Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-12-20

OF all the sixteen thousand millions Of
children that statisticiahs say have gone
into the future world, there is not enc Of
them dead, and the Kings wagons will
take you up to see them.
You often think how glad you will be to
| see them. Have you never thought, my
brother, my sister, how glad they will be
to see you? Jacob was no more glad to see
Joseph than Joseph was to see Jacob
Every time the door in Heaven opens, they
look to see if it is you coming in. Joseph,
once standing in the palace, burst out cry.
ing when he thought of Jacob-afar of.
And the Heaven Of your little ones will not
be fairly begun until you get there. All
the kindnesses shown them by immortals
will not make them forget you There they
are, the radiant throngs that went out
from your homes! ! throw a kiss
to the sweet darlings. They are all
well now in the palace. The
crippled child has a sound foot
now. A little lame child says: ma, will I
be lame in Heaven" "No, my darling,
you won't be lame in Heaven" A little
sick child says: 'Ma, will I be sick in
Heaven" 'No, my dear, you won't be sick
in heaven" A little blind child says:
'Ma, will be blind in Heaven?" "No, my
dear, you won't be blind in Heaven" They
are all well there.
In my boyhood, for some time we lived
three miles from church, and on stormy
days the children stayed at home, but
father and mother always went to church;
that was a habit they had. On those
stormy Sabbaths when we stayed at home,
the absence of our parents seemed very
much protracted; for the roads were very
bad and they could not get on very
fast. So we would go to the window
at twelve O'Clock to see if they were COM
ing, and then we would go at half past
twelve to see if they were coming, and at
a quarter to one, and then at one O'Clock.
After awhile, Mary, or David, or Dewitt
would shout: THE wagons coming" and
then we would see it winding out of the
woods, and over the brook, and through
the lane, and up in front of the old farm
house; and then we would rush out, leav-
ing the doors wide open, with many things
to tell them, asking them many questions.
Well, my dear brethren, think we are
many of us in the Kings wagons, and we
are on the way home. The road is very
bad and we get on slowly, but after awhile
we will come winding out of the woods
through the brook of death and up in front
of the old Heavenly homestead; and our
departed kindred who have been waiting
and watching for US, will rush out through
the doors and over the lawn crying: ''The
wagons are coming! the Kings wagons
are comingn Hark! the bell of the City
Hall strikes twelve. Twelve O'Clock on
earth and likewise it is high noon in
Heaven.
Does not the subject of to-day take the
gloom out of the thoughts that would
otherwise be struck through with mid
night? We used to think when we died
we would have to go afoot, sagging down
in the mire and the hounds of terror might
get after US, and if we got through into
Heaven at all, we would come in torn, aud
wounded and bleeding. remember when
my teeth chartered and my knees knocked
about death; but have come to think that
the grave will be the softest bed ever
slept in, and the bottom of my feet will
not be with the passage of the Jordan.
"Them that sleep in Jesus will God bring
with him."
1 was reading Of Robert Southey, who
said he wished he could die far away from
his friends-like a dog, crawling into
corner and dying uncbserved. Those were
surrounded by loved ones, so that they
with US may hear the glad, sweet, jubilant
announcement: '"rhe Kings wagons are
coming" Hark! 1 hear them now. Are
they coming for you or me?