The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-05
NO sECrs IN HEAVEN.

Talking of sects Till tate one eve,
Of the various doctrines the saints believe,
That night stood In n troubled dream,
BY the side of q darby lowing stream.
And n "churchnan'' down to the river came:
When heard a strange voice call US name,
Good father, stop; when you cross this tide,
You must leave your robes on the other stde.'
But the aged father did not mind,
And his long gov 1oated out behind,
AS down 10 the stream his way he took,
His pale hands clasping gi,t.edged BOOK.
I'm bound for Heaven, and when I'm there,
shall want my Book of Common Prayer;
And though put q starry crown,
l should feel quite lost without my gown"
Then he fixed his eyes on the shining track, 4
But his gown was heavy aud held him BACK,
And the poor old father tried in vain,
A single step in the food TO gain.
1 saw him again on the other side,
Rut his silk gown floated on the tide;
And no one asked In that bissful spot,
Whether he belonged TO ''the church or not.
Then down to the river Quaker stray'd,
His dress OF y sober hue WAS made;
My coat and hat must be all Of gray,
cannot go any other way r."
Then he button'd his cost straight up to his
chin,
And staidly, solemuly, waded IN.
And his broad-briInm'd hat he p"ira down
tight, I
over his forehead. so cold and white.
Eut strong wind carried away his hat;
A moment he silently sigh d over lhat,
And then as he gazed to the farther shore,
The coat sllpp'd oil, and was seen no more
As he enter'd Heaven, his suit of gray
Went quietly sailing-away-aWay,
And none IF toe angels question 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, very wise thlng, "
That the people in Heaven, "all arouhe'
might sing.
But thought that he heaved an anxious sigh,
As he saw that the river ran broad and hlsh,
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 pattern OF goodness
But he cried "Dear me, what shall dor ..
The water has soak'd them through ana
through .. .'
Aud there en- the river, far and wide,
Away they went down the swollen tide,
And the saint astonishd passed through alone,
Without his manuscripts, up 10 Inc throne
Then cravely walking, two saints by name
Down to the stream together came,
But us they stopp'd at The river $ brink
saw one saint from the other shrink.
" Sprnkled or plunged may ask you friend
How you attain'd TO life's great cad 2! . ...
= Thus, with q few drops on my brow,
" But Ihare been dipped, as you'N see me now
g." And really think II will hardly do,
As I'm CLOSE communion, to cross with you;
You're bound, know, to the realms OF bliss,
But you must 60 That way and I'll go this
And straightway plunging with all his might,
Away to the left--his friend at the right,
Apart they went from this world of suli
But at last together they entered in.
And now when the river was rolling on,
a Presbyterian church went down;
Of women there seemd a wondrous tlirong,
But the men could count MS they pass along.
And concerning the road, they never could
agree,
The old or the new way, which it should be-
Nor ever n moment paused to think
That both v ould 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 I'm in the new,
That is the false, and tbs Is the true
Or, I'm IN the old way, and you're IN Tx
That is the false, and this is the true
But the brethren only seemd TO speak,
Modest the sisters walk'd, and meek,
And If ever one of them CHANGED to say
What troubles she met with on the way,
How she long'd to pass to the other side,
Nor fear'd to cross over the swelling tide,
voice arose from the brethren then:
" Let no one speak but the holy mem
For have we not heard the words of Paul,
oh, let the women keep silence all -"
watch'd them long in my curious dream,
Till they stood by the borders OF the stream,
Then, Just as l thought, the two ways met,
But oil the brethren were talking YET,
And would talk on, till the heaying tide
Carried them over, side by side;
side by side, for the way was one,
The tot some journey of life was done,
And priest, and q ualer, and nil who 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 OH ChrIsrs righteousness.