Milford chronicle., 1889-11-29
moment having their eyes closed, and their
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moment having their eyes closed, and their
limbs stretched out for the sepulcher.
A general expecting an attack from the
enemy stands on a hill and looks through a
Geld glass and sees, in the great distance,
multitudes approaching, but has ne idea Of
their numbers. He says; Il cannot tell any
thing about them. merely know that there
are great number" And so John, without
attempting to count, says; "A great multi
titude that no man can number We are
told that heaven is place OF happiness; but
what do we know about happinessl Happi
ness in this world is only half fiedged thing:
a aowery path, with a serpent Kissing across
It; a broken pitcher, from which the water
has dropped before we could drink it; a thrill
Of exhilaration, followed by disastrous re-
actions To help us understand the ioy Of
heaven, the Bible takes US to a river. We
stand on the grassy bank. We see the waters
flow on with ceaseless wave But the filth
Of the cities is emptied into it, aud the
banks are tern, and unhealthy exhalations
spring up from it, and we fail to get an idea
Of the river Of life in heaven.
A GLORIOUS AND EVERLASTING REUNION
We getvery imperfect ideas of the reunions
Of heaven. We think Of some festal day on
earth, when father and mother were vet liv-
ing, and the children came home. A good
time thatl But it had thSs drawback-all
were not there. That brother went of 70 sea
and never was heard from. That sister-did
we not lay her away in the freshness Of her
young life, never more in this world to look
upon herl Ali there was a skeleton at the
feast; and tears mingled with our laughter
on that Christmas day. Not so with heavens
reunions. II will be an uninterrupted glad
ness. Many Christian parent will look
around and find all his children there "Ahn
he says ''can it be possible that we are all
here-life's perils overt the Jordan passed
and not one wantingi Why, even the prod
igal is here. l almost gave him up How long
he despised my counselsl but grace hath tri- /.
umphed. All herei all herel Tell the mighty
JOY through the city. Let the bells ring, and
the angels mention 1t in their song. Wave il
from the top Of the walls. All herew
No more breaking Of heartstrings, but
face to face. The orphans that were left
poor, and in a merciless world, kicked and
cufPed Of many hardships, SHALL Join their
parents over whose graves they so long wept.
and gaze into their glorihed countenances
forever face 10 face We may come up from
different parts OF the world, one from the
land and another from the depths Of the sea:
from lives affiuent and prosperous, or from
scenes Of ragged distress; but We shall all
meet inrapture and jubilee, face to face.
Many of our friends have entered upon
that JOY. A few days ago they sat with us
studying these gospel themes; but they only
Jaw dimly-now revelation hath come Your
time will also come. God will not leave you
laundering In the darkness. You stand won
Ter struck and amazed. You feel as if all
he loveliness Of life were dashed out You
tand gazing into the open chasm Of the
grave. Wait a little In the presence OF
7our departed and Of him who carries them
n his bosom, you shall soon stand face TO
ace OH that our last hour may kindle up
With This promised joy May we be able to
ay, like the Christian not long ago, depart
ng; Though pilgrim walking through
he valley, the mountain tops are cleaning
rom peak to peak" or, like my dear friend ,
nd brother, Alfred Cookman, who took his
light to the throne Of God, saying in his last
loment that which has already gone into
,hristian classics; Il am sweeping through a
be pearly gate, washed in the blood Of the c
ambr' n