Where similar conditions exist today as those that were present in the places mentioned in the scriptures, the same praise, exhortation, rebuke or condemnation applies as it applied directly to them back there. And within the congregations where the wicked are prevalent, to those who keep themselves pure, faithful and zealous in love until death, comes the same promise of Eternal Reward.

To Ephesus the patient, In toil, forbearance fraught,

Who tried the false apostles, And found that they were naught,

In labor not grown weary, Against all evil set,

To hate the fleshly feasting, Which idols some beset;

But what—thy latter pathway, With losses was replete,

Thy first love was forsaken, Destruction is complete.

And Smyrna poor in riches, Of earth’s vain golden store,

In hope that God should give thee, Of His abundance more,

In suff’ring thou wast splended, True courage in the strife,

If faithful when life ended, For thee the crown of life,

Today the town existed, A witness in its stand,

That God may hold forever, The poor of ev’ry land.

Where Pergamos is standing, A church was ill imbued,

Licentiousness was rampant, And Satan’s forces stood,

And those who taught the evil, Who sat at Satan’s feet,

Were sown amongst the righteous, And growing with the wheat:

Wear Satan’s throne uplifted, A faithful witness fell,

Repentance must have followed, Or thou shouldst be in hell.

Where Thyatira’s buildings, In peace at present bide,

Where faith and love and patience, Increased instead of died,

Out of thy midst were taken, The wicked of renown,

The salt of earth preserving, Has left a living town.

Although the church at Smyrna, In name upheld its head,

In living, stern reality, That church was truly dead,

To words of resurrection, No heed was ever p’aid,

So now in bleak oblivion, Thou art in ruins laid.

In Philadelphia city, Where open stood the door,

And opportune the gateway, To through it talent’s pour,

Our God who made the human, Both tongue and mind and frame,

By thee has left a message, The Gospel—Heaven’s fame.

0 for that lasting privilege, Though always with the poor,

To stand before the portals, Of an ever open door,

To walk within its precincts, And fill up time and sense,

With God and Christ and Brethren, The Book our sure defence,

To wield the mighty Weapon, As long as life shall last,

In old age others take it, Whilst we should enter rest!