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