of flashing
emerald and jasper, and the wearing of crowns and the singing of Psalms
over and over again through all the ages of eternity.

What is the fault in all such? That they do not understand what Heaven
really means. They think of it as a something outside them which
anybody could enjoy if he could only get there. They do not understand
that Heaven means the joy of being in union with God--that the outward
Heaven has no meaning till the inward Heaven has begun in ourselves. I
need not point out to you that our immortal spirits would find little
happiness in golden pavements and gates of pearl. People on this
earth, who have their fill of gold and pearl, do not always gain much
happiness from them. They are mere external things--they cannot give
eternal joy, because that comes from within, not from without. It
depends not on what we have, but on what we are, not on the riches of
our possessions, but on the beauty of our lives.

The gorgeous vision of the Apocalypse has its meaning, but it is not
the carnal, literal meaning of foolish men. It tells of the bright
river of the water of life; of glorified cities, where nothing foul, or
mean, or ignoble shall dwell; of the white robes of our stainless
purity; of the crowns and palms, the emblems of victory over
temptation, of the throne which indicates calm mastery over sin; of the
song and music and gladsome feasting to image faintly the abounding
happiness and the fervent thanksgiving for the goodness of God. They
are all mere symbols--mere earthly pictures with a heavenly meaning,
and the meaning which lies behind them all is this: _The joy of Heaven
means the inward joy; the joy of character; the joy of goodness; the
joy of likeness to the Nature of God_. That is the highest joy of
all--the only joy worthy of making Heaven for men who are made in the
image of God.

Section 3

It is not difficult to show this to any true man or woman who is humbly
trying to do beautiful deeds on earth. Of course, if a man be very
selfish and worldly; a man who never tries to help another; a man who
smiles at these things as unreal sentiment; who tells you that hard
cash and success in life, and "to mind number one," as they say, are
the chief things; a man who never feels his pulses beat faster at the
story of noble deeds--you cannot absolutely prove to him that the joy
of character is the highest happiness. You cannot prove to a blind man
the beauty of the sunse