?

Songs of birds and streamlet rippling,
Meadow, flowers, and leafy tree,
Make of earth a land of beauty--
What indeed must heaven be?

If you love scenes of great grandeur,
And to hear sweet music ring,
Come, oh! come with me to heaven,
To the land where Christ is king.

A THEATER.

A theater is a place where plays are performed before spectators. People
go to such a place to witness the acts of men. The apostle Paul says,
"We are made a spectacle unto the world." 1 Cor. 4:9. In the margin it
reads "theater" instead of "spectacle." In Conybeare and Howson's
translation this text reads thus: "To be gazed at in a theater by the
world." You as a Christian are here in this world on exhibition for God.
He is the character you are to represent in life's great play. You must
live in such a way as to do justice to his name. This world is looking
on. God has written the entire play in his book. You have a life-time
to play it in. If you will live in humble obedience to all the Word of
God, you will act your part well and faithfully represent his true
character.

REST OF THE SOUL.

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and
lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Mat. 11:28,29.
Wonderful words of love and hope! Never did a sweeter nor richer
invitation than this reach mortal ears. A whole world of humankind
groaning under a burden, tossing in unrest, laboring under pain, sighing
with sorrow, roaming in discontent, filled with fear, sinking in
despair. But One appears upon the scene and says, "Come unto me, and I
will give you rest." Oh, may the humble followers of the lowly Nazarene
echo and reecho this invitation of love among the haunts of men as long
as time shall last! Amid a world of sin and trouble, a soul at rest; how
blessed!

You remember the day you came to him. Your sins with all the burden of
guilt were taken away and you found rest. Later you dedicated yourself
fully and forever to the Lord and entered into the fulness of his rest.
Canaan's fair land is the soul's sweet home of rest. What heaven will be
we can not know now. Doubtless scenes and experiences will arise of such
a nature as to greatly enhance the felicity of our hearts; but the
revelation of heaven upon a sanctified soul and

"The enjoyment of heavenly bliss
E'en in a world like thi