The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-10-07
BueE.
SECTS IN HEA VEN.

UAlhlnH OI beNNh llll lhVc uhVV'Nf
OF the various doctrines the saints believe
That night stood in . troubled dream.
BY The side ora darkly flowing stream ~
And n "Churchman" down to the river came
when heard strange voice call hls name,
nGOod father stop; when you cross this tide,
You must leaye your robes on the other side
But the aged father aid not mIud,
And his long gown hoated ont behind,
AZ down to the stream his way he took,
His pale hands claspIng glltedged book
"I'm bound for heaven, and when I'm there,
Iihall want my book Of Common Prayer;
And though puton starry crown.
snouIu reel quite lost without my gown"
Then he Fixed his eyes on the shining track,
But the gown was heavy, and held him back,
And the poor old father trled In vain,
Asingle step In the food 10 gaid' tr
j saw him again on the other side, y l.1 Iag|
But his silk gown foated, on the tide, og .r
And no one asked that blissful spot ~ ...
Whether he belonged to rthe Church. or not,
Then down to the river Quaker strayed,
His dress ofsober hue was made; ..,.....
tMy coat and hat must be all Of gray,
! cannot go any other way"
Then he butloned his coat straight up 10 his chin,
And staldly, solIdly waded in, .r.
And his broad.brlmmed 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 farthershore,
His coat slipped OF and was seen no more,
As he went into heaven, his suit Of gray
Went quietly sailing -away-away
And none of the angels questioned him
About the width of his beaver brim.
Next came Dr. Watts with bundle of Psalms, .
Tied nicely up, In his aged arms,
AndhyIhns as many, very wise thing,
=, That the pepplein heaven "allround mightsing,
But thought he heaYed all ANXIOUS sigh,
As lie saw that the river ran broad and high.
And looked rather surprised as one by one
{ The Psalms and Hymnsin the waves went down,
And after him, with his MSS, '' 'i'L.' .
Came Wesley the pattern of godliness, .H
But he cried Dear me- what shall do2
I Thewater has soaked them through and through"
b And there on the river far and wide
Away they went OIL the swelling tide, 1I P.
Aud that saint, astonished, passed through alone,
without his manuscripts, up TO the throne.
Then gravey WALKING, two saints by name,
! Down the stream together came, ,av
But as they stopped atthe rivers brink,
Isaw one saint from the other shrink.
i"sprinkled or plunged, may ask you, friend,
How you attained 10 lifeS great endH ?"
"Thus with few drops on my brow" r..
1'But have been dipped, as you'll see me now"
T"And really think 1t 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 III go this"
Then straightway plunglng with all his might
Away to the lefI-his friend at the right
Apart they went from this world ofsin
BAT at last together they both entered In.
And now, when the river was rolling on,
A Presbyterian Church went down;
OF women there seemed an innumerable throng,
But themen could count as they passed along.
And concerning the road, they could never agree,
The old or the Rcp, which 1t could be,
Nor ever moment paused to think
That both would lead to the rivers brink.
And sound Of murmuring long and loud
Came up from the moving crowd,
''Youre in the old way and I'm in the now,
That is the false, and this is the true
Or I'm in the old way, and you're in the new,
Thdt is the false, and This the tTue,'
But the brethren only seemed to speak,
Modest the sisters walked, and meek,
And If ever one Of them CHANGED 10 say,
What trouble she met with on the way,
How she onged 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,
For have you not heard the words of Paul.
On, let the women keep silence allf'
! watched them long in my curious dream, II
TIL they stood by the borders Of the stream;
Then, just as | thought the two ways met, "a
But all the brethren were talking yet, t
And would talk on, till the heaving tide I'll
Carried them over, side by side
Side by sile, for the way was one,
The toilsome journey of life was done, u
And prlestaud Quaker, and all who died, Il
Came outalike on the other sideJ rtlN a
No forms or crosses or books had they, rr a
No gowns ofsllk, or suits Of gray, +" ,'"'. - 90
No creeds to guide them, or MSS, ,yEN ~
For all .had-put on 0hrists righteousness "a
t..i FtNt[.t,I Anonymous, ~