I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course, I have kept
the faith. Now the crown for right-doing awaits me which the Lord, the
righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only but to
all who have loved and longed for his appearing.
THE MEANING OF FAITH
Now faith is the confidence that we shall receive the things for which
we hope, the proof of the reality of things we do not see. It was
because of their faith that the men of old were approved by God. Through
faith we know that the universe was made perfect by God's command and
that what is seen was made out of what is not seen.
Through faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain, and so
received the assurance that he was an upright man, for God approved of
his gifts. Though dead, yet because of his faith he still speaks.
Through faith Noah, having been told by God about things still unseen,
in reverent obedience built an ark to save his household; and in doing
so he condemned the world and became heir to the righteousness that
comes through faith.
Through faith Abraham obeyed, when he was called to go to the place
which he was to receive as an inheritance, and he set out, not knowing
where he was going. Through faith he made his home in the land that had
been promised to him as in a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac
and Jacob, who shared the same promise with him.
Through faith Abraham, when put to the test, sacrificed Isaac, yes, was
ready to sacrifice his only son, although he had received the divine
promises and had been told, "It is through Isaac that your family name
will be carried on," for he believed that God was able to raise men even
from the dead. In a sense, he did receive his son back from the dead.
Through faith, also, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even telling them of
things to come. Through faith Joseph, as he was dying, thought of the
time when the Israelites would go out of Egypt and gave orders about his
own bones.
Through faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after
birth because they saw that the child was beautiful, and because they
did not fear the King's command.
Through faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son
of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill treatment with God's
people than to enjoy for a short time the pleasures of sin.
Through faith he left Egypt, not because he feared the King's wrath, but
like one who saw the Unseen King he never faltered.
Through faith the Israelites crossed the Red Sea as through dry land,
and when the Egyptians tried to cross they were drowned.
What more shall I say? For time would fail me if I tried to tell of
Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the
prophets--they who through faith conquered kingdoms, did righteous acts,
received promises from God, closed the mouths of lions, quenched the
power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, in the hour of weakness
were made strong, who proved mighty in war and put to flight foreign
armies!
Women received back their dead restored to life. Others were tortured,
refusing release, that they might be raised to a better life. Others
stood the test of taunts and blows, yes, even chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were burned, they were sawn in two, they were
killed by the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats,
lacking everything, persecuted, ill treated (men of whom the world was
unworthy), wandering in lonely places and among the hills, in caves and
in holes in the ground. Through faith they all won God's approval, but
they did not receive the promised blessing, for God had planned
something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made
perfect.
Therefore, surrounded as we are by such a host of witnesses, let us also
lay aside every handicap and the sin which clings so closely to us, and
let us run with patience the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes
on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith, who for the joy which lay
before him, patiently endured the cross, thinking nothing of the shame,
and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING WHAT IS RIGHT
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the true
Israelites scattered among the nations, greeting.
My brothers, regard it as only a cause for joy, when you fall into all
kinds of trials. Know that the testing of your faith develops patience;
but let your patience do its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives to all men
liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him. Only let him
ask with faith, with never a doubt, for the man who doubts is like the
waves of the sea, driven and tossed by the winds. Let not such a man
think, that a half-hearted man, unstable in all his ways, will receive
anything from God.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has stood the
test, he will receive the crown of life which is promised to all who
love God. Let no man say when he is being tempted: "I am tempted of
God," for God cannot be tempted to do wrong, and he himself tempts no
one. Each man is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own
evil desire. Then the evil desire gives birth to sin, and sin, when it
is full grown, brings death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every
perfect blessing comes from above, from the Father who is the source of
all light, with whom there is no variation nor shadow made by turning.
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every one be quick to hear, slow to
speak, slow to be angry, for a man's anger does not promote the
righteousness that God approves. So putting away all that is vile and
wicked, receive with humility the message of truth that is deeply rooted
in you which is able to save your soul.
Do what that message commands, and do not merely hear it and deceive
yourselves. For if any one hears that message but does not do as it
commands, he is like a man who looks at his own face in the mirror, for
he looks at himself, goes off, and at once forgets what he is like. But
he who looks into the perfect law of freedom and continues to do so, not
merely listening to it and then forgetting, but does real work, will be
blessed in what he does.
If any one thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but
deceives himself, his religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and
stainless, such as God our Father approves is this: to visit the orphans
and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself clean from the evil of
the world.
THE LOVE THAT MAKES MEN BROTHERS
We know what love is by this, that Christ laid down his life for us; so
we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if any one has this
world's wealth and looks on while his brother is in need and shows no
sympathy for him, how can the love of God remain in him? My dear
children, let us show our love not with words nor with our lips only,
but by deeds and sincerity.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God and every one
who loves is a child of God and knows God. He who loves not man does not
know God, for God is love. God showed his love for us, for he sent his
only Son into the world that through him we might have life. His love is
shown in this, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his
Son to be the sacrifice that made possible the forgiveness of our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, then we ought also to love one another. No
one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, then God lives in us,
and the love which is his is made perfect in us. By this we know that we
shall live in him and he in us, because he has given us a portion of his
own Spirit, and we have seen and bear witness that the Father has sent
the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
We ourselves know and believe in the love that God has for us. God is
love, and he whose life is full of love lives in God and God lives in
him. In love there is no fear, but perfect love drives out all fear, for
fear means punishment, and he who fears has not become perfect in love.
