central one. "In the midst of the street of it and of the river, on this side and on that, was the tree of life." I give the literal rendering of the original Greek, as preferable to the authorized version. This tree of life fixes the New Jerusalem as Eden restored. There is but one tree of life. It grew in the midst of the ancient garden, and it will grow again, not only in the midst of the street of the New Jerusalem, but in the midst of its river and on this side and on that. And the promise had already been recorded, "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God" (Rev. ii. 7). It is not which was in the midst of paradise, nor which will be there, but which is. The tree of life is of perennial growth. It always is; it always was; it always will be. It grows ever ready for the acceptance of man. The gates of paradise are perpetually open for the entrance of all, and the sacred tree forever stands laden with fruit for the sustenance of every hungry soul. But the profane cannot see it, and they think it does not exist. For them it does not; for the wise and intelligent it does.
Paradise is the kingdom of heaven. Call it by what name the Scripture may, Eden or the New Jerusalem, the tree of life grows in the midst of it; and without that tree, it is not paradise at all. For the tree of life, as we have often said
