The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-03-13

tain ana Illus ~ lnbO Ju0 BlOltON Va VAS
lestial. Christs garments glow, and hi
face shines like the sun. The door o.
heaven swings open. Two spirits CONT
down and alight on that mountain. Inc
disciples look at them, and recognize
them as Moses and Elias. Now, II thost
disciples, standing on the earth, coulC
recognize these two spirits who had peer
for wears in heaven, do you tell me tina
we. with our heavenly eyesight, will no,
be able TO recognize those who have gont
out from among us only five, ten, TWEEN
twenty, or thirty years ago? II those
disciples could have recognized tDose
two who had been gone Thousands O
wears. and they not their relations, Will
not we be able to recognize our friends
our relatives, who have gone only u shorl
time? WHY, miserable Dives in he'll
looked up and recognized Abraham, and
Lazarus in his bosom; and If the de-
stroyed Dives could look up and recog'
nize those two spirits, will not others In
heaven have as good eyesightf Ihe un,
believing Jews are told by Christ that
thew in the future world would see Abra'
ham, Isaac and Jacob, while they them.
selves would be thrust out. And Will
those unbelieving Jews in the last world
be able to recognize Abraham, Isaac ana
Jacob before the throne, and we stand
ing in glory not know our best friends
from the man that died last night in an
Egyptian lazaretto2 The Bible indicates
oyer and over again that the angels
know each other, and then the Bible
saws we are to be higher than the angels;
and if the angels have the power of rec
ognition, shall not we, who are to be
| higher than they in the next realm, have
as good eyesight and as good capacity?
Why, Paul talked about meeting his
| congregation in heaven and recognizing
them. "What is our hope, our Joy or
crown of reioiCiDg2' he says. Are not
you in the presence of our Lord Jesus
Christ at his coming? and If Paul in heay
en- was to know his congregation, will
you tell me that | will not know my
people, those whom | have met in the
! dark paes of conviction, and in the dire
day of trouble, and pointed TO the Lamb
of God, the Savior and the Comforter?
What did Christ mean in his converse
ton with Mary and Martha, when he
said: "Thy brother shall rise again"
1t was as much as to say, Don't cry,
don't wear yourselves out with this trou-
BILE. You will see him again. Thy broth
er shall rise again" The Bible describes
heaven as a great home circle. Well,
now, that would be very queer home
circle, where the members did not know
each other, The Bible describes death
as a sleep. If we know each other be-
fore we go to sleep, shall we not know
each other after we wake up? 0, yes,we
will know each other great deal better
then than now; "for now" says the Apos-
tie, "we see through glass darkly, but
then face 10 face" 1t will be my puri-
fed. enthroned and glorified body gazing
on your purified, enthroned and glori-
fed body. Now, demand, if you be-
lieve the Bible, that you take this theory
of future recognition out of the realm of
speculation and surmise, into the realm
Of positive certainty, and no more keep
saving, 81 hope it is 60; have an idea it
is so; guess itis So" Be able to say with
al the concentrated energy Of body, and
mind and soul, II know it is sol"
There are, in addition to these Bible
arguments, other reasons why accept
this theory. In the first place, because
the rejection of it implies the entire OBJ
liberation of our memory. Can it be pos
sible that we shall forever forget those
with whose walk, talk, look, manner we |
have been so long familiar Will death
come with keen, harp blade, and hew
away this faculty of memory?
Abraham to Dives: Son, remember"
If the exiled and other lost remember,
will not the entbroned remember You
know very well thar our JOY in any cir
cumstanCe is augmented by the COmpan'
ionship of cur friends. We can not see
a picture with less than four eyes, or
hear a song with less than four ears. We
want some one beside us with whom we
can exchange glanCes and sympathies
and l suppose the joy of heaven is to be
augmented by the fact that we are to
have our iresde with us when there ri.
3es before us the throne of the blessed,
lud when there surges up in our ears
,he jubilate of the saved. Heaven is
lot a bedwarfng, it is an expansion. If
know you here will know you better
here. Here l see you with only two
yes, but there the soul shall have
million eyes. 1t will be immortality ga
ling on immortality-ran ransomed spirit in
.olloquy with ransomed spirit-victor
,eside victor. When John Evans, the
scotch minister was seated in his study
lis wife came in and said to him, "My q,
lear, do you think we will know each J
ther in heavenP He turned to her !,
nd said, "My dear, do you think we will :
e bigger fools in heaven than we are }
lere?" +
Again, accept this doctrine of future 3
because the worlds expect :
nCy atfirms it. In all lands and ages
his theory is received. What form Of !
eligion planted it? No form of religion, q
Or it is received under all forms Then, i
argue, sentiment, feeling an antici- 9
alton universally implanted, must have q
cen God implanted; aud if God implan. 4
I'd It, it is right. Socrates writes, "Who q
.ould not part with a great deal to pur- h
nase meeting with 0rpheus and Ho- n
ler2 If it be true that this is to be the y
of death, | could even die 8
ften. What pleasure will 1t give to live r
ith Palmades and others who suffered /"
njustly, and compare my fate with T
leirs2" Among the Danes, when mas n
n died, his servant sometimes says n
imself that he may serve the master in q
le future world. Cicero, living before h
hrisT's coming said: "0h, glorious day, Il
hen 1 shall retire from this sordid =.
enc to associate with the divine as r.
mbly Of departed spirits, and not with is is
70 one l have just now mentioned, but 8,
ith my dear Cato, the best of sons, aud ii
ost faithful of men. Ftwas my sad fate A,
lay his body on the funeral pile, when n,
the course of nature, 4 had reason to nj
,pe he would have performed the same q
st Office to me. His soul, however, did nj
1t desert me, but still looked back on q,
its fight to those happy mansions to q, ~
lich he yvaa aaaurpd I would Ona dav y,