SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.
By A. S. Hutchins
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” The affections of the heart, twine closely around its treasure, whether it be laid up in heaven or upon earth. And the words of our life are an index pointing directly toward that treasure; “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Hence if our treasure is in heaven, our conversation will be there, “from whence also we look for the Saviour.” The attractions of heaven as far exceed those of earth, for the real Christian, as the light of the shining sun does the dim rays of the most distant star. Now is the time to heed the divine injunction, “exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.” Now is the time for the people of God to speak often one to another. The Lord hearkens and hears, and a “book of remembrance” is written. O let not your conversation be upon this poor dark fading earth, with its honors and riches, fashions and follies; its* charms and excitements, its pleasures and vanities. If the blessed hope is yours, you have a treasure full, sure, satisfying, inestimable and eternal, which will draw your heart upward to God, his dear Son and holy angels, to heaven and heavenly things, like a holy and powerful magnet. You can talk of the exceeding great and precious promises, of the “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” of the incorruptible crowns, the palms, the robes, the harps of music and the songs of the redeemed. You can speak of the great City, the holy Jerusalem, “having the glory of God,” of its light, its pure gold, its wall with twelve foundations; of the gently flowing river of life, “clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” You may talk of the real tree of life, on either side of the river, bearing its twelve manner of fruits; of the earth made new, blooming in its Eden beauty, of the immovable22kingdom, of the “many mansions,” of inheriting all things, of eternal life amidst unfolding beauties and unspeakable glories, with all the blood-washed throng where nothing can mar our happiness nor interrupt our peace or endless rest. “Beautiful rest, all wanderings cease, Beautiful home of perfect peace.” “And there shall be no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him.” Rev. xxii, 3. “Thro’ all eternity to thee, A joyful song I’ll raise; But O, eternity’s too short To utter all Thy praise.” Let us not forget to talk of the pathway of life, and of the required obedience to the commandments of God. “Ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sitteth in thine house, and when thou walkest in the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deut. xi, 19. Truly God’s people have something of solid worth to talk about. “They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.” Ps. cxlv, 11, 12. A. S. HUTCHINS.