The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1849-01-05
Going to He
BY +. $. ARTHUR,

heaven lhto the soul,-MRs. CHILD. a
An old man with a peaceful coun,enance-
sat in c,mPany Of twelve persons. They
were eonversing, but be was silent. The theme
upon which they were discussing was Heav.
EN-; and each one who spoke did 80 with ami
%!uation.
"Heayen is a place Of rest,I' said o~ne-"res,
and peace. Oh! what sweet words! rest and
peace. Here all is labor and disqnietude.-
There we shall have rest and peace.' a
Sand freedom from pain,'' said another.
whose pale cheeks and sunken eyes, told many
a tale Of bodily suffering, "No more pain, no
more sick ness-the aching head will be al rest
the weary limbs find everlasting repose.i
sSoErow and signing shall forever fee away,
spoke Up a third one Of the company. "No
more grief, not one anguish Of spirit. Happy,
happy changem
"TlIere,, added a foutth,' the wounded spir-
i that none can bear, 10 healed. The reed long
bruised BY the tempest Of life, finds a smiling
SKY, and a warm, refreshing healing sunshine
Oh! how my soul pants to escape from the
world, and like a bird fleeing to the mountains,
get home from its dreary exile!' /,
"My heart expands,' says another, swhen-
eyer think OF heaven; and i long for the
wings Of a dove, that Imay fee at once from
this low, ignorant state. and battle my whole
soul ln the sunlight Of felicity. What Joy it
Will be TO cast off this cumbersome clay; to
leave this poor body behind, and spread a free.
wing upon the heavenly atmosphere. shall
with delight the happy moment which sets me
free"
Thus one after another spoke, and each one
regarded Heavenvas q state Of happiness into
which he was to come after death; but the old
man still sat silent, and his eyes bent thou ght-
fully upon the floor. Pres emily one said:
sour aged friend says nothing. Has he no
hope o. heaven2 Does he not rejoice with us
in the happy prospect Of getting there when
the silver chord shall be loosened, and the gol-
den bowl broken at the fonntain?n
The old man thus addressed, looked around
upon his companions. His face remained Sc
rene, and his eyes had a heavenly expression.
"Have you not q blessed hope Of Heaven 3
Does not your heart grow warm with sweet
antlcipationsp continued The last speak r
never think Of going to heaven the old man
said in a mild, quiet tone. t'Nover think o.
goingt to Heaven exclaimed one Of tho mos
ardent of the company, his voice warming with
Indignation care you hcathen?'
81 am one who is patiently striving to I'll my
allotted place in lire,' replied the old man, as
calmly as before. Sand have YOU no hopes
beyond the gravem asked the last speaker.
III live right here, all will be right there.'
The old uiRn pointed upward. 81 have no anx-
iety about the future,--no impatience,---no ar
dent Iongings to pass away and be at rest, as
some Of you have said. l. already enjoy as
much heaven as am prepared to enjoy and
thatisa all that can expect throughout eterni-
~. You all, my friends, seem to think that
men COM into heaven when they die.-You
look ahead to death with pleasure, because
then you think you will enter the happy state
you anticlPate-or rather place; for it is clear
you regard Heaven as a place full of delights,
for those who may be fitted to become inhabi.
tants thereof. But in this case you are mista.
ken.-If you do not enter Heaven before you
die, you never do 50 afterward. If Heaven be
not formed within you, yop.will never find il
out Of you-you never come into it.n
These remarks offended the company, and
they scoke harshly to the old man, who made
no reply but arose and retired, with a sOrrowfuI
expression on his face, He went forth and as
sumed his daily occupations, and pursued them
diligently. Those who had been assembled
with him also went fotth one 10. his farm, anoth
er to his merchandise, each one forgetting all he
had thought aboit heaven and its felicities'
and only anxious to serve natural life and get
gain. Heaven was above the world to them,
and therefore, while in the worlds they could
only act upon the principle that governed the
world and prepare for heaven by pious acts on
the sabbath. There was no other wayto do,
they believed--tO attempt to bring religion
down INTO the world only, in their view, desc
Grated il, and exposed it to ridicule and coni
tempt. f
the old man, to whom a~llusion has been
made, kept a s~toresfor the safe Of various use
full articles; those Of the pious company who
needed these articles as commodities Of trade,
or for their own use, bought Of him, because
they believed that he would sell them only
what was Of good quality. One Or the most
ardent Of these came into the old mans store
holding a small package in his hand; his eve
was restless, his lip compressed, and he seem
ed struggling to keep down a feeling Of excite-
ment.
"Look at that" he said, speaking with some
sternness, as he threw the package on the old
mans counter. 4T