Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-10-23
NO SECTS IN HEAVEN.

| Talking OF sects till late one eve.
OF the various doctrines the saints believe
That night stoOd in a troubled dream
By the side Of darkly- flowing stream
And "Churchman' down to the river came
When heard a strange voice call his name:
..tIocd father, stop! when you cross this tide
You must leave your robes on the other side
But the aged father did not mind,
And his long gown foated out behind,
As down the stream his way he took,
His pale hands elaspiDg gelt-edged Book.
Tm bound for Heaven, ant. when Pm there,
shall want my book of Common prayer;
And though put on starry crown,
shall 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 food to gain. 800.
/ saw him again on the other side, .
But his silk gown toated on the tide;
And no one asked in that blissful spot.
Whether he belonged to the church or not
Then down to the river Quaker strayed,
His dress of a sombre hue was made:
My coat and hat must be all OF gray,
cannot 60 the other way"
Then he buttoned his coat straight up to his
chin.
anu SOlCIQnll Wdueu IN,
And his broad -brimmed hat he pulled down
tight,
Over his forehead SO 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 of and was seen no more.
As he entered Heaven; his suit of gray
Went quietly sailing-away, away:
And none OF the Angels questioned him
About the length of his beavers brim-
Next came Dr. Watts with bundle OF Psalms.
All nicely tied mp in his aged arms.
And hymns as many, very wise thing,
That the people in Heaven Sall round'' might
sing.
But thought he heaved an a xious sigh,
As he saw that the river ran broad and high.
And looked rather surprised as. one by one,
The Pssnls and Hymns in the waves went
down. -
And after him, with his MSS,
lame Wesley, the pattern of godliness:
But he cried: "Dear me, what shall do?
The water has soaked them through & through.
And there on the river, far and wide,
Away they went down the swollen tide;
And the saint, astonished, passed through
alone,
Without his manucripts up to the throne.
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 endf"
Thus, with 4 few drops on my brow:
But have been dipped, rs you'll see me now:"
And really think it will not do,
Is am CLOSE communion to cross with you,
onre bound, know, to the realms of bliss,
But you must go that way, and III go this.''
Then straightway plunging with all his might
Away to the left-his friend to the right;
apart they went from this world of sin,
5ut at last together they entered in.
And now when the river was rolling on,
\ Presbyterian Church went down,
u women there seemed an lnnumerable throng
Snt the men Icould count as they passed along.
Ind concerning the road they could never
agree,
he old or the new way, which it could be,
sor even Tor q moment paused to think
hat both would lead to the rivers brink.
.nd a sound of mumuring, long and loud,
anne ever up from the moving crowd,
\ ou' re in the old way, and Pun in the new, Il
hat Is the false, and this is the true"
,r, "Pm in the old way land you're in the new,
hat is the false, and this is the true"
'ut the brethren only seemed to-speak,
lodest the sisters walked, and meek,
md if ever one of them chanced to say,
What troubles she met with on the way,
low she longed to pass TO the other side,
Tor feared to cross over the swelling tide.
voice arose from the brethren then,
Let DO one speak but the sholy men,
or have You not heard the words OF Paul,
} let the women keep silence alp" |
watched them long in my curious dream,
i'll they stood by the border OF the stream,
hen, just as thought, the Two Ways met,
tut ali the brethren were talking yet,
md would talk on, till the heaying tide,
arried them over side by side.
ide by side, for the way was one,
he to1lsome journey of life was done,
md all who in Christ the Saviour died,
anne out alike on the other side
70 forms, or crosses, or books had they,
10 gowns of silk, or suits of gray,
10 creeds to guide them, or MSS,
or all had put on Christ's righteousness.