Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-06-02

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and stood there melancholy and dis
tressed.
cat length one bright messenger
came up to me and entreated me to
enter, with a voice and manner which
| could not resist "Do not turn away"
he said, ''where canst thou 90? Do
not linger, for why shouldst thou wea-
ry thyself for nought? Enter thou and
taste of happiness. Do not all tribes
and colors press into that hall? Are
they not clothed, and washed, and com
torted?' He gave me his hand and |
entered the hall with him.
''Here | was sprinkled with pure wa
ter, and a garment of pure white was
put upon me, and know not how, but
| mounted the white staircase with my
happy guide. 0! what a light burst
upon me when | reached its summit
Mortal words cannot describe it, nor
mortal fancy conceive it. Where are
the living sapphires? Where are the
gllttering stars that were like the bright
radiance on which | stood? Where
are the forms, either, or looks of love
that moved In the innumerab1e compa-
ny that moved around me? / sunk
down overpowered and wretched; for
/ felt that had nothing in unison with
the blessed creatures of such a place:
they were moving in a dance, to the
music, to the harmony of songs that
never fell upon mortal ear; my guide
joined in raptures, and I was left alone.
| saw the tall forms, all fair and bril-
liant in their effable felicity, their songs
and looks Of gratitude forming the cir
cumstances and differences of each.
cat length / saw one taller than the
rest, one every way more fair, more
awful, surprising thought, and to hina
every eye was turned, and in his face
every face was frightened. The songs
and the dance were to his honor, and
all seemed to bring from him their life
and JOY. AS l gazed in speechless and
trembling amazement, one who saw
me left the company and came where
| stood. "Why?" he asked, cart thou
silent? come quickly and unite in the
dance, and join in the song" l felt a
sudden anger in my heart, and | an
swered with sharpness-"J will not
join Ia your song, for / know not the
strain; will not unite in your dance,
for | know not the measure" He sighed,
and with look ofsurprising and humil-
lating pity, returned to his place
About minute after, another came,
and addressed me as he had done. and
with the same temper ] answered him
IN the same words; he seemed as if he
could have resigned his own dazzling
g,,oTy to have changed me; if Heaven
knows anguish, he seemed to feel it;
but be left me and returned What
could it be that put such temper into
my heart?
cat length the lord of that glorious
company Of these living forms of light
and beauty, saw me, and came where /
stood. thrilled in every pulse with
awe; / felt my blood curdle, and the
flesh upon me tremble, and my heart
grew hardened-my voice was bold.
He spoke, and deep toned music seem
ed to issue from his lips. ''Nhy sit
test thou still, when all around thee are
so glad? Come, join in the dance, for
| have triumphed! Come, join in the
song, for my people reign" Love in
effable, unutterable, beamed upon me
as though it would have melted heart
OF stone, but melted not. I gazed an
instant, and then said-''I will not Join
in the song, for I know not the strain;
| will not JOIN in the dance, for know
not the measure" Creation would
have fled at the change of his counte-
nance. His glance was lightning, and
in voice louder than ten thousand
thunders, he said, 'sThen what doest
thou here?' The floor beneath me
opened, the earth quaked and the
whirlwind encompassed me, and | sunk
into tormentnting flame. With the
fright / awoke
There was silence for time, for the
sisters were struck with awe. They
considered the dream, and the impres-
sion it had made. s'Anne," said they,
eve cannot wish you to forget this
dream, we surely believe it is from
God. Your description of the Holy
City is much the same as we find it in
the Bible; "the city hath no need of the
sun, nor Of the moon to Tighten it, for
the temple Of God is there, and the
Lamb is the light thereof" all who en-
ter there must put off their own gar
ments, that is, their own righteousness,
and "must be clothed with linen clean
and white, even in the righteousness of
the saints, and their Righteousness is of
me, saith the Lord" Those that walk
in the heavenly temple are those that
have come out Of tribulation, and
washed their robes and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb; wis
dom waits daily on the steps to call the
sons Of men into that temple, and the
people of God try to persuade their fol-
lowers to tread in their steps. O, dear
/ sister, you know something Of the way,
do hearken to the faithful warning:
join us, and walk ial the path that leads
to heaven" Anne's brow again dark
ened, and she answered-'I will do as
[ please; l do not intend for you to
preach to me-
She continued in this melancholy
state until the cad Of the week, and
L