We love him because he first loved us.
If any one says, "I love God," and yet hates his brother, he is a liar;
for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God
whom he has not seen. And we have this command from him, that he who
loves God is to love his brother also.
Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ, is a child of God; and
every one who loves the Father, loves every child of his. We know that
we are his children when we love him and obey his commands, for love for
God means obeying his commands. And his commands are not hard to follow,
for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And our faith is the
power that conquers the world. Who is the conqueror of the world but he
who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Now the confidence that we have in God is this, that he listens to us
whenever we ask anything in accordance with his will. And if we know
that he listens to whatever we ask, we know that we have the things
which we have asked from him.
THE GLORY AND HONOR THAT JESUS HAS WON
John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia. May a blessing be
granted you and peace from him who is and was and ever shall be, and
from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ who is
the faithful witness, the first of the dead to be restored to life and
the ruler of the kings of the earth.
I, John, your brother who shares with you the distress, the dominion,
and the patient endurance which we have through our faith in Jesus,
found myself in the island called Patmos because of my loyalty to God's
message and to the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord's Day I was under the
influence of the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a
trumpet calling, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven
churches."
Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me; and on turning
around I saw seven golden lamps and in the midst of the lamps One, like
a Son of man, clothed in a long robe and with a belt of gold around his
breast. His head and hair were white as wool, white as snow; his eyes
were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze melted in
the furnace, his voice was like the sound of many waters. In his right
hand he held seven stars; a sharp, two-edged sword came out from his
mouth, and his face shone like the sun in its full strength.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead; but he laid his
hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last, I
was dead but now I am alive for evermore. Therefore write down what you
see and what is now and shall be hereafter. As for the secret meaning of
the seven stars which you have seen in my right hand and of the seven
golden lamps--the seven stars represent the angels of the seven
churches, and the seven lamps represent the seven churches."
After this I saw a door opening into heaven. And the voice like a
trumpet which I had previously heard talking with me, said: "Come up
here, and I will show you what must take place in the future." At once I
found myself under the influence of the Spirit, and there stood a throne
in heaven whose appearance was like a diamond or ruby and One was
sitting on the throne. Encircling the throne was a rainbow which looked
like an emerald; also around the throne were twenty-four other thrones,
and on these thrones were seated twenty-four elders, clothed in white
robes with golden crowns upon their heads. From the throne came flashes
of lightning and voices and peals of thunder, while in front of the
throne were seven flaming torches, which were the seven spirits of God.
In front of the throne there appeared to be a sea of glass which looked
like crystal. In the space about the throne and encircling it were four
living creatures, and day and night they never ceased chanting:
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and ever shall be."
Then I saw, lying at the right hand of him who was seated on the throne,
a book sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel saying in a
loud voice: "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?" But
no one was worthy, either in heaven or on the earth or under the earth
to open the book or look into it. So I began to weep bitterly because no
one was found worthy to open the book or look into it; but one of the
elders said to me: "Weep not; behold the Lion of Judah's tribe, the
Scion of David--he has won the right to open the book and its seven
seals."
Then in the space between the throne and the four living creatures I saw
a Lamb standing among the elders. He seemed to have been slain, but he
had seven horns and seven eyes. And he came and took the book out of the
right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he took the
book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down
before the Lamb, each with his harp, and with his golden bowls full of
incense which represent the prayers of the saints. They were singing
this new song: "Thou art worthy to take the book and open its seals, for
thou wast slain and by thy blood thou hast ransomed for God, men from
every tribe and language and people and nation; thou hast made them a
kingdom and priests for our God, and they shall reign on the earth."
And I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and
of the living creatures and of the elders, numbering ten thousand times
ten thousand and thousands of thousands, crying aloud, "Worthy is the
Lamb that has been slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and
might and honor and glory and blessing." And I heard every creature in
heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all things
that are in them crying, "To him who is seated on the throne and to the
Lamb, be blessing and honor and praise and dominion forever and ever!"
Then the four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down
and worshipped.
THE REWARD OF THE FAITHFUL
After that I saw a vast host, which no one could count, from every
nation and tribe and people and language, standing before the throne
and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their
hands. They cried aloud, "It is to our God who is seated on the throne
and to the Lamb that we owe our salvation!"
Then one of the elders turned to me and said: "Who are these dressed in
white robes, and from where have they come?" I said to him, "You know,
my lord." So he told me, "These are the people who have come through the
great persecution and have washed their robes and made them white in the
blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are now before the throne of God
and serve him day and night within his temple. He who is sitting on the
throne will shelter them; never again will they be hungry or thirsty;
never again will the sun or any scorching heat smite them, for the Lamb
that stands in the space before the throne will be their shepherd and
will guide them to fountains of living water; and God will wipe away all
tears from their eyes."
