The Reign of the Messiah

2. The Reign of the Messiah.—There have been kings from the earliest ages of man. Every type of man, and every type of civilization has had its rulers. The best men that the world has ever seen have sat on thrones, and yet no perfect man has ever ruled the people. No one has ever claimed kingship longer than his life. Some have endeavored to perpetuate their names and their kingdoms by appointing successors, but these devices of men have all come to naught. There is a time coming when the most stable government now existing will pass away. The greatest rulers, whose names and deeds now fill many of our printed pages, will soon be forgotten. But Christ's kingdom shall have no end; his glory and honor shall never fail. No one can at the same time serve two earthly sovereigns; but you may be a devoted subject of Christ, and at the same time a worthy subject of an earthly ruler. Christ is the only King that never found fault with himself. He was never perplexed, was never in doubt, never divided between two opinions, never had the sad reflection, "It might have been." He reigns with the sceptre of love; his subjects, human hearts; his kingdom, the whole world. The greatest kings of earth confessed their weakness and insufficiency. Emergencies would rise and overpower them. Not so with the Messiah. He was a ready sovereign, brave and heroic in the true meaning of these words.

3. His Kingdom.—If, by any turn of the wheel of fortune, there should be a King over all these United States, he would have a palace and a gorgeous throne, and attendants, and servants. There would be the nobility, and the court favorites, and princely aristocrats. This new king would have to enforce his commands with the bayonet, and he would guard his throne and palace with the royal regiment. He would require much tribute in the way of money. This is not the case in Christ's kingdom. Money can purchase no high place there; family counts nothing before him. He knoweth the hearts of men. The humblest, most unlettered and most unnoticed person in all the land, is as highly esteemed as the man whom the world delights to honor. In his kingdom all are on an equality. The only tribute required is loving, faithful hearts. In other kingdoms, the subjects have to do much for the King; in this, all that is done for the Messiah is returned, a hundred fold increased, to the doer. In other kingdoms, subjects now and then get ashamed of their King; in this, they rejoice continually in the excellency and glory of the King. Before other Kings, favorites find audience first; to the Messiah, all may come, with the assurance that they will be heard, and that speedily, if they only believe. Other Kings refuse a thousand requests every month; no one has ever approached Christ, the King, and gone away empty, provided he followed the plain, unmistakable instructions which have been given. To get an audience with Queen Victoria, one has to get an expensive court suit or livery, and letters of introduction, and go at a certain hour, and then receive only a conventional smile or nod, or other sign of notice; but every subject in this kingdom has access to the sovereign day and night. The everlasting doors of his palace are always open. No one ever goes away from an audience with this King feeling that he has been disappointed, and that he is not paid for his trouble. In other kingdoms, our loyalty ceases at death; in this, it truly begins then, for then we shall see our King face to [...]