(Reprinted from "Help & Food"for July, 1912)

"He that is least in the kingdom, of God is greater than "(Lk. 7:28).

Nothing tells more of the blessedness and greatness of the change that will take place on the earth when our Lord returns "in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" than the statement of our text.

Israel knew well that their nation was to be very great-the center, indeed, of greatness and blessedness unknown before, and destined to spread to all the earth. It was the great subject of the prophets. They ever labored, therefore, to bring Israel back to Jehovah, since Jehovah alone could accomplish this marvelous change.

Jehovah, the Messiah, had arrived, and to John was given this-the highest of all missions ever committed to man-to announce Him and the nearness therefore of the glorious change. John himself, by virtue of being the one sent to announce the nearing change, was outside it; but so glorious was the change to be, so great were they to be who would live in that change, that the least of them would be greater yet than John, though his being sent to announce Him Who would bring it about constituted him the greatest of all prophets.

And if the change on earth is to be so great, what must be the change of those who are transferred, not from one earthly condition into another earthly condition, but from an earthly condition into a heavenly, such as we Christians look for at the coming of our Lord!

In what a fallen state, therefore, are professing Christians "who mind earthly things;" who reduce Christianity to a condition of bodily health or financial prosperity; to improvements In the means of travel and communication; to discoveries of science, even if true; to increase in knowledge and the inventions of men.

How soothing, in the midst of the increasing groans of a groaning creator, to know that soon it will not only cease to groan, but echo and reecho with joyful praise from pole to pole; that if judgments of a frightful nature precede that blessed time (as we know they will), they are but to make away with the opponents of Him who brings that blessing-that evil, rebellion, oppression, and unrighteousness (though once more, at the close they may and will try to lift up their head, Rev. 20:7-10) are broken forever and no more to rule. How deeply soothing is all this to the Christian-the loving, sympathetic heart! But how elevating, how sanctifying, how productive of worship in that same Christian heart, to know that he belongs to an entirely different order of things, even a heavenly; that even before this great change has taken place on earth, his own will have taken place-he will have been transferred from earth to heaven; that when the reign of Christ will thus bless the earth, he will be associated with Christ in that reign; that, as when Israel has reached the glorious place assigned to her on the earth, everything will be in order on the earth, so when the Church-the Christian body-has reached her assigned place in heaven, everything there too will find its proper place. Strange as it may seem in our present weak and lowly condition, we shall then not only judge the world-rule over it-but also "judge angels."
To be witnesses in word, ways and character of such a calling is no trifle; and if the Christian body at large has ceased (as, indeed, it has long since) to be such witness, it is but the more important that those on "broken pieces of the ship," or who "swim" alone to shore (Acts 27:43, 44), should bear clear and unmistakable testimony. For this, nothing short of heart devotion to Christ will do. And this means the denial of self; the surrender of our wills; lowly subjection to the word of God-in a word, a life in which the Holy Spirit who dwells in us is not grieved, but can fill us.

Brother, sister, is this too costly? Then come; take a fresh look at your Saviour as He hangs on Calvary's tree, and hear Him from the deep darkness cry out, in the agony of His soul, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" It was your sins which did that. Your salvation cost Him that; yet to be true to Him costs you too much? Here we cast a curtain over you and Him and leave you together, for we may not intrude at such a solemn moment. P. J. L.