Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-07-23
Christians in Heaven.

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heaven, who were once men and women il
this world, must more than others, far NOR
than any other angels, watch those event
on earth which affect the veal or woe o
the friends who are left behind them.
How much deeper must their interest b.
in these scenes than that of the angels VIII,
have always lived in heaven ? This worlc
has been their home, the theater Of all thei
conflicts, the place Of their new birth, th,
residence Of friends whom they have loveC
with affection which can never die. Her,
they have wept tears Of anguish. Herr
they have smiled in ecstacy Of bliss.
Think Of patriot soldier boy, in oul
late war, far away in the distant South
Weary leagues are interposed between hin
and his rural Northern home. lie has a
loving heart, and his eyes we're dimmed
with tears as he left his native cottage, and
he knew that the prayers of all its inmate.
would follow him in hisperilous wanderiugs
Aud now, in bis remote encampment
how intense bis yoarnings for letters from
those loved ones lie wishes to hear
everything about father, mother, sisters,
brothers, about the food in the brook and
the tree the gale blew down; about we'd
dlngs and funerals. There is nothing too
trivial to interest him. Who is there Of
the thousand Of his regiment so anxious az
he to hear about the home he has left ?
We have an ambassador at the Court Of
Russia. His position renders him a peer
Of the highest lords In the palace of the
Empire he is an honored guest. Has he
forgotten America Has he ceased to
take an interest in the great questions
which agitate our national life Has he
forgotten the home of his childhood ?
Thousands Of miles Of ocean separate him
from the scenes of his carly life. But the
surging billows which intervene cannot
wash out his fond memories. Distance
does but add to the intensity Of his yearn-
ings to hear from the loved ones there.
Mourning widow, your Christian hus-
band has died. lie has cast a longing,
lingering, loving eye upon his wife and
children as he took his departure. He is
now an angel in heaven. His brother
angels take an interest in all that is tran
spring here. Does not he2 Their unseen
wings often pierce our serene skies, and
their noiseless footsteps often tread our
pavements and our chambers. Is he never
lured here by loves resistless yearnings 2
They have never lived here. He has.
They have no wife or child. He has.
They have never sinned, repented, found a
Saviour here. He has. Does be not then
feel an interest in earthly scenes which
they cannot feel Yes, be does; he does.
When you are moistening your pillow with
tears, he may he bending over you and
lovingly kissing those tears from your
eyes.
Orphan child, your sainted father has
not forgotten you. All the excitements Of
the camp cannot induce the absent soldier
to forget bis home. All the spleudors of
the palace aud the court cannot lead the
absent ambassador to forget his country
and the loved ones he has left behind.
All the joys Of heaven-its splendsrs, its
songs, its hallelujahs, its inexpressible and
unimaginable biss--cannot influence the
sainted husband and father to forget the
wife and child left in his early home
As God can be everywhere at all times s.
spirit being Independent of space and time
so can, perhaps, the departed saint, lift
ed up to spiritual existence, and thus
partaker Of the divine nature, share all the
rapture of heaven, and yet be cognizant of
all that is transpiring on earth. The angels
may also be endowed with powers of loco
motion Of which we can form but the faint
est conception. "The speed of angels, time
counts not" Like the flash Of thought
they can be here or there,
The loved one, who has gone to heaven
and is now an angel in those realms, may
be also still with you. He may enter your
home, share all your joys, witness all your
struggles, and sympathize in your griefs.
You, reader perhaps the child OF a saint
ed father or mother, as you here catch
faint glimpse of your heavenly home, feel
a new impulse to seek retreat in that hap
py land. You breathe the prayer of peni-
tence, and give feeble utterance to the
yearnings for holiness. Your angel father
or mother may be watching over those emo
tions with angelic, with Christ-like love-
with joy and sympathy such as celestial
spirits only can comprehend. All the angels
are active servants OF God in the great
work of the worlds redemption. know
ye not" says Paul, "that they are all
spirits, sent forth to minister to
those who shall be the heirs Of salvation?"
There is, perhaps, some young man, now
reading this page, who has a mother in
heaven-an angel there. This young man.
as he ponders these truths, and thinks Of
sainted mothers love and prayers, says, in
his inmost soul, God helping me, | will
be Christian" Tears moisten his eyes as
he exclaims, in voice which no earthly
ear can hear, "Jesus thou Son Of God, /
come to thee, weary and heavy laden. Oh.
give me rest"
No one on earth knows Of that moment
Gus change now taking place in his soul.
and which is lifting him from the doom Of
the lost to the mansions Of the blest.
"There is joy" we are told, ain the
presence of the angels of God over one
sinner that repenteth." Does not then this
think you, one of the angels, re-
joice over her sons conversion2 With an-
guish she has given him birth. She has, in
baptism, dedicated him to God. Through
long and loving hours she has sung at his
cradle,
" Hush, my dear, lie still and slumber,
Holy angels guard thy bed"
And can she now, when all her fondest
hopes are being answered, and all her fer
vent prayers are being fulfilled, can she
call upon other angels, stranger angels, to
watch over and guard her child, and yet she,
now an angel herself, does she cease to love
him2 Does she neglect him, forget him ?
Impossible
No; penitent, weeping son, your sainted
angel mother, in spirit, is with you. Her
invisible wings brood over you, her dear,
dear boy. She sheds such tears Of rapture
over your conversion as only angels can
shed. Soon in heavens mansions she will
clasp you again to her loving heart.
Perhaps even now her purple pinions
fash through the skies as she carries back