Outward Influence, and Inward Desire.
By J. Clarke
Outward Influence. Where are you going? Inward Desire. I'm going home. O. I. What home, and where? I. D. To the holy city in the heavens. O. I. Are you not fanciful? I. D. Not in the least. In my Father's house are many mansions. O. I. But look around upon the fields and forests, the hills and valleys, the towns and cities, and villages, pleasant cottages, rural scenes, orchards and gardens, and stores of produce. I. D. I see them all. They are light as air compared with the city in the skies. Thither I tend. O. I. But here are homes, look how neat. I. D. No matter; I'm going home. These homes you speak of are full of sorrow, mine is free from pain, from tears. O, I'll go home. O. I. But you will come to poverty in this way. I. D. I cannot be poor with such an inheritance in the skies, such a Father. O. I. Home? How do you know it is your home? I. D. I see it by faith; I travel to it; I long for it; I cannot doubt it; God is my Father; I'm a fellow heir with Christ. O, I must go home. O. I. You will be a stranger there. I. D. O no, for Christ is my friend. He will befriend me there, he will wipe away my tears, he will make me feel at home there. I must go. O. I. But you will not be of any consequence there, you will not be noticed among so many. I. D. Yes, Christ cares for the sparrows, and will care for me. There is no depressing caste there, no pride. Christ is not proud, there at home. O. I. But the distance is great, and the dangers many; you may fail after all, and lose your labor. I. D. If I fail it will be in a good cause. I cannot despair, I will hope on, travel on towards my home. To him that knocketh it shall be opened. O. I. Well, at any rate, don't say so much about it. What will the world think? I should be ashamed. I. D. Christ will be ashamed of me if I am ashamed of him; and how can I be ashamed of Christ, and his home in the skies, all glorious like the sun? Are you ashamed of noon? Do you blush when the day dawns? Away with false shame! Be ashamed of sin! No! nothing shall stay me from going home. O. I. But then they will be strangers to you there. I. D. O no, no. There will be the prophets and apostles, the saints and martyrs, from Abel down to the end; and the lovely Saviour will be there to introduce me, if necessary; but we shall know as we are known. There are no formal, unmeaning rites in the city, my home. O Saviour, admit me to that glorious home. Do not disappoint me. O. I. See now, your faith is not very strong after all; you have doubts. What is the use of going on? I. D. He that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back, is not fit for the kingdom of heaven. I must persevere, must endure to the end. O I must go home, must conquer or die. O. I. See your neighbors laying up wealth for old age, while you trifle away your time and money for religious objects, for something out of sight. I. D. Not out of sight. O, no. Faith grasps it all; reaches forward to my home in the skies. Do not trouble me. Begone, trifler. Thy company is unprofitable. Thy influence only impedes my progress. I am bound for the city, my home.