National Republican., 1883-08-27


OF man was SO early, and where Joseph seems
to us almost the only good man, and he was
foreigner there
But there were devout men dwelling for
few days at Jerusalem at Pentecost from
Egypt" and there were there, as well, for tho
nonce, devout men from Parthia, Medea,
Elan, Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Pontus,
Phirgia, Pamphilia Lydia, Rome, Crete, and
Arabia, all of which countries will be repre-
sented in that great multitude which st. John
saw And he says they wore of "all kindreds
and people and tongues" In tho title page of
q Polyglott New Testament occurs this motto;
MANY languages pertain to earth, to heaven
but one" How this can be by what new
day of Pentecost and gift of tongues they
will all speak and know the language of
Canaan. Who can toll? Yet there will be no
discord of speech or song; not oven the yari-
ance of sibboloth instead of shibboleth.
There the one speech that was lost at Babel
will bo restored to the world, and will bo
entered with one mind and voice so perfectly
that 1t will indeed bo keeping time and
tuno to the music" and speech of heaven.
Let no one therefore, when he secs or hears
Caucasian, Mongolian, Malayan, American,
or African, with all their diversities of APP
pearance and speech, doubt but each of these
races of men shall be represented by thou
sands of millions in heaven, and If wo are
asked how this can be, the answer is by the
mercy of God, through Christ tho Mediator,
by which mercy they are "sealed" unto the
Lamb. This idea of the salvation coming
through tho Lamb is recognized in the song
they all sing, saying salvation to
our God, and unto tho Lamb. In what way
Christ is known by them-whother by
preaching or by some secret discovery
to tho mind and heart, in sacrifices or
by tho still small voice of the spirit,
Bible does not tell, and we do not know and
shall not be wise above what is written. We
suppose that myriads of children will DO
there, saved too young to have learned any
thing of the letter of the law or gospel or Of
sin, aud perhaps myriads of adults will bo
there, who never knew any moro of the letter
of tho plan of salvation, but who, having tho
idea of sin and of sacrifices, will be
brought into the acceptance of Christ,
whom they igncrantly worship till he
But it is to bo noticed that tho worship there
is responsive the saints from earth striking
their songs and harps as we learn elsewhere
in Revelations with salvation unto our God,
and unto the Lamb "and then the angels Civ
ing the refrain of joy-amen blessing and
glory, &C., &C." These say less about the
Lamb, His namo being used only by the saints
of earth as their sacrifice, while the angels
sing "amen," but give ascription unto our
God forever and over And L should like to
| know how any one on earth would
enjoy that world unless he, too, could
see Christ as "the Lamb of God that
taketh away tho sins of tho world )"
and should like to know why the music of
the church on earth should not be responsive
1t was so in David's time, and aSways in the
temple service 1t is so in earSh's great
cathedrals and in most of our most churchly
churches 1t is and must be 80 in heaven. 1t
should be so in all our church music, and it
should be sung rather than said, where the
parts are poetic or capable of responsive sing
/ tn, w. oh fn ok, la ha
worship above the feeling of joy and of awe
both seeking the highest style of expression
the poetic rather than the prosaic. Again,
the worship above is with certain forms and
liturgy and ritual.
1t says this choir are clothed in white
robes" This is tigurative, perhaps, but it is
figure of the true. Now if it is proper to
borrow earthly worship from the heavenly,
we must be careful against too little form of
service, as well as too much. 1t would be
easy to say the choir there is "surpliced -
that theEsinging is with full voice and
many voiced at that, the whole congregation
singing, and as we have said responsive to
each other. And it is said a certain form of
words are sung, as we know Davids psalms
were written as liturgical service, and as
we have precomposed forms now in song
and If in song, why not now in prayer
and if heavenly worship and earthly toe
may come from the heart with forms
why may not prayers come from the hear
in using form? Nay, why not be more
hearty from the noble form used, and from
its leaving the mind and heart free to wor.
ship, without the distraction of hunting VI
words at the time for fit expression
Again, it is declared that the saints have
"palms in their hands" These denote the
| victor's joy, as the palm branch is waved aloft
amid shoutings. 1t is the redeemed frem
earth that are victors-the angels not being
spoken of as having this token and adorning,
| for they were never redeemed as men were.
| No wonder the redeemed have this sense and
| show of victory, for they were, saved when
driven to the gate and from tho jaws OF
death! Each was poor lost sinner, and for
such to escape, it were well to wave the palm
branch with the song of salvation.
Brethren, in that great number that shall
be on the heavenly hills amid all he saints u
shall you and have place. Some may be
there we did not expect. Some may be
missing that we did. The greatest wonder
will be if we ind ourselves there we know
| too well our infrmities and temptations.
| How we often dstlust and doubt and say
sadly, what, if my name shall be left out,
when thou for them shalt call; !" we know
Christ is the only hope for us, and that Gods
mercy can save the chief of sinners. We
think over the list of those who have been
great sinners on the earth, and yet were re-
covered and died in hope and joy.
Our chance for salvation is as good as theirs
if wo see Christ crucifed and accept him and
then initiate the saints in all godly living; and
remember that the chapter of our text goes
on to say of those clothed in white that they
came up through great tribulatiou, as well as
were washed in the blood of the Lamb"