The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-05-17
Che Castaliau :fUnnt.
From an English Poem.l
NO SECT IN HEAVEN.

! Talking OF SectS till late one eve,
/ Of the various doctrines the saints believe,
That night stood in troubled dream,
BY the side of darkly flowing stream,
! And Churchman" down TO the river came
When | heard strange voice call his name,
" Coed father, stop when you cross this tide,
You must leave your robes on the other side"
But the aged father did not mind,
And his long gown Aoated out behind,
| As down to the stream his way he to.k,
His pale hands clasping a gilt.edged book.
=" I'm bound for heaven, and when I'm there,
| shall want my book Of Common Prayer;
And though put on starry crown,
| | should feel quite lost without my gown"
Then he fixed his eyes on the shining track,
But his gown was heavy, and held him back,
And the posr old father tried in vain,
single step IN the food to gain.
| saw him again on the other side,
But bis silk gown loated ON the tide
And no one asked in that btsSful spot,
Whether he belonged to "the Church" or not.
Then down the river a Quaker slrayed,
His dress Of sober hue was made
" My coat and hat must be all of gray,
| cannot go any other way"
Then he buttoned his coat straight up to his chin -,
And staidly, solemnly, waded in,
And his broad-bEimmed hat he pulled down tight
Over his forehead 50 cold and white.
But strong wind carried away his hat;
A moment he silently sighed over that,
And then, as ne gazed on the further shore,
The coat slipped OF, and was seen no more.
As he cptered heaven his suit Of grav
Went quietly sailing
And none OF the angels questioned him
About the width of his beavers brim.
Next came DR.. Watts with a bundle of Psalms
Tied nicely up in his aged arms,
And hymns as many, very wise thing,
That the people in heaven, all round" might
sing.
But thought that he heaved an anxious sigh,
As he saw that the river ran broad and high,
And looked rather surprised as, one by one,
The Psalms aud Hymns in the wave went down.
And after him, with his MSS,
Came Wesley, the pattern of godness,
But he cried, Dear me, what shall do
The water has soaked them Through and through"
And there on the river, far and wide,
Away they went down the swollen tide,
And the saint astonished, passed through alone,
Without his manuscripts, up to the throne.
Then gravely walking, two saints by name,
Down to the stream together came,
But they stopped at the rivers brink,
saw one saint from the other shrink.
g." Sprnked or plunged, may l ask you, friend ,
How you attained to lile's great end"
Thus, with few drops ON my brow"
But have been dipped, as you'll see me now.
And l really think It will hardly do,
AS I'm 'clOse communion. to cross with you
You're bound know, to the realms of bliss,
But you must so that way, and I'll go this"
Then straightway punging with all his might,
Away TO the lert--his friend at the right,
Apart they went from this world of sin,
But at last together they entered in.
And now, when the ryer was rolling On,
A Presbyterian church went downs
or women there seemed an innumerable thrlng,
But the men | could count as they passed along.
And concerning the road, they could never agree
The old or the way, which it could be,
Nor ever moment paused to think
That both would lead to the rivers brink.
And a sound of murmuring long and loud
Came ever up from the moving crowd,
" You're in the old way, and IN in the new,
That is the false, and this is the true,'-
Or, Pm in the old way, and you're in the new,
That is the false, his is the true"
But the brethren only seemed to speak,
Modest the sisters walked, and meek,
And if ever one Of them Glanced to say
What troubles she met with on the way,
How she longed to pass to the other side,
Nor feared TO cross over the swelling tide,
voice arose from the brethren then
" Let no one speak but the holy men;'
For have We not card the words Of Paul,
Oh, let the women keep silence all ,"
| watched them long in nv curious dream,
Till thy stood by the borders of the stream,
Then, just as | thought, the two ways met,
But all the brethren were talking yet,
And would talk on, till the heavng tide
Carried them over, side by side;
Side by side, for the way one,
The tosome journey of life was done,
And all who in Christ the Saviour died,
Came out alike on the other side.
No forms, or crosses, or books had they,
No gowns of silk. or suits of gray,
No creeds to guide them, or MSS,
For all had put on Christ's righteousness"