AN EXALTED PEOPLE

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 6, 1857

AN EXALTED PEOPLE.

Who are an exalted people? The servants of the most high God. Is there a higher honor in this state of things, is there a more exalted position, than to be a child of Him who hath "measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance," before whom "the nations of the earth are as a drop of a bucket?" Is there a safer position than to lean upon "the arm that bears creation up?" Is there a greater source of joy than to have the first-fruits of the Spirit, the earnest of our eternal inheritance, a foretaste of the glory that is soon to be revealed? There is not. The service of God is calculated to secure our highest good here, and our highest good hereafter.

The people of God are an exalted people. It is an honor to be numbered with them. What if they are here a humble people? What if they do outwardly occupy a low position? What if they are scorned by those who are puffed up in their own conceits, whom the god of this world hath blinded? Remember that this is not the period of their exaltation, but of their humility. This is their warfare, not their victory. This is their toil, not their rest. This is their night of weeping, not their morning of joy. But be assured, the morning cometh. It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

An exalted people! not from what now appears, but from what we shall soon behold; not on account of what now is, but of what soon shall be. We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. The things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. We walk by faith, not by sight. Then let not that faith become obscured, lest we stumble. No doubts would bewilder us, no despondency press us down, and no worthless object divert us, did the eye of our faith not first grow dim. Then keep the eye of faith wide open. Bid all objects of time and sense vanish from the prospect. Let its bright-winged messengers transport you beyond the few remaining days of time. Let them point you to the gilded battlements of the New Jerusalem, blazing in the light of glory. Let them open before you the pearly gates and bid you enter. Behold the city of transparent gold. Pass up its broad and gorgeous street. Look upon the river of the water of life clear as crystal. Behold the tree of life on either side of it, yielding twelve manner of fruits, and granting its leaves for the healing of the nations. Descend with this glorious capitol of the celestial empire, as it descends from God out of heaven, to an earth purified and renewed. Behold there a landscape with no curse upon it—flowers that fade not, trees that wither not, fair plains of living green that change not. Feast your eyes upon all sights of bliss, and your ears upon all the harmonies of the blest, the songs of the redeemed. Behold the glistening robes, the palms of victory, and the crowns of joy of the victorious followers of the Son of God.

But do you ask what of all this? Am I not gazing upon a foreign land—scenes that no mortal ever can arrive at? No; for if ye are Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise; and upon the authority of God's book, you may exclaim as you behold them, I'm looking home; the gorgeous palaces of the heavenly city are my abode; those broad plains redecked in Eden beauty are my inheritance; the hosts of the glorified throng are my companions; God is my Father; the robe, the palm, and the crown are the trophies of my light affliction; and life eternal, joy unutterable, my infinite reward.

But shall I ever indeed realize this? Yes; for "blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and enter through the gates into the city." "Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth and delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Glory to God! Let no harp that can sign the songs of Zion, be unstrung! Let no tongue that can speak of a hope like this, be silent!

Such is our hope, such the prospect before us, such the state of being and of bliss which we are taught to contemplate and prepare for. Then we ought to be a people, above all others, least affected by the little petty perplexities and trials that, since the fall, have been appointed to swarm the pathway of human life. We ought to be far above them all, not moved by what we do meet, nor liable to be by ten times more. We ought to lift our heads far above the dirt, and dust, and mist, and moonshine of this lower world, into the clear light of heaven, and maintain that calm serenity which a heaven-born hope, a full assurance of truth, and a consciousness of our own heart's rectitude cannot fail to inspire.

We have enough thus to elevate our minds. The storm of wrath before us, the events of the judgment, our great salvation, and final condition, are described to us in strains as lofty and sublime as language can embody, or the mind of man conceive. Read the following: "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him, thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan. vii. 9, 10. Can any one let his mind go forward to scenes so awfully grand as this, and he occupied at the same time with small thoughts, and perplexed with trifles? And is there nothing calculated to eclipse all minor considerations in the thoughts of the great white throne, and One sitting thereon before whose face the heavens and the earth flee away; of that promiscuous and universal prayer which the great and proud and mighty of earth shall soon raise, to be hid from the presence of the wrathful Lamb; of the melting of the elements with fervent heat, and the springing therefrom of a new earth, the abode of righteousness; of the taking of the kingdom under the whole heaven by the saints; of their entering upon an eternal respite from all their toil and sorrow and shining as the stars of the firmament of heaven for ever and ever? There are no themes more ennobling and elevating upon which the mind can dwell.

Then above all people we ought to be least moved and troubled by the circumstances that surround us, being blinded to the present by the earnest of our future inheritance. But is it so? Too often the reverse. Too often because a light breeze of trial blows a straw upon our pathway, we stop and pick at it, and fix our mind upon it, and lose sight of everything else. We stop traveling towards Mt. Zion, stand still, lose ground, grow dark and barren, and all for a straw, which we might not even have noticed, should not much less have stopped for. This is incompatible with the position we occupy in the purposes of our heavenly Father. What matters it what little commotions play about our feet, if our head rises above all obstructions to our vision. It is only when we get to going on all fours that we lose sight of the dignity of our position, and the glory of our hope; and even then more likely than not the dust that surrounds us, is something of our own raising.

Look aloft! Our citizenship is in heaven. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. "Heirs of immortal crowns divine," it is meet that for joy we should sing. The truest honor, the highest privileges that can attend this mortal state are conferred upon us.

"Why do they then appear so mean And why so much despised? Because of their rich robes unseen The world is not apprised."