Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-11-02


New Testament? Surely we do not
suppose that tho figures of the Apoca
lvpse are to be taken literally as repre-
senting our actual life 10 the future world !;
that we are TO be set up in the ranks;
that we are at stated times TO make bows
and at others to sing. We do not under
stand the power of God, and in regard
10 the resurrection it does not yet appear
what we will be.
In the Apocalypse are some of the
most touching figures that could be en-
ployed, because drawn from the very
depth of human experience. But it is
not the method of Christ or his apostles
after him TO give what may be called def
mite physiological, philosopher; knowl
edge covering the whole ground of the
nature of Heaven and the nature of our
occupations and conditions when we
reach it. But you must not suppose
that the heavenly existence is practically
annihllated and all comfort taken away
from the belief of il because it is left
vague. The method by which the great
truths and realities Of the heavenly state
are taught are a thousand times better
adapted to promote zeal and enthusiasm
and endurance than If they had been
taught 10 philosophical method in res.
pect TO details and particulars, for the
Imagination is that the very door through
which childhood learns, before it emer-
ges from childhood, the things that are
beyond it. It's the very way in which
common people help themselves when
they have no special knowledge. Now
We are rs children. not competent to un-
derstand the things that lie far beyond
US. Troy are wholly beyond the reach
Ct our experience of that other life. -
Therefore. all instruction given to us on
this subject is given to the reason through
the imagination The instruction of the
New Testament is given to us upon that
method. II is the truth of God al
dressed to our hearts. rather than our
reason, and to our affect ons through our
Imagination.
That Heaven which you think of and
| think Of is purely imaginary. Imag
ina;ion ia the pathway between the flesh
and the spirit. 1t is that which gives to
every man aspiration. Men despise it
because it is not measuring quantity.
We are taught that is not safe to build
on, but | aver that in the economy Of
Gods providence the human race has
been instructed more through its imag-
ination than through its reason. We
are not to suppose there is a hell, LITERAL
ly, place of fire and birthstone. | don't
believe il, and you don't believe it, and
yon ought not to believe il, any more
than sou are 70 believe that Heaven is
really paved with golden paving stones.
No one believes it; if they did, there
would be more misers anxious for their
souls salvation. Amusement. 1t is
used as a pictorial figure. we have no
means of understanding the actual thing;
we know nothing of it. 1t is to US a
fiction, aud fiction is oftentimes more
nearly the truth than truth itself. All
that men know Of art, Of riche',of courts
Of crowns, of princes, all the beauties of
trees. of gardens, all in rivers and noun
taius, all that is most beautiful in nature.
will be found to represent to them the
Heavenly state. So man may take all
the elements they NAV have learned TO
esteem and make heaven out of them.
The true use then to be made of the
Scripture, is not to give literal repre-
senta,ion of its symbols, for it is quite
possible for the Bible itself 10 stand in
the way of understanding the Bible, but
the true use is to repeat the process OF
reasoning as was done in tho olden time.
The princes of the earth do not give me
much admiration of Heavenly princes.
Counts, l have seen them, and do not
think much of them; for | am Demo
cratic Experimentation! Ia 9epubli
can Democrat, mean, but they may do
good to others and go far towards inter
Dreting the Heavenly state. But when
we want to make for ourselve a heaven,
we have got to picture all that we value
noblest and best. | hold that it is the
duty of the Christian to interpret not the
letter, but the spirit of revelation, and
many good people will no doubt DO
shocked to hear me say that you may
take the theory on which the Scripture
was employed to represent Heaven, and
then, instead of those fgnres you may
take your own, and make your own fig
ures of Heaven. Now, Mary is not
mentioned in the Apocalypse, but the
Mary who left you heart broken, and
went up into Heaven, you can never for
get; and then. when your old father,
who was prophet, priest, lover and
friend TO you, disappeared from your
sight, and went to join other friends in
another land, then you began to people
Heaven with familiar faces and Heaven
begius to get full of people, and you
have made of Heaven vast land inhab
tied by departed friends.
The reason, then, Of the indistinctness
Of teaching in the New Testament is ap-
parent. We are not developed. We are
not prepared to understand the things
that lie beyond us. We see through a
glass darkIy. but by-and bye we shall
see face to face. For instance, the lower
casses of society-the gross and animal
and even vieious-cannot understand
the condition of pure, virtuous, and re-
fined i,mily. In other words the bot
tom of society cannot understand the
| ton. but the top can understand the bot