A Crown of Leaves.
A Jewelled Crown.
First of all, I have here a crown which is made of leaves. This was the first kind of crown ever used. Three thousand years ago or more, those who excelled in strength, or running, or wrestling, or in any of the games which were common then, received a crown like this, which was placed upon their heads. This was regarded as a very great honor. Afterward, the kings of the earth began to use crowns. Their crowns were made of gold and set with costly jewels. These they wore on state occasions to indicate their high rank and position. Here is a crown made of gilt paper and set with a few silver-paper stars, meant to represent the crowns which kings and queens wear. While this crown is only made of paper, the crowns of kings and queens are made of gold, set with many costly stones. Besides the larger jewels in the crown of King George V. of England, there are also sixteen sapphires, eleven emeralds, nearly three hundred pearls, and some twenty-eight hundred very costly diamonds, and it is estimated to be worth many millions of dollars.
The Crowns on a Table.
Now suppose that we had gathered into this room the children, the boys and girls, of all the kings and queens of earth. Suppose also that they could all understand English, and that none of them knew that they were the sons and daughters of kings and queens, and that it was my delightful privilege to tell them how great and rich and powerful their parents are; and then I were also permitted to tell them, for the first time, what beautiful crowns their parents own. Suppose also that after exciting their curiosity about these things, I should have the crowns of all the kings of earth placed on a long table at my side, covered with a beautiful cloth, and after telling them about the crowns, I should uncover this table with all these crowns of gold, studded with jewels. Don't you suppose that the eyes of all those boys and girls would sparkle with curiosity and delight?
But now, suppose that it were my privilege to do more than to show them the crowns. Suppose that I were permitted also to tell them that they were heirs to these crowns, and that after their fathers and mothers, the present kings and queens, had died, they were to become kings and queens, and were to receive these crowns as their own. Suppose that, more than this, it were my privilege to pick up the crown of Denmark, and then calling some little boy to me I were to hand it to him, and tell him that he was to keep it, and that some day it would be placed upon his head, and he would be King of Denmark. And then I should take the crown of Sweden, and calling another girl, I should give her that crown, and tell her that she should keep it, until some day it would be placed upon her head, and she should be Queen of Sweden. Suppose that in the same way I should take the crowns of Germany and Russia, and Austria, and Italy, and Spain, and the great crown of England, and all the crowns of all the nations of the earth; and calling the boys and girls by name, should have them come forward and receive these crowns, to be kept until they should be placed upon their heads, when they should be Kings and Queens, ruling in great pomp, and splendor, and honor, and power. Do you not think that it would be a very happy hour to these boys and girls, when all these great thoughts should be disclosed to them for the first time, and they should look upon such costly crowns, and receive them into their own hands, as their very own?
Now, boys and girls, while you have been listening to me, you have possibly not thought that what I have told you is really being fulfilled in your own hearing to-day, for the Bible tells us, "I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor. vi: 18.) Then, in another place, it also says, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be." (1 John iii: 2.) So you see that it is my privilege to-day to talk, not to the children of earthly kings, whose glory is only temporal and whose honor is always uncertain, but I am permitted to talk to the children of the King of kings. (1 Tim. vi: 15; Rev. xix: 16.) The Scriptures not only tell us that God "is the only Potentate (the only powerful one), the King of kings," but it also tells us that He "hath made us unto our God kings and priests." (Rev. v: 10.) The same great book also tells us, not only, that we shall be kings and priests unto our God, but that we "shall reign forever and ever." (Rev. xxii: 5.) When a king dies he ceases to be king upon earth, but when God shall make us kings and queens and crown us in Heaven, we shall never die again, or cease to be kings and queens. The Bible tells us very clearly that our Father in Heaven is King over all earthly kings; greater than any of them; greater than all the kings of earth put together; a million times greater; yes, millions and millions of times greater; so much greater that the two do not compare in reality, but earthly kings simply suggest to our minds something of our great Heavenly King. God, this great King, created us and we were His children. But our first parents sinned and rebelled against Him, and refused to recognize Him as Father and to obey what He wanted them to do. But God loved them and us as a tender Father, and sent His only-begotten and well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to reconcile us; to tell us that God the Father loved us; that He was willing to forgive us, and that He would still accept us and make us kings and priests unto Himself, would crown us with glory, would give us dominion and make us kings and priests forever in Heaven. So you see that there can be no mistake about our being sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty. We are not only His children, but He has promised us crowns of glory and thrones of dominion and power.