The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-04

q while the father comes, and now they are
all here, and they have time of great cou-
graduation and a. very pleasant reunion. Well,
it is just SO with our families: they are emf"
grating to a better land. Now, one goes out.
OH how hard it is to part with him! Oh,
how hard it is to part with him. Another goes.
Oh how hard it is to part with her! And an
other,and another, and we ourselves VIII aftera
while 90 over, and then we will be together.
Oh, what a reunion DO you believe that?
Eyes" you say. You do not You do
not believe it as you believe other
things. If you did, and with the
same emphasis, why, it would take nine
tenths of your trouble oil yourIheart. The fact
is, heaven to many OF us is great fog. 1t is
away off somewhere, filed with an uncertain
and indefinite pulsation. That is the kind of
heaven that many of us dream about: but 1t is
the most tremendous fact in all the universe
this heaven of the gospel. Our departed
friends are not afioat. The residence in which
you live is not SO real as the residence in
which they stay. You are atloat, you who do
not know in the morning what will happen
before night. They are housed and safe for
ever Do not, therefore, pity your departed
friends who have died in Christ. They
do not need any OF your pity. You
confidence to Queen Victoria on her obscurity,
or to the kotchilds on their poverty, as to pity
those who have won the palm. DO not say OF
those who are departed, Poor child"' Poor
father!" Poor mother" They are not poor.
shattered-not they. You do not dwell much
with your families in this world. All day long
you are off to business. Will it not be pleasant
when you can be together all the while? IL
you have had four children and one is gone,
and anybody asks how many children YOU
have, lido not be so infdel as to lsay three. Say
four-one in heaven Do not think
that the grave is unireadly,
You go into your room and dress for some
grand entertainment, and you como forth beau
fully appareled; and the grave is only the
place where we go to dress for the glorious
resurrection, and we will come out radiant,
radiant mortality having become immortality.
On, how much coincidence there is in this
thought! l expect to see my kindred in
heaven; I expect to see them as certainly as
/ expect to go home today. Ay, L
shall moro certainly see them. Eight or
ten Of them will come up from the graveyard
back of Somerville; and one will come up
from the mountains back of Annoy, China;
and another will come up from the sea off
Cape Hatteras, and thirty will come MP from
Greenwood, and I shall know them better
than l ever knew them here. And your
friends-they may be across the sea, but the
trumpet that sounds here will sound there.
You will come up on Just the same day. Some
morning you have oversight yourself, and you
open your eyes and see that the sun is high in
the heavens, and you say, 81 have oversight,
and must be up and Off" So you will open
your eyes on the morning of the resurrection
i'll the full blaze of Gods light, and you
Will uluSt pS up anu away. Oh
yes, you will come up, and there will be re-
union, reconstruction OF your family. l like
what Halliburton, think it was--good Old Mr..
Halburton-saidin his last moments, Il thank
God that ever lived, and that have a father
in heaven, and a mother i'll heaven, and BROTH
ers IN heaven, and sisters in heaven, and | am
now going up to see them
remark once more: our troubles in this
world are preparatiye for glory. What q
transition it was for Paul-from the slippery
deck of a laundering ship to the calm presence
of Jesusl What a transition it was for
Latimer-from the stake to a throne What
transition it was for Robert Hall
from insanity to glory! What transition it
was for Richard Baxter-from the dropsy to
the saints everlasting rest' And what a
transition it will be for you-from world Of
sorrow to a world of joy! John Holland.
when he was dying, said: ''What means this
the candles?' "No," they replied, 1--WE have
not lighted any candles" Then SAID he, Vel
come heaven" the light already beamiug upon
his pillow. 0 ye who are prosecuted in this
world your enemies will get off
the track after while, and all
will sneak we'll of you among the thrones. HoI
ye who are sick now, no medicines to take
there One breath Of the eternal hills will
thrill you with immortal vigor. And sc who
are lonesome now. there will be thousand
spirits to welcome you into their companion
ship. o, ye bereft soulsi there viii be no
grave digger's spade that will cleaye the side
of that hill, and there will be no dirge WaiIing
from that temple, The river of God, deep as
the JOY of heaven, will roll On between banks
odorous with balm, and over depths bright
with jewels, and under skies roseate with
gladness, argosies of light going down the
stream to the stroke Of Offering oar and the
song of angels! Not one sigh in the wind;
not one tear mingling with the waters.
There shall l battle my weary soul
In seas of heavenly rest,
And not wave OF trouble roll
Across my peaceful breast"