I read a story the other day of a rich man in America, to whom a person went to try and interest him in mission work. The rich man took him up to the top of his house, and said to him, "Look yonder over that beautiful rolling plain, that is all mine as far as the eye can reach." He took him round again to the other side, and showed him thirty miles of pasture, with horses and cattle feeding. "They are all mine," he said, "I have made it all myself." Then he pointed proudly towards the town, and showed him streets and warehouses, and a great hall named after himself, and said once more, "They are all mine; I came into this country a poor man, but my own industry has done it all." The other listened patiently until he had done speaking, and then pointing upward to the sky, he asked, "And what have you got there?" "Where?" asked the rich man. "In heaven!" said the other. "I have got nothing there," he answered bitterly. Alas, he had lived his three-score years and ten, and must soon enter eternity, and yet he had no treasure in heaven! Reader, where is _your_ treasure? "Where your treasure is there will your heart be also[#]." There is no harm whatever in your feeling pleasure in your cottage, or your garden, or your field. But when these things shut out thoughts of God, and thoughts of heaven, from that moment they become sinful. "I’m but a stranger here; Heaven is my Home. Earth is a desert drear; Heaven is my Home. Danger and sorrow stand Round me on every hand; Heaven is my Father-land; Heaven is my Home. What though the tempest rage! Heaven is my Home. Short is my pilgrimage; Heaven is my Home. And time’s wild wintry blast Soon will be overpast; I shall reach Home at last; Heaven is my Home. There at my Saviour’s side; Heaven is my Home. I shall be glorified; Heaven is my Home. Then with the good and blest, Those on earth I love the best, I shall for ever rest; Heaven is my Home." [#] S. Matt. vi. 21. *HEAVEN OUR HOME. PART II.* "While I do my duty, Pressing through the tide, Whisper Thou of beauty On the other side. Tell who will the story Of our now distress-- Oh! the future glory, Oh! the loveliness." _J. M. Neale._ I have thought it best in writing on so wide a subject as "Heaven our home," to divide it into two parts; so that in this chapter I shall finish with a few practical thoughts on the subject we entered upon in our last. I there spoke about laying up treasure in Heaven. I gave you the advice our blessed Lord gave when He was upon earth, and pointed out how very much more valuable to the Christian man would be a little treasure laid up in Heaven, than all the wealth this world could give rolled together at his feet.