Daily Republican., 1878-12-05
No SECrIN HEAVEN.

| fThe following versrs, In the form OF a nea
little tract. were sent by az. Episcopal lady I
. Presbyterian lady friend The lesson the
teach will, we think, he appreciated by tru
Christians ofevery denomination.
Talking o. sects TIL late one sve,
OF tho yariou. doctrines the saints believe,
That night stood, In u troubled dream,
BY the side of darkly flowing stream.
And a "Churchm D" down to the river came
| When heard strange voice call his name
Good 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 f1oated out behind
/ As down to the stream his wa, he took.
His pale hands clasplng giltedged book.
/ Il IN bound 'or heaven. and when I'm there
! shall want my book OF Common Prayer;
And though put on a starry crown,
! should ieel quite lost without my gown"
| Then 10 iixed hi. eye on the shining track
But bis gown was heavy, and held him back
And the poor old father tried In vain.
A single steI In the flood To gain.
| saw him again on the other side.
But his silk gown float d on the tide,
md no one asked, In tn 1T blissiul sppt,
Whether he belonged 70 "the Church" or not.
Then down to the river Quaker stray ed;
His dress Of n sober hue was made;
My coat and hat must be all Of gray;
cannot 20 any other way"
Then he buttoned his coat straight up to his
chin.
And staidly, solemnly waded In,
And his broad brirnmed hat he pulled down
tight
-, y 4 a
But n strong wind carried away his hat;
moment he silently sighed over that
AMI then. AS we | y zed to the further shore,
Thc coat slipped of. and was seen no more.
Az he entered heaven, his suit Of gray
Went quietly sailing away, away!
And none Of the angels questioned him
About the width of his beavers br!m.
Next came DR.. Waats, with bundle Of Psalms
Tied nicely up, IN his aged arms
And hymns rs many, a very wise thing.
That thepeople In heaven, "ali around might
sing.
But thought that he heaved an anxious
As he saw the river ran broad and high,
A I'd looked rather surprised rs, one by one,
The Palms and Hymns in the wave went
down.
And after him, with his MSS,
anne Wesley the pattern OF godlincss:
But he cried, Dear me what shall do'
rhe water has soaked them through and
through"
nd there on the river far and wide,
AWAY they went down the swollen tide;
A nd the saint, astonished, passed through
alone,
Without his manuscripts, up TO the throne.
Then, gravely walking, two saints by name
Jown 10 the stream Together came;
But. as they stopped at the rivers brink,
saw one saint from the other shrink.
'Sprinkled or plunged, may lask you, friend.
How you attain 10 llfe's great end?"
Thus with u few drops on my brow.
3ut have been dipped, as you'll see me now
And really think 1t will hardly do,
Is I'm close communion. tn cross with you
ou're bound. know. to the realm Of bliss,
3ut you must 20 that way, and I'll go this
hen straightway plunging with all his might,
Away to the lett, hts friend u the right.
part they went from this world OF sin,
Sui at last together they entered in.
hDN, NheH tHe FlNeT WAS On,
Presbyterian Church went down;
u women there seemed an innunerable
throng
,ut the men could count as they passed
along.
md, concerning the road. they could never
agree,
he old OF the nep way, which 1t could be,
Tor ever moment paused TO think i
hat both would lead to the rivers brink
nd u sound OF nurmuring, long and lsud
tine ever up from the moviug crowd; I
You're In the old way, and I'm In the new,
nat 10 the false, and this Is the true
'r, I'm In the old way and you In the new
hat is The filse. AM this Is the true"
Iut the brethren only seemed to speak; a
lodest the sister walked, and meek, ,
nd II ever one OF them chanced TO say
J hat troubles she met with on the way,
ow she longed to pass to the other side, q
or feared 10 cross over the swelling tide.
vote arose from the brethren thon:
Let no enc speak but the holy mem
or have you not heard tho words of Paul:
h, let the women keep silence all :"
watched them long, In my curious dream. y.
Ill they stood by the borders OF the stream.
.el, lIst as thought. the two ways met: !
ut all the brethren were talking yet, I
nd would talk on, till the heavinX tide
arried them over side by side {
ldo by side, Tor the way was one; |
he totlsome journey OF lite was done q
nd all who In Christ, the Saviour, died,
anne out alike on the other side. i
o forms, or crosses, or books had they;
o gowns OF silk, or suits OF gray;
o creeds to guide them, or MSS; a
er all had put on Christ's righteousness. l.