Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-03-21
READING.

our friends, there is perhaps no question
that so often and %anxiousfy rises up in
the mind, in regard to the state beyond
death, rs that in the beautiful song,
"Shall We know each other there?'
Yet why should any doubt it2 If We
believe in immortality at all, it must DO
one in which personal identity remains
our own consciousness Of being es-
sentially the same w ever were. And
il this consciousness remains in each,
without a miracle to separate him from
every other, however dear In this world,
all those who communicate with each
other must sooner or later become con-
scioos that on earth they knew Of the
history of one another. The scenes OF
eternity may far exceed in grandeur
and Importance those Of earth; and
hence some have questioned future re-
cognition. But surely the immortal
mind will enlarge in power aud compre-
hension and not cease to be all it was,
and more also. 1t was the remark Of q
wise and venerable man, shortly before
being called away from earth, that no
thought we overestimated the change
produced by death. It is not the great
change to q good man, but more like q
change Of habitatiou, the removal to a
more convenient, appropriate and abid-
ing dwelling. awe know" says st.
Paul, therefore, "that if the earthly
house of our tabernacle be dissolved,
we have q building a house not made
with hands eternal in tho heavens
There is no proof Of any reason to
suppose any change in death, beyond
that Of the relations We sustain
to the sleeping body. Precisely
what that may amount to would
DO hard and impossible in each case
to say, yet it certainly involves no
essential change Of character. It Is not
tho sense, but the heart and affections
that here most truly recognize and re-
~ciprocate friendship. It is the soul
that binds friends hero together, and if
the soul survives unbroken its friend
| ships cannot but live 90. Much Of the
beatitude Of the future state must be
promoted by such a recognition, and,
therefore, it should be hoped for and
believed in. Here our characters are
formed, and those Of u friends also,
through the slow and gradual discipline
of Joy and sorrow, trial and reward.
We become fitted thus to sy~mpathize
with and support each other. This is
one of the most important results of life.
It enables US &c serve one another. with
an efficiency and a love and pleasure
which only years and close friend
ship can accomplish. Shall we sup
pose all these advantages wasted? Is
it not much more wise and reasonable
to believe that a large portion Of the
| duties Of another state will consist in
carrying forward ministries for each
other, for which we have been appar-
emily preparing all u lives here? II
the very angels are sent forth as minis
tering spirits for them who shall be
heirs Of salvation, will the more sympa-
thizing spirits of just men made perfect
remain idle and Indifferent to the work ?
But without recognition the chief power
of usefulness in this would be wanting.
Most Of all we know Of happiness
here, or can conceive Of it, depends
upon our society. This i, the growing
feeling OF the wisest and the best mon.
As the body and tho pleasures it sup
plies become less potent and satisfying,
those who have cultivated their minds
and their hearts, find a irmer and in.
creasing happiness in each others So
cIety. We know there is a pleasure in
a good book, but how partial and in
ferior to that Of the living friend. Per.
haps but little of the employmepts and
| pleasures Of the blessed dead u be
comprehended by us here. Yet surely
We may place among the most conceive
able and probable, communion with the
wisest and best Of all ages and all chimes.
Those whose wisdom has instructed us
here, aud whose writings We have loved
to peruse, will probably have greater
powers Of leading our minds forward,
and drawing US Into a sweet and sacred
nearnoss with themselves than while on
earth.
We may then be MS hopeful and as
we'll assured Of blessed friendships and
recognition in n future world, as Of con
scious personal existence. The one fol
lows naturally, and almost necessarily
from the other. The society Of all the
~yirtuous and tho wise, the most holy
and benevolent who have been since the
world began, philosophers, prophets,
apostles, saints, martyrs, relatives and
friends, will form a company from whom
all may learn throughout an eternity in
which the minds and hearts Of all will
sver be expanding.
Nor will this fail to be one Of the
strongest incentives to u life Of virtue
improvement and culture here with
every good man, the hope of being thus
prepared moro fully to enjoy the society
Of the holy, the wise, and the good, &c
that
When sweet angels voices singing,
Gladly bid US welcome home
To that land Of sacred story,
whero the mint knows no care: