Once upon a time a minister took his son to learn mountain-climbing. Being a stout lad he grew tired and stopped for a little rest. The father went on alone, and when he arrived at the top of the mountain, he found a splendid seat for the boy and marked his name on it, so he might easily find it when he arrived at the top. Then he called down to the boy: "James, my son, come up here. There is a seat up here on the top of the mountain, and your name is written on it."
This gave new strength to the boy, and he rose to his feet once more, and climbed to the top, and at last found his seat with his name upon it. His father had gone on before him and prepared a place for him. So God calls today: "My son, up, up to the top. There is a mansion prepared for you. Your name is graven on the door. Turn this way and keep on climbing, and at last you will find heaven, the top of the universe."
15
"OFF FOR HAPPY LAND"
OBJECTS: A Piece of Plain Note-paper Containing a
Sentence Written in Invisible Ink
Do you want a free ticket for Happy Land? If you do, stop and listen, and I will tell you how to get one. All the world seem to fix their eyes on the golden country, but the road is so narrow that few there be that find it. All people are pilgrims seeking that fair land, but at the end of their trail they meet the wreckage of the failures of the ages. Harken, and I will tell you how to find the trail that leads to the Land of Happiness. Once upon a time a lad called upon a wise man and asked him if he would direct him to this land of joy. The wise man in reply said to him, "I will not only direct you to the country of smiles but will give you a free ticket that will take you there." He handed him a little slip of paper upon which the lad could see nothing. To him it was a blank. He told the wise man so, but the wise man replied, "Hold the paper close to a lighted lamp so the heat thereof may strike the paper with full force, and then will appear the lines which will answer your question, and this will be your sure passport to your destination." This the lad did. When the heat struck the blank paper, there appeared in distinct letters the sentence, "If you would find the land of happiness become a Christian and then do some good thing for Jesus every day." This the lad tried with all his heart to do, and did do it, and the smiles he planted on the face of the other man, reflected a beautiful light on his own face, and his heart was bounding in joy. This is the secret trail, walk in it.
But all this depends on the fact that your own heart is right with God, and that Jesus has come to live with you. Then every good thing you do is done as unto him, and his "thank you" sets all the joy-bells ringing. That is the Happy Land, and this is the way to find it. A woman came to her pastor one day and said she was very miserable and unhappy, she could not find that contentment of heart which she declared she heard others say they possessed. He told her the secret of being happy in the Lord, and said: "There is a poor old lady living at the foot of the street. Go and see her, and take with you a basket full of good things; give them to her, and you will take away with you a heart filled with joy. The door of her house is the open gate to Happy Land." This was the wise man's secret, "Do some good today for Jesus."
Jesus went about doing good, and in so doing he was revealing the open way to the land of heart happiness.
The French people have a story about a wonderful Happy Land called Colaigne. It is full of men and women always happy. In this land there are no storms of rain or snow. It is never too cold or too hot. There is no lightning or whirlwind, no war, no sickness, no death.