In the King’s Service: Chapter 12
THE GREATEST JOY OF ALL
How eagerly I watched Him as He walked into the dazzling glory of the light! How I yearned to follow as the majestic Figure began to ascend! Then, coming clearly into my mind, as though spoken into my ear, came the words: ‘He will not leave you comfortless.’ I glanced quickly at Janet. She, too, had heard them, for her face had all at once lit up, and she was repeating them lovingly under her breath. ‘He will not leave you comfortless.’ Like a murmuring breeze sighing over the hills, the blessed words were taken up by the multitude. Everyone repeated them softly marvelling, thrilled, expectant. ‘He will not leave you comfortless.’
Before the murmur had died away, the blazing light I had seen before began to appear over the rim, pouring through the colourful mist of the angels’ wings. But this time I saw that it flowed from the twelve stars of the Great Mother as she came into our midst, from the region of the eternal Throne. Again I felt the force of that mighty wind and the fragrance of all the flowers that were. In my exultation I lifted my eyes and this time I saw a great host of angels soaring up from the lower planes, their wings stirring the air into a mighty current. In their hands they carried every kind of flower and these they massed as a carpet for the feet of their Queen.
Once more I was caught up in my Mother’s embrace and, lying in her bosom, I knew again the Love that the Father has for humble men, and that all life led to the soaring heights of the eternal Throne. I knew that we lived to grow and learn, that at last we might know Him as He is. My Mother’s tenderness wrapped me round, soothing me and yet inspiring me to greater growth, filling me with a new zest for the climb, and when at last she left me, I knew that every moment of Heaven’s eternity held for me a treasure of unending happiness.
With her going, the whole multitude seemed to awake out of sleep. Richard and Douglas returned to lead the singing and the tumult of happiness overflowed in chants and hymns. Janet and I sought out Reg and we all settled down to a round of visits. There were so many we wished to see.
Long after Greig and Rose had sped back to complete their tasks, we three still roamed, over the Hall. Its atmosphere was so keen, so strengthening, that we were loth to depart. Everywhere, hosts of angels gathered, having conferences together before setting forth on future service, but however busy they were, they always had a friendly word and a smile for us. We felt like children turned into a garden allowed to roam where we pleased and to ask as many questions as we liked. Reg was in his element and gleaned a deal of information for us all.
But the greatest joy of all was the constant presence of the Master, for our King of Love walked freely among us in a strange, secret way which was quite beyond our understanding. For, vast though the Hall of Audience was, everyone spoke of having just seen Him, of having walked and talked with Him, and there was no single one from whom He was hidden or veiled.
I learned then, that the more advanced one is, the longer one can stay in this Hall, and that, to those who stay a long time, He reveals Himself even more clearly; that, to us younger ones, a time comes when we can no longer stay, when we are inevitably drawn back by our desire, to the lower planes. Reg declared that he would never desire to go back, but the angel who gave us these facts, said that noone of low degree could remain on so exalted a plane for long.
In our journey we met men of every stage of growth and development and I reflected that our Master welcomed us all, actually coaxing us with infinite patience into higher states, rewarding, praising and encouraging us at every step of the way.
How deeply I entered, then, into the realisation of His Love. With full hearts we joined once more in the praises that began to echo throughout the heart of Heaven’s realm.
‘Blessed and praised be our Creator, who is our God and our King of Love for ever!’