand, "Confederacy," "Confederacy," no real union of the great bodies of professing Christians will be effected. There will be distinct confederations without number, but for worldly and selfish purposes only. You will see true messengers of the cross going everywhere among earth's nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples, bearing saving rays of light from heaven. You will see precious souls among all nations fol3lowing up the rays of light, and entering the stronghold of the daughter of Zion. It is the last gathering before the day of wrath comes upon the angry nations. As your vision, thus divinely aided, sweeps over the world of educators and educational institutions, you will see the same general confusion. Many are being educated to their eternal ruin—downward to death. In the education of many others there is a mixture of the true and the false, which must inevitably result in eternal loss to many souls. And then there will be seen the true education of the whole man, body, soul, and spirit, in harmony with the laws of God. This education belongs not alone to the young, but to all ages and all conditions in life. When finished, it will restore completely the entire image of the Creator in man. All who put themselves into the school of Christ, and thus grow up into Him in all things, will be sanctified wholly, through the truth, and preserved blameless, body, soul, and spirit, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then this vile body will be changed, and fashioned like unto His glorious body. Thus the truly-wise and highly-favored observer, from his divinely-appointed outlook, will see in every direction that all things earthly are tending with fearful rapidity to the one and selfsame glorious consummation,—the complete overthrow and utter extinction of sin and all the consequences thereof, the eternal triumph of truth and righteousness, and the ushering in of the long-looked-for and prayed-for day when that kingdom should come, and the will of God would be done on earth as it is now done in heaven. Then you will see, after the long night of darkness, the earth recast, recreated, rebeautified, and restored to more than its pristine glory. You will see it inhabited, from one end of heaven to the other, by the saints of the Most High, a supremely holy and happy people, the loving subjects of the Lord Jesus, the King in His beauty. "And the government shall be upon His shoulder; and . . . of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever." Then when the immortalized and glorified saints—in that incorruptible and undefiled city, the perfection of beauty, that city that fadeth not away—shall look out upon a new heavens and a new earth, the outlook above, beneath, and all around will be one of perpetual peace, perfect harmony, sweetest melody, richest glory, and unsurpassed beauty. And this is to be all and always their own, because they are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, whom the Father has made heir of all things, in that redeemed and restored first dominion. "O, sweetly through the gloomy years
That roll their dimming vail between,
The promised goodly land appears,
Arrayed in never-fading green;
And from that peaceful, happy clime
Transporting bursts of song arise,
And, rolling through the mists of time,
Tell us of joy that never dies!"
H. A. ST. JOHN.