Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-10-15
VIII they Know Her in Heaven.

-Four years ago two sisters, Mary and Hattie,
died after briefi illness, within few days of each
other. They were cut off in the bloom and beau
ty of childhood. One year after, another daugh-
ter, Nellie, was born in the same household. Her
third summer found her a spnghtly prattling
child. She entered into the symPathies ofthe
family, and learned to talk much of her older
sisters in heaven; and when flowers were culled
from the garden for their graves, she loved to be
present, and walk among the hower-beds, herself
a beautiful flower, wondering if those sisters in
heaven could see her and hear her voice.
A few evenings since, Nellie went to bed as
usual in good health, repeated her little prayer
and was soon asleep. At midnight she was un-
well, and was taken up. When laid down again,
she said Il want to say my prayer nOw," and re-
peated as usual, "Now | lay me-" From the
sleep of that night she barely walked to conscious
ness again. As the last rays of light faded the
next evening, she ceased to BREATH and, dying al
most bofore she walked, her soul vas taken, we
trust, to heaven.
Those older sisters had never seen her with
mortal eyes, now, will they know her in heaVenI
Will they know she came from their former hap
py home. and will they embrace and love hef the
more because she came from their loved family
circlel
Why should it not be so! The change which
passes on the soul at death does not bring indif-
ference toward objects OF former active affec-
tons, nor change Immediately the intellectual and
moral habits OF the soul The activities Of the
mind and heart will continue much as before
The thoughts and affections will not become i'm
mediate strangers to the objects Of former knowi-
edge and love, And why should those thoughts
and desires and affections be denied their reason
able qualification! And, if gratihed, why should
not those having common interest in the same OBJ
iects be known to each other, to promote each
others happiness! If all reasonable desires are
there gratiied, and all the enjoyment consistent
with perfect holiness allowed, we NAV believe
those sisters have been brought together and
have communed together of earthly things.
In excluding from heaven, in our thoughts, all
that is gross, and sensual, and SINFUL we must not
take away all that can interest and warm the
heart of the child. Nor while God is there all in
all are we to conceive Of the condition as such
that many of the necessary and innocent affec-
tions, in strong exercise here, are there unknown
The change in spiritual exercises, as the soul en-
ters that world, may be less abrupt than we some,
times suppose. Piety is here growth in an in
suspicious cline; it continues as a growth under
the favorng influences of heaven.
Nellie has ever thought ofheaven as the home
of her sisters; why should she be disappointed in
not meeting them there! Those sisters have
thought Of their earthly home; why should they
not be permitted to know her and rejoice in her,
as lust come from the embrace OF those on earth
whom they have not ceased to love! Why may
they not tell her of their experience in heaven,
and she tell them of her experience on earth.
II does not seem to conflict with any proper
conceptions of heaven that it should be sO-there
are many considerations which render presump-
tion that it is So We will, therefore, cherish the
pleasing thought that those sisters have met, mu-
tualy recognizing each other in heaven; there TO
be together in the fold of the Good Shepherd;
there to grow, and mature as children of God