The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-07-07
NO SECT IN HEAVEN.

But the aged father did not mind;
And his long gown foated out behind,
As down to the stream his way he took,
His pale hands clasping gilt-edged book.
"Im bound for heaven and, when I'm there,
I 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 poor old father tried in vain
A single step in the flood to gain.
I saw him again on the other side,
But his silken gown foated on the tide;
And no ono asked, in that blissful spot,
Whether he belonged to "the Church" or not.
Then down to the river Quaker strayed;
His dress of sober hue was made;
'Nfy coat and hat must be all of gray;
cannot go any other way"
Then he buttoned his coat straight up to his chin
Aud steadily, solemnly, waded in,
And lis broad-brimmed hat he pulled down tight,
Over his forehead 80 cold and white
But strong wind carried away his hat;
A moment he silently sighed over that;
And then, as he gazed to the further shore,
The coat slipped off, and was seen no moro.
As he entered heaven, his suit Of gray
Went quietly sailing away, away;
And none of the angels questioned him
About the width of his beavers brim.
Next came Dr. Watts, with bundle Of Psalms
Tied nicely up in his aged arms
And hymns as many, q 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 and Hymns in the waves went down.
And after him, with his MSS,
Came Wesley, the patron of godliness;
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 the manuscripts, up to the throne.
Then, gravely walking, two saints by name,
Down to the stream together came;
But, as they stopped at the rivers brink,
saw one saint from the other shrink.
"Sprinkled or plunged, may ask you, friend,
How you attained to life's great cnd?"
"Tsus, with few drops on my brow.
"But Ihave been dipped, as you'll see me now
"And 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 go that way, and I'll go this"
Then straightway plunging with all his might,
Away to the left-his friend to the right
Apart they went from this world sin,
But at last together they entered in.
And now, when the river was rolling on,
A Presbyterian Church went down;
OF women there seemed an innumerable throng,
But the men could count as they passed along.
And, concerning the road, they could never agree
The old or the ner way, which could 1t be,
Nor ever moment paused to think
That both would lead to the rivers brink.
A sound of murmuring, long and loud,
Came ever up from the moving crowd;
"You'rc in the old way, and I'm in the new;
That is the false, and this is the true y
Or "Pm in the old way, and you're in the new;
Tadi is the false, and hi; is the true"
But the Brethren only seemed to speak,
Modest the sisters walked, and meek
And if ever one Of them chanccd 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,
A voice arose from the brethren then
'Let no one speak but the holy men,
Forhave ye not heard the words of Paul,
"Oh, L.: the women keep silence ALL"
watched them long In my curious dream,
Till they stood by the borders of the streami
Then, just as thought, the two ways met;
But all the brethren were talking yet
And would talk on, till the heaving tide
Carried them over side by side
Side by side for the way was one;
The toiisome 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.