Editorial April 26, 1924 Issue

"The name of the city"

Ella W. Hoag

Ezekiel, in the closing paragraph of the narration of his vision, writes, "The name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there." In such simple languages does he present the most transcendent of facts, the infinite all-presence of God! Even to approach the contemplation of this omnipresence instantly lifts one into a holy atmosphere and opens vistas of all that is magnificent and grand, exquisite and lovely. So sacred is such approach that the prophet of olden time heard God say to him, "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."

The greatest writers of all ages have essayed to tell something of what this omnipresence implies, but have for the most part found words all too frail to portray even a limited portion of what it has meant to their worshiping hearts. And yet how heedlessly men go on,—dwelling always in God's holy presence, yet all-unnoticing, all-unregarding! But still Ezekiel tells us, "The name of the city ... shall be, The Lord is there." How surely, then, must there come a time when the recognition of His adorable omnipresence shall be universal!

The important question is, How may this be brought about most rapidly? In "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 106) Mrs. Eddy gives the answer. She writes: "It has long been a question of earnest import, How shall mankind worship the most adorable, but most unadored,—and where shall begin that praise that shall never end? Beneath, above, beyond, methinks I hear the soft, sweet sigh of angels answering, 'So live, that your lives attest your sincerity and resound His praise.'" Here, then, is the way to prove God's omnipresence: to show forth in our lives that we are always so conscious of Him that all we think and say and do shall redound to His glory!

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