The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-04
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES
Mr.. Hepwortn ON Heaven.


The Rev. Mr. Hepwortn yesterday morning
preached before lull congregation in his church,
taxing his ext from the thiI teentn verse OF the
fifth chapter OF the First Epstle OF John-"Thess
things have written unto You that believe In the
name Of the Son of God. that ye may know that
ye have eternal ie.n Tae eDiste put the authority
OF belief in an immortal lie where 1t belonged
on the promises which GOO had made through
Christ. The natural man may have glimpse Of
this state BY Christian lights; the nat
ural man might nave longings ana hopes,
but those are only fruit when migns
fail to the ground when the first
frost nipped II, or 1t might grow into ripe frutt
in the autumn; but he who trusts implicitly
upon The words the Lord has uttered lives IA No
uncertainty, but is as sure OF entering another
lie as he Is OF the lie in which ne now s. We
were acquainted with some or those who had gone
to Sleep but where had they awakeneIs WHAT
were they doing? Should we never see them
AGAIN. How Insignificant to us were things about
us when compared with suoh a problem as this4
We might sit down az eventlde until We
saw the heightened shadows Of the New
Jerusalem, but after oil the bitter taste
oil possible doubt existed, and our tears n0wed
airesn. Where then, IN the wide world were we 70
ind o fixed belief upon this question OF future
state, which was the point upon wnlca our du !es
and our hopes turned With some OF the present
lore they would solve G,e probe III .Or themselves.
Those OF them VINO were young were not Withyus
tnelr Thoughts on the suoject oi uture existence
Tor iatners, sons ana orotner5 mad gone and p;n-
etraleu the my stery. Out no nu nLn vision c0Md
penetrate iii . ats darAness; No returning loot
steps hau Dccn discovered
Let hi speak to them upon that state which
was called heaven. Inc people OF every nation
seemed to nave an idea oi iulure HE. No nation
had ever existed witlout IT, lnere were those
curious TN ngs ABOUT heaven that tney could not
I'm ne
thought. No man could conceive the gI0rles u
the future any more than ne could perceive inc
perfume vi movers wiLn0us the Odor. Br0tal ma
lIOns hau brutal heaven; CHRISTIAN nations nad
sentiment o. enJoynlcnt IN II. Inc American Indian
and his dog would DC united and where
has wigwam would never be torn DOWN; Wnere nis
little ones would play about his Homestead ZOE
ever and where tncrc would be no more SORROW
Even the rude scandinavian hyea IN cOntempiA-
turlous over ms enemies Iom sunrise TO sunset,
and wnere ne would drink out OF tue skulls " w
vanquisned foes Inc Indian carried 70 NJ nearsn
carried ms enemies and has hatred 20 Ills paraose
the indian could not conceve o. aoy co nerss
by forests dotted by running rivucts and Quiet,
giistening laxes The CHRISTIAN passed u ON Naxa-
rutn 70 Jerusalem; he dreamed o. something
brighter ms general tone 0. lne had Deen eie-
vaied, his feeIngs were deeper, ms sympatnies
the uer.ssan and supplemented his lu,ure homo.
We looked forward 10 that 0tner anu where we
M or sorrow, but eternal hight ana JOY.
- 90. a nom ,or us Ho mucn was implied IN
the term .nOme ~ Persons VINO mad travelled In
| k,urOpe could well appreciate H. Ihey got SICK
and tired, after having sraveneo rom place 20
during the nrsg week Of lfclr s0JOura th0ugnt
/ rnr,sa paradise; IN u few weeks more IL became
/ tedious ana they .onged LOT their nome. They
| went 20 Germany ana whirled ABOUT Ia railroad
cars until they slcEened u perpetual travel bus
/ tney entertained nope; II was Tor That sweet
little homestead In New England on hill side,
! or the other nome Ia the CITY, because you have
| made that haDitatiOn your home so long. Heaven
| WAS such q home, and we await mere until the
| King sends word That lie requires us to attend IN
| foundation stone OF the Christian rcigi N. We
| were told that there would be no night there-n0
! darkne5s. NO, everything would be made Gear 10
our facult1es There Was no night In heaven.
SHALL WE MEET IN HEAvENY
Did they believe that they would meet together In
| heaven ana II 80, would they Know one anVtherY
Would ne see ms aged latief there or MS dear ana
! vencrated mother VINO nad so often watched ~
his bedside Could they think that privilege would
! he den.ed-the recognition OF those whom t1ey
nad lovedf We're they only TO meet az strangersr
! II ne knew himself why should he not be aple 70
KNOW Others how could ne help knowing
tnem2 they would not be like fragments
/ !yins side by side, but would resemble
skein OF SILK, perfect whole. so II would Oo
with his father and mother anu children. he nao
part OF his rather ia him anu ne knew that the 90
man s,ui thought OIL nim and that ms dear motnor
hhd not forgotten MIN. sue ixC not forgotten nim
here and could They think sue would ,0rBet MIN ia
| tile presence OF Iilm to whom she had 80 oitcn
prayeir Yes, we should know ana love one an I
Otner IN Heaven we had done Wnllc on the cdIth.
Let them take tne lignt the scriptures IN 'neir
hands; 1t would xuide them through All darkness
! AMI cad tLem inl0 eterna e-tnto Heaven itseli..