I was in England at the time of the queen's jubilee. [QUEEN VICTORIA'S GOLDEN JUBILEE IN 1887.] Her picture was in all the windows, upon paper, upon glass, on everything. Everything was done to keep her in the memory and thoughts of the people. Such parades! Thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars expended upon that occasion. Why, the people paid dollars, just for a place to sit in the windows and see the parade. Two or three hundred dollars paid for a position in a window to see the queen.
I was right there in London when this excitement took place. It made me sad. . . . They had the right to do this, but I thought: . . . Here we are looking for the Lord to come in the clouds of heaven. Do we keep Him in mind? If we really believe in Jesus, if we really believe in His coming, if we are abiding in Christ, we shall not be complaining about every little cross. We shall be thinking of what Christ our Saviour has done in our behalf. As we look at the cross of Calvary, our petty vexations will vanish from sight. Why should we not as Christians lift Him up, the Man of Calvary? Why, Christ laid aside His robes of glory, and for our sakes He became poor. He was rich, and He became poor, that through His poverty we might become rich.
That sacrifice will be lost to us, unless we lay hold upon Christ by faith. We have no righteousness of ourselves at all. All the prophecies show us that the end of all things is at hand. Let us be getting our hearts right before God. . . .
There is a life beyond. An eternity. A life of happiness. No death can enter there. There will be no malarial taint there. No sickness, or pain or sorrow. Do you not want to be there? The streets are paved with gold, and you will see the King in His glory. I must be there. I must see the King in His majesty. Don't lead people to believe they can go there and take their sins right along. The characters must be changed here. We must learn to sing the songs of redemption here, if we ever sing the songs of redemption in heaven. Sing of God's goodness. Talk of His power.--Manuscript 20, Nov. 25, 1888, "A Good Sermon." TDG 338
He who blessed the nobleman at Capernaum is just as desirous of blessing us. But like the afflicted father, we are often led to seek Jesus by the desire for some earthly good; and upon the granting of our request we rest our confidence in His love. The Saviour longs to give us a greater blessing than we ask; and He delays the answer to our request that He may show us the evil of our own hearts, and our deep need of His grace. Pr 111
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 2 Peter 3:11-12 (New King James Version)