_IN THE GOLDEN CITY_
ISAIAH lii. 1-12.
And so these are the glories of the golden city. There is _wakefulness_.
"Awake! awake!" In the golden city none will be asleep. Everybody will be
bright-eyed, clear-minded, looking upon all beautiful things with fresh
and ready receptiveness. "The eyes of them that see shall not be dim."
There is _strength_. "Put on thy strength!" There will be no broken wills
in the golden city, and no broken hearts. No one will walk with a limp!
Everybody will go with a brave stride as to the strains of a band. And no
one will tire of living, and the inhabitant never says, "I am sick."
And there is _beauty_. "Put on thy beautiful garments." Bare strength
might not be attractive. But strength clothed in beauty is a very gracious
thing. The tender mosses on the granite make it winsome. Strength is
companionable when it is united with grace. In the golden city there will
be tender sentiment as well as rigid conviction.
And these glories will be our defence. A positive virtue is our best
rampart against vice. A robust health is the best protection against the
epidemic. "The prince of this world cometh, and he hath nothing in me."