If you and I were in England to-day and could walk into the Tower of London, where they keep the crown and the jewels of the royal family, and we could learn the value of these costly jewels, and crowns and scepters, it matters not how rich we might be, I am sure we would have to despair of ever being able to purchase these costly crown jewels. They are estimated at many millions of dollars. Now, if an earthly crown, which can only be retained for a few years, is so valuable, how much more valuable are the everlasting crowns, such as God gives, and which are to be ours for all eternity? And if we are not able to buy such an earthly crown, how much less are we able to purchase or buy a heavenly crown? The heavenly crowns are so valuable that we could never hope to buy them, therefore God gives them to us because He loves us.
More than two hundred years ago a man by the name of Colonel Blood attempted to steal the crowns and the crown jewels of England. He was not altogether successful, but was arrested before he escaped with them. But do you know that there are many who would steal your crown, and my crown of everlasting glory, if they possibly could? Therefore, God tells us in the Bible, "Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." (Rev. iii: 11.) So you see it is very important that we should be constantly on our guard. The King of England has soldiers to watch day and night, lest any one should steal his crown. And so also you and I need to be constantly on our guard, lest wicked people and sinful influences should rob us of our heavenly crown.
Not only are crowns sometimes stolen, but sometimes they are also lost. About fifty years ago some people were digging in France, and they found eight costly crowns, all lying close together, having been lost or hidden away in the earth. Four of them were very costly and very beautiful, while the others were smaller crowns. The first four were for the king and the queen, and the prince, and one other of the older children, and the other four crowns were for the younger children of the king's household. Yet you see that the father and mother and all the children lost their crowns. I trust that no parents here, or children either, would prize their heavenly crowns so lightly as ever to lose them.
There are thousands of people who would be willing to put forth any effort, or to pay any costs, if they could only obtain an earthly crown, and yet the Bible tells us that these people do it "to obtain a corruptible crown; but we, an incorruptible." (1 Cor. ix: 25.) Now, by a corruptible crown is meant one that, like this crown made of leaves, will fade and fall to pieces, and decay, and thus pass entirely away. Even a crown of gold, studded with costly jewels, would thus also eventually perish. The crown which God gives to us is an imperishable crown, which never fades, and never passes away. And therefore the Scriptures say, "And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." (1 Peter v: 4.)
Since the Bible teaches us these truths so plainly, "What manner of persons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness?" (2 Peter iii: 11.) What more appropriate words could I say to you in closing, than that which God says to us in the blessed Book in which He has revealed all these things, "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace without spot, and blameless." (2 Peter iii: 14.)
Questions.—What kind of crown was first worn? Because crowns of leaves were so perishable, of what were crowns later made? What can you tell about the crown of the king of England? If the crowns of all the kings of earth could be brought together, would people desire to see them? If the children of earthly kings were present and we told them for the first time that they were the children of kings and gave them the crowns which they were eventually to own, would they be likely to be pleased? Are you the child of a King who is the King above all kings? Has He promised you a crown? Will your crown be perishable? How long will it last? Can you quote any of the passages of Scripture which tell of our being the children of the King of kings? Could the crown of an earthly king be bought? Is there money enough in the world to buy a crown of everlasting life? How then is this crown to be obtained? Who once stole a crown and the crown jewels of England? Was he successful in getting away with them? Who tries to steal our crown of everlasting glory? Is he ever successful? Can you tell about the eight crowns which were found hidden away in the earth in France? In what book are we told that our crown is to be imperishable and unfading, and to be ours forever? What exhortation is contained in the last sentence of the last sermon in this book?
The End.