" They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever." - Daniel 12:3.
If we could look into the books of immortality, and turn over its pages of the future, and trace the paths of light belonging to the names that are now ascendant in our skies, we should see them to be of length unequal: one brilliant luminary of our day soon vanishing into night, and another passing on, but sooner or later, like all the rest disappearing from the heaven of fame. But when the lights of this world shall have gone out, then will be seen coming up in indescribable splendor and overwhelming glory, the names that have nothing now connected with them but ignominy and obscurity. Then will it be known who are the wise; and men will marvel that they should have ever remained ignorant a single moment of this unquestionable truth, that they who turn many to righteousness are wise above all others.
A daily devotional written by a Baptist Missionary to India, Reverend George Bowen (1816-1888) over 150 years ago.
George H. Bowen (30 April 1816 at Middlebury, Vermont – 5 February 1888 at Bombay, India) was an American missionary, newspaper man, linguist, and translator in India. He was known as "The White Saint of India" for his resemblance in manner and dress to the Hindu holy men.
If we could look into the books of immortality, and turn over its pages of the future, and trace the paths of light belonging to the names that are now ascendant in our skies, we should see them to be of length unequal: one brilliant luminary of our day soon vanishing into night, and another passing on, but sooner or later, like all the rest disappearing from the heaven of fame. But when the lights of this world shall have gone out, then will be seen coming up in indescribable splendor and overwhelming glory, the names that have nothing now connected with them but ignominy and obscurity. Then will it be known who are the wise; and men will marvel that they should have ever remained ignorant a single moment of this unquestionable truth, that they who turn many to righteousness are wise above all others.