The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-09-16
For TIE TRIBUNE.
ONE YEAR OF FELICITY IN HEAVEN
CnNTRASTED.

1ue GU fO"S,
and affections of long and devoutly re-
ligious life, will no doubt contrast strange
II with the rapturous delights 50 long an
ticipated and fully realized when the soul
lays off its mortality, and among the pure
inhabitants of the better world enters
upon the blissful scenes of spiritual ex-
istence too beautiful to admit of descrip
ton, to participate in those heavenly joys
Of which it has had only a foretaste here.
Indeed, after lapse Of ages, Hearen.
with its amending variety and in all its
amplitude, has only begun unfolding it
self in endless succession to its enraptur-
ed, immortal vision. And thus redeem
ed. could it but speak to US as formerly,
what language more becoming, or appro
pirate, or expressive, could it adopt than
the following Eye hath not seen, nor
ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him." No
human tongue can give utterance to the
emotions of an immortal spirit in the
presence Of angels and of God. No an
gels pen even, uninspired, though dip
ped in the dyes of Heaven. can fully de
scribe the pleasures rising from the ex-
ercises of the saints in glory-at one time
listening to the melting eloquence of
some tall arch-angel upon new and all
absorbing theme; at another, receiving
instruction in burning words from the
lips of the Savior in reference to the in
habltants Of some recently created plane;
and perhaps again at another, engaging
IL teaching the elementary principles or
rudlments of the celestial sciences to the
more recently initiated and then again
all joining in thanksgiving, praise, and
alteration to him who has not only loved,
but sanctifed and redeemed them, and
bestowed upon them crowns of everlast-
ing rejoicing. Ecstacy succeeding ecstacy
and these becoming more and more IN
tensifed as the soul expands, with
nothing to interrupt or disturb the
heavenly harmony, the unfettered spirit
rises IN the scale of its new being, and
with increased capacities quaffs more
deeply of the richer, superior joys of the
finally faithful. The glori6ed residents
OF the saints elysium, with social qualities
greatly enhanced, mingle together In
sweet celestial harmony, and unite with
angels IN songs of rejoicing to God and
the Lamb. The greetings of friends es-
peclally of husbands and wives, of pa.
rents and children, of brothers and sis.
tiers, oh, how transporting How inspir-
ing, how exhilerating the music of the
angels as they sweep their harps of gold
IN the presence of the exalted son of
God. The divine attractions of the
Savior's person, and the resplendeut
magnlfcence of his immutable throne no
mortal eye has ever seen or pencil define
ated. But what are all the joys of life
OF three score years, compared with |
those of one year only in heaven! And
all this in one short year; so, what must
be the unfelt raptures Of the redeemed
as the soul goes on developing its power.
and heaven continues unfolding new and
unthoughtof beauties to its increased
susceptibilities during the ceaseless ages
of eternity! Language is inadequate to
the task of description, fancy of picturing
or thought even of conceiying the in
tensely ecstatic delights and incompre-
hensible magni6cence of the scene; and
the imagination, with dropping wings,
falls back upon the beautiful and most
impressive words of the Savior, unrival-
ed in Inspiration: ''In my Fathers
house arc many mansions; if it were not
so | would have told you. l go to pre-
pare place for you. And if l go and
prepare place for you, / will come
again, and receive you unto myself that
where | am. there yc may be Also" x.