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34 THE PRESBYTERIA
A YEAR IN HEAVEN.
That is just what this year may be, a year in heaven !
The kingdom of God is where Christ is. Christ is in
tllC hearts nf his npnnln Tti*? '1-?
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us. It is a mistake to think that we must wait for
heaven until we die, and that then only heaven becomes
our possession, a reward for the faith and service
which have gone before. Heaven is an eternal possession,
begun from the moment of our relation to Christ
who ransomed us and brought us into a state of grace.
The great glory of that "heaven" of which we think
as yet to come is that in it we shall be like Christ, "for
we shall see him as lie is, and be like him." If this be
the condition or leading characteristic of "heaven,"
then heaven is possible here on earth. It will come to
every one just in proportion to one's reproduction of
Christ here! So far as we are like him here that much
are we in heaven.
The conception of heaven should be very much like
that of immortality. We do not have to wait until
death to have immortality ushered in. We already
have it and are enjoying it, whatever it may be or may
not be?in some of its manifestations beyond the grave.
This life is a small piece of it, but as real and genuine
and practical as the rest of it. Christ declared that
the believer "hath eternal life." The life begins here.
Thus heaven is here too.
The character of the believer, when in the supposed
i - - - -
iuunc neaven, is to be that which will spring from
p-eace, content, adoration, joy. But are these traits to
be characteristic of the believer then for the first time?
Are they not as necessary and as much enjoined here?
Or, recurring to the fact already named, are they not
amongst the features of Christlikeness both here and
"there, to be manifested here and to be perfected over
there?
The discharge of the daily duty, the performance of
the daily task, is to be a part of the "heaven" life. A
striking record made concerning Christ was in these
words, "Knowing that he was come from God and
went to God, he took a towel and girded himself, and
began to wash the disciples' feet." He made the
humblest act of service to his fellow man a practical
part of his divine life. The act was that of one who
lived in the presence of God, whether in his human
nature he was now with God or yet to be with him.
Christ's life on earth was but a span out of the endless
life before and of the endless life to come. Is it possible
to conceive of that span being in any sense different
in character from that part which preceded or
that which should follow it? And yet it was a real,
genuine, earthly life. "He was made like unto his
brethren." So may his brethren be made like unto him
1 1 xl. - * * ? *
it11nave incir eartniy time made but a piece of their
heavenly!
The new year has opened with promise to all. But
the richest possibility and promise in it may be found
in the opportunity to be "in heavenly places in Christ."
It may be a year in heaven! The new life in Christ
will make it possible. The salvation which he gives
the believer is a salvation of his whole life, not of his
soul merely. It is the imparting of a new life. That
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me uciorrgs nere as wen as hereafter. It is not one
life here and another and a different life in a world
N OF THE SOUTH January 12, 1910.
to come. The Christian who is content to look forward
to life, falls far short of his possibility and right.
He is warranted in the joy of the present possession,
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that opportunity are "heaven" to him. To look forward
to heaven while making this life anything but
heaven, hardly honors Christ and his purpose and
methods of grace. This life may be indeed the vestibule
to greater glories, but the vestibule is a part of
the palace of peace!
NEW ORLEANS LAYMEN'S MISSIONARY
MOVEMENT.
In the campaign of education, on a national scale,
planned by the Laymen's Missionary Movement, New
Orleans is to take an active part. A complete organigation
lias been made and a Co-operating Committee
has been appointed composed of three or four representatives
of each denomination. This committee will
have active charge of the campaign and conference
in New Orleans and vicinity. Judge W. B. Sommerville
is president of the local organization, Mr. C. H.
Wasson is the secretary, and Messrs. Jno. A. Woodville,
\Y. O. Hart, and William Frantz form the Publicity
Committee. The chairman of the Co-operating
Committee which will have the superintendence of the
work, is Mr. Warren Kearny, who is one of "The
Committee of One of !-.? -a hi
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mcnt of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Prof. L.
W. Wilkinson, of Tulane University, is vice-chairman.
Headquarters have been established at 204
Camp street, with Dr. George Summey as executive
secretary. Strong committees have been formed on
finance, educational campaign, entertainment, deputation
and outside work, banquet, hall and music, publicity
and statistics.
The time set for the New Orleans conference of the
Movement is FcKrnm.- ?^ t-. t<u_ ? ?
xi-i5. me aDiest speakers, ot
national and international reputation, have been engaged.
The New York Committee is preparing and
providing the programme and will make it one of unusual
attractiveness and power. The expenses of the
conference are to be borne chiefly by a registration fee
of one dollar, and a banquet fee, additional, of fifty
cents. Local or congregational missionary committees
have been appointed for each co-operating church.
Upon the activity of these local committees will largely
depend the success of the Movement.
Efforts will be made to secure the active co-operation
of all the churches in the district south and east
of Lake Charles and Alexandria, south of Harriston and
McComb City, and south and west of Meridian and
Mobile. Delegations are expected from all this sectinn
a-- f
ww... ^clmi raies ot travel will be offered.
The purpose of this campaign is not to raise money
but to educate and inspire the laymen of all the
churches, that they may return to their own churches
so deeply stirred that they shall carry and arouse new
interest and devotion and put new life and vigor into
their own denominational organizations.
It makes a man feel for the buckle of his belt to
read of Caleb.