Then I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven with an eternal message of
good news for the inhabitants of the earth, for every nation, tribe,
language, and people. He cried aloud, "Revere God, praise him, for the
hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made heaven and earth,
the sea and the flowing springs."
And I saw a great white throne and One seated upon it from whose
presence earth and sky fled away, and were no more to be found. And I
saw the dead, the great and the lowly, standing before the throne. Then
books were opened; also another book, the Book of Life, was opened, and
the dead were judged by what was written in the books according to what
they had done. The sea gave up its dead, and Death and the Abode of the
Departed also gave up their dead, and all were judged according to what
they had done.
THE NEW HEAVEN ON EARTH
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the
first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And I saw the Holy
City, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, all ready
like a bride attired to meet her husband. I also heard a loud voice from
the throne which said: "Behold, God's dwelling-place is with men, and he
shall dwell among men, and they shall be his people, and God himself
will be with them. He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and
death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning nor wailing, nor
pain, for the first things have passed away." The One who is seated on
the throne said: "Behold, I make all things new!" And he added, "Write
this: 'These words are faithful and true.'"
And he said to me, "All is over! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First
and the Last. I will let the thirsty drink freely of the fountain of
life. He who conquers shall obtain this, and I will be his God and he
shall be my son."
The city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give it light, for
the glory of God illumines it and its light is the Lamb. Its gates shall
never be shut by day and there shall be no night there. Nothing unclean
nor any one who does what is shameful or deceitful shall enter it, but
only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal,
flowing through the streets of the city from the throne of God and the
Lamb. On both sides of the river grew the tree that gives life, which
bore twelve kinds of fruit and yielded its fruit each month; and the
leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
And the throne of God and the Lamb will be in that city; and his
servants will serve and worship him; they will see his face and his name
will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night there, and they
will have no need of the light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be
their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
And he said to me: "Do not keep secret the prophetic words contained in
this book, for the time of their fulfilment is near. He who does wrong,
let him still do wrong, and he who is filthy, let him still be filthy,
and he who is righteous, let him still do right, and he who is pure, let
him still be pure. Know that I am coming quickly and I will bring my
rewards to repay each for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the
Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are
those who wash their robes, that they may have a right to the tree of
life and to go through the gates into the city.
"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you for the churches. I am
the Scion and Offspring of David, the bright, the Morning Star. Both
the Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' Let him who hears say, 'Come,' let
him who is thirsty come, and whoever will, let him take of the water of
life freely."
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him, should not perish, but have everlasting
life."
Scribner Illustrated Classics for Younger Readers
* * * * *
Stories which have been loved by young readers for several generations
are included in the Scribner Illustrated Classics. They are all books of
rare beauty and tested literary quality, presented in handsome format
and strikingly illustrated in color by such famous artists as N. C.
Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, Jessie Willcox Smith, and others. No other
series of books for youthful readers can compare with them; they make
gifts of lasting value which will be cherished into adult years. They
are to be found in one of two groups--the popular group, issued at a
remarkably low price, and the Quality Group, published at a higher but
still very reasonable price. Check over the following complete list. The
volume you want will be available in one of the two groups.
_By Robert Louis Stevenson_
DAVID BALFOUR
THE BLACK ARROW
KIDNAPPED
TREASURE ISLAND
A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES
_By Eugene Field_
POEMS OF CHILDHOOD
_By Jules Verne_
MICHAEL STROGOFF
THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND
TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES
UNDER THE SEA
_By Frances Hodgson Burnett_
LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY
A LITTLE PRINCESS
_By J. M. Barrie_
PETER PAN AND WENDY
* * * * *
HANS BRINKER
_By_ MARY MAPES DODGE
THE DEERSLAYER
_By_ J. FENIMORE COOPER
QUENTIN DURWARD
_By_ SIR WALTER SCOTT, Bart.
SMOKY
_By_ WILL JAMES
LONE COWBOY
_By_ WILL JAMES
DRUMS
_By_ JAMES BOYD
THE STORY OF SIEGFRIED
_By_ JAMES BALDWIN
THE CHILDREN'S BIBLE
_By_ HENRY A. SHERMAN _and_ CHARLES FOSTER KENT
JINGLEBOB
_By_ PHILIP ASHTON ROLLINS
THE STORY OF ROLAND
_By_ JAMES BALDWIN
THE LITTLE SHEPHERD OF KINGDOM COME
_By_ JOHN FOX, JR.
THE SCOTTISH CHIEFS
_By_ JANE PORTER
WESTWARD HO!
_By_ CHARLES KINGSLEY
GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES
THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS
_By_ J. FENIMORE COOPER
THE BOY'S KING ARTHUR
_By_ SIDNEY LANIER
THE ARABIAN NIGHTS
THE CHILDREN OF DICKENS
_By_ SAMUEL MCCHORD CROTHERS
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
_By_ KENNETH GRAHAME
THE QUEEN'S MUSEUM AND OTHER FANCIFUL TALES
_By_ FRANK R. STOCKTON
* * * * *