Over 300 years ago, some Christians suffered persecution in England, so some of them fled to Holland. They were well treated there, but they determined to seek a count; where they would be able to worship God as they wished.
Their eyes turned toward America as such a country, so in July 1620 a little company of them sailed from Delft Haven in Holland, to Southampton in England, where the little ship, Mayflower, was waiting to convey them to the New World. They were now called Pilgrims, on account of their wanderings from one place to another.
They felt themselves to be pilgrims and strangers there, and sought a country of their own.
In what we may call God’s Roll of Honor, (Hebrews 11) in speaking of those whose lives have been marked by some act of faith, it is said: “These all died in faith.... and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”
And now, dear boys and girls, and older ones, too, who are the Lord’s, are we showing by our words and ways, that we, too, are pilgrims and strangers here?
Do we declare plainly that we seek a country a better country—that is, a heavenly one?
“FOR OUR CONVERSATION (citizenship) IS IN HEAVEN; FROM WHENCE ALSO WE LOOK FOR THE SAVIOUR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.” Phil. 3:20.
ML 10/11/1936