The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-11-16
SERMON.
Hedpen.F
by IRVING A. sEARLEs.

Tn nv Fathers house are many mansions
~ II were not so / would have told you; l go
10 prepsre place for you.-John, a. Z.
Rewards and Punishments influence us in all
the relations OF life. The soldier knows that
for cowardice be is liable to be disgraced but
for bravery there is chance OF promotion. The
student sees on the one hand the highest hon.
ors of his class and on the other, suspension
and perhaps expulsion from school. Society
says to the individual, take the right course
and our respect and esteem are yours; pursue
the wrong and the anathema OF the best circles
ars hurled against you.
In the Divine Government the same factors
of influence are employed. We are told Of
heaven and OF hell.
One week from tonight intend to speak Of
the latter, while this evening / will talk OF
heaven.
At the outset we take the position that the
Bible makes no attempt at philosophical state
ment IN it's descriptions OF heaven. The sym
bolcal rather than The philosophical method is
employed. Very much. therefore, that we
would like to know Is left in the dark.
l. Take the question, where is heaven The
Bible does not settle this beyond controversy.
We have always supposed that heaven Is
somewhere away up far above the Clouds
Planets revolve abound our sun other planets
revolve around their suns. 1t has been affirmed
by astronomers that all these worlds and null
tpied systems OF worlds that all these IN
numbered suns with their attendant planets
are marching with noiseless tread around one
cosmon centre-Jehovahs Eternal Throne.
THIS imaginary centre, around which all the
universe revolves is heaven. Here are the
angels. Here are our departed friends. Here
is Deity, who like a mighty general, controls
alike the ponderous orb and the violet that
springs up unseen amid the grass o. the mead
ow. opens it's blue lips, lifts its perfumed breath,
fulfills the mission assigned It, droops its head
and dies.
This is largely imaginary, although some
scripture utterances would seem to justify
soma such location Of heaven as the one to
which alusion is made. When Elijah was
translated "he went up by whirlwind into
heaven" When Christ left the earth he as
cended into heaven." OF his second coming 1t
Is said he will descend from heaven" But,
on the other hand. 1t is said the kingdom OF
heaven is within you
1 sometimes think that the Bible speaks Of
heaven as located so far above us, because of
the we'll known habit OF the human mind to
associate sacredness, nobleness, greatness,
subllmity, with great height or elevation. We
speak OF high-minded person or low-minded
one. We speak of high society and low society.
" tl,at
up in the world, and OF the unsuccessful one
that he is going down. Our monuments to our
heroes are elevated. Our thrones are elevated
The old-fashoned pulpit was elevated several
feet above the congregation. When the Scyth-
ians heard OF Alexander the Great, they sup
posed that he was giant IN stature. They were
surprised to find that he was considerably
under size. All nations have said that heaven
was above and hell below, In making reye-
latlon OF heaven to mind thus constituted 1t
was proper to speak of that region as being far
above our earth. II such allusions are fgura-
tive. they are III harmony with our mode OF
thinking.
do not say that this old idea OF heavens
location is incorrect. The thought / am de-
this matter But would not be surprised to
find some day that heaven is very much nearer
us than we supposed Dr. Dick proposed TO
attract the attention of another planet. AS
snmiug that the principles OF mathematics are
the ssme IN all worlds he would erect on the
plans OF Siberia some mathematical diagram
of enormous size. He was In hopes that this
might be seen by the people OF the other planet
and cause them 20 make reply by constructing
a similar diagram which By the aid of the tele-
scope might be seen by us. 1 very much doubt
whether heaven is so far away that any great {
sffort ia needed on our part to attract it's at
enton. The blind man is surrounded with
world OF beauty that he knows nothing of be- !
,auso he lacks the sense OF seeing. Mr.. lux
ey says THAT had we the sense Of hearing acute
enough, the growing OF nettle would sound
ike the rumbling OF wagon over the pave
nent. Perhaps had we the spiritual sense that t
hall ons day be given us we would find that $
leaven was all around u.s. know not, then, c
whether the soul OF my mother, when 1t left the
'Ody, sped through the upper region for untold L
Millions OF miles until it reached the imaginary O
entire or the Universe or whether that moth r
r remained very near her children, and had il
he spiritual sense that death shall bring us r
1ight see her By my side as | address you to- Il
light. With regard to heavens location, the "
lille scholar mnst plead ignorance. r
2. He is equally ignorant OF the employment o
Z heaven. What shall we do when we get a
hers2 What shall occupy the eternity before r
: /? Tie wisest answer to this IL to say that q
q do not know.
g. What language shall we use there? We .
BAD that all nations and kindred and tongues
nall be there. But the language OF heaven II
not known.
A. The mother asks, will l see my child as a "
hid IN heaven, or will it there grow until 1t is
0 longer child? The author of The Coun- o.
y Parson" speaks OF the body Of workman y
lat was found in one Of the mines Of England. IL
hose who found the remains could not identify p
lem Certain gases in the nine had preserved ~
10 body from decay, 30 that they knew not )"
DIV long the person had been dead. IL was y
,parently the remains OF a man of twenty "