The New York herald., 1879-03-03
CHRISTIAN CONSOLATION.
''sHALL WE KNOW EACH OTHER IN HEAVEN ?"-
REV. t. DE WITT TALMAGE IN ST. LOUIS.
GBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.1

KEW. Il. DE WITT TALMAGE IN ST. LOUIS.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.l
ST. LOUIS. No.. March 2, 1879.
The Rev. T. De Witt TalmaRe. d. d. of the Brook
lyn Tabernacle preached here to-day in the Central
Presbyterian Church, of which DIR. Brank is pastor.
corner of Lucas and Garrison avenues The edifice
crowded to its utmost capacity. DR.. Talmage
read lesson. descriptive of the wall of heaven. from
the Book of Revelation. He preached on the ones
ton 'Shall We know each other in heaven?" The
text taken from H. Samuel, xii. 23-T shall go
to him."
There is a very sick child said DR.. Talmage, in
the abode Of David the King. Disease which stalks
up the dark lane Of the and puts its smothering
hand on the lip and nostrl of the man and master.
also knocks at the palace door and bending the
pillow. blows into the face Of young prince the
frosts of pain and death Tears wine to the King
of Terrors. Seven days have passed There are in
that great house two eyelids gently closed two little
hands folded two little feet silent heart still.
The servants to bear the tidings to the king.
He wipes away the tears from his eyes and clears the
choking grief from his throat and exclams II shall
go to him." Was David right or wrong9 If we part
on earth will we meet again in the next world? Is
this doctrine of future recognition Of friends in
heaven guess myth whim. or is it granite
foundation upon which to build glorious hope?
POSITIVE CERTAINTY"
The object of this sermon is to take this theory
out of the region Of surmise and speculation into
the region Of positive certainty. believe that can
bring an accumulation of argument to bear upon
this matter which will prove the doctrine of future
recognition plainly that there Is any heaven at
and that the kiss of reunion at the celestial gate will
be certain the dying kiss at the door of this
sepuchre. The doctrine is not often positively
stated in the Word Of God implied. and you know.
<ha<x pal1 tboo otv
of affirmation. What consolation would it be to
David to go to his child if he would not know him
We read in the first book of the Bible Abraham
died and gathered to his people, Jacob died and
gathered to his people, Moses died and was
gathered to his people What people? Why their
friends their comrades, their old companions. It
cannot mean anything else. SO in the very begin
ming of the Bible four times that is taken for
granted. The whole New Testament is an arbor over
which this doctrine creeps like q luxuriant vine.
full of the purple clusters of consolation The Bible
says to be higher than the angels and they
good eyesight and as good capacity? Why, Paul
talked about meeting his congregation in heaven and
recognizing them.
The rejection Of this theory implies the entire
obliteration of our memory. Can it be possible that
shall forget forever those with whose walk. look
manner we have been so long familiar? Will death
come and with sharp keen blade hew away this
faculty of memory? You know very well that our
JOY in any circumstance is augmented by the COM
panionship Of our friends. We cannot see picture
with less than four eyes. or hear song with less
whom to exchange glances and sympathies, and
suppose the JOY of heaven is to be augmented by the
fact that we are to have onr fresde with u.s.
Heaven is not bedwarfing-iti is an expansion. Here
l you with only two eyes. but there the soul
shall have million eyes. 1t will be immortality
gazing immortality, ransomed spirit in colloquy
with ransomed spirit, victor beside victor. When
John Evans the Scotch minister. was seated in his
study, his wife came in and said to him, my dear,
do you think we will know each other in heaven"
He turned to her and said, my dear. do you think
will be bigger fools in heaven than we are here?
Again. 1 accept this doctrine of future recognition
because the worlds expectancy afirms it, In all
lands and ages this theory is received and under all
forms OF religion. Under every sky. by every river
in every zone the theory is adopted, and 30 say q
principle universally implanted must be God i'm
planted, and hence right belief. The argument is
irresistible.
FEATURES OF THE SOUL.
Again adopt this theory because there are fea-
lures of moral temperament and features Of the soul
that will distinguish forever. How do We know
each other in this world? Is it merely by the color
of the eye the length of the hair the facial proper
tions? Oh. no! 1t is by the disposition well.
using the word in the very best sense and not in the
bad sense and IL in the dust our body should perish
aud lie there forever, and there should be resur-
rection still the soul has enough features and the
disposition has enough features to make distin-
guishable. can understand how in sickness a man
may become delirous that he will not know his
friends, but will be blasted with such Insult
erable diocy that standing beside best friends
for all eternity will never guess who they are?
MOTHERS JOY.
Never in this world have opportunity to
give thanks to those TO whom spiritually in
debted. Tho Joy Of heaven. we are told. is to be
augurated by review of lifes work. There is
mother before the throne OF God. You say her JOY
is full. Is it? You say there can be no augmenta-
ton of it. Cannot there be? Her a
derer and a vagabond the earth when that good
mother died. He broke her old heart. She left him
in the wilderness OF SIM Years pass. and that son
repcnts of his crimes and gives his heart to God and
becomes useful Christian and dies and enters the
gates of heaven. You tell me that that mothers JOY
the and the mother. "Oh!' she to the
angels of God. rejoice with me- The dead is alive
again and the lost is found. Hallelujahl never
pected to see this lost one come back
CROSSING THE RIVER.
One more reason why am disposed to accept this
doctrine of future recognition is, that so many in
their last hour earth have confirmed this theory
/ speak not OF persons y>io have been delirious in
thor last moments and knew not what they
about, but of persons who died calmly and who
not naturally superstitious. Often the glorcs
Of heaven have struck true the dying pillow % and the de
who had gone away from him. How often IL Is that
in their dying moments parents see their departed
children and children their departed parents. /
down to the banks Of the Mohawk River. 1t
was evening. and wanted to go the river. and
so waved my hat and shouted; and after awhile
saw some one waving on the opposite bank, and l
heard him shout, and the boat came across and got
in and was transported. And so suppose 1t will
be in the evening of our lite. We will
come down to the river of death and
give signal to our friends on the other shore and
they will give signal back to us. and the boat comes
and departed kindred are the oarsmen. The Ares
of the setting day will tinge the tips of their paddles
In my first settlement at Belevilie plain man said
to me :-"what do you think heard last nightf I
was In the room where OF my neighbors was
dying. He was good man. and no said that he heard
the angels of God singing before the throne.
haven't much poetry about me, but listened aud
heard them too" Said ], II have no doubt Of it,"
Why, TO be taken up 10 heaven Mt last by min
istcring spirits. Who are they TO bef souls that
went up from Madras or Antioch or Jerusalem? Oh,
no. our glorihcd Kindred are going to troop around
Heaven Is not stately, formal place. ~ some
times hear 1t described very frigdty Of splendor,
where people stand cold foralite- and go around
about with heavy crowns of gold on their heads.
GLORIOUS CONSOLATION.
Now bring you this glorious consolation Of future
recognition. IL you could get this theory into your
heart IL would lift = great many shadows that
stretching across II. When was q lad used to 40
out TO the railroad track and put my down the
track. ana could hear the express train rumbling
miles away and coming on; aud to-day, my friends,
IL only had faith enough, we could put our ear
down to the grave of our dead and listen and hear
in the distance the rumbling of the chariots Of
resurrection victory. Oh, heaven, sweet heaveni
You do not spell heaven you used to spell IT,
When you want to spell that word you
niace side nv side tho fares % ,ha ,<....d