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Indescribable Glory, April 4
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived
by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath
prepared for him that waiteth for him.
Isaiah 64:4
.
You [
in response to a request by Mrs. Stewart, an artist, who asked Ellen
White to write a description of the New Jerusalem.
] express a desire for me
to describe things concerning the New Jerusalem. I positively decline to do
anything of the kind. My powers would be inadequate to do this or even make
an approach to it, and I advise you not to make any attempt to have a particular
representation which will carry the impression that it is the representation of
the New Jerusalem. The most eloquent representation of the New Jerusalem
is but ...[an] attempt to present it.
Anyone who is dealing with the future unseen world may best describe its
untold glories by quoting the words of Paul, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him” (
1 Corinthians 2:9
). I feel that many approach sacred
things as though their finite powers were capable of taking them in....
There is so large a number that tread on holy ground with unsanctified
feet that we are very cautious, even in statements that we present to them in
regard to sacred and eternal things, because finite and common ideas become
mixed with the holy and sacred. Man may try with his entrusted and cultivated
powers to represent something of heaven and he will make a blunder of the
whole thing.
Your power as an artist will, when stretched to its utmost capacity fall
down faint and weary in seeking to take in the things of the unseen world,
and yet there is an eternity beyond. With these statements you will excuse
me from attempting to portray before you anything concerning the works of
the great Master Artist.
Let the imaginations of the people be on the highest stretch to contemplate
the glories of the New Jerusalem and yet they have but just entered upon the
borders of the eternal weight of glory that shall be realized by the faithful
overcomer. Put off thy shoes from off thy feet for the ground whereon thou
standeth is holy. This is the very best answer I can give to your question.—
Letter 54, April 4, 1886
, to Sister Stewart.
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