The Russellville Democrat., 1890-07-24


 nize them as Moses and Elias. Now, if those disciples standing on the earth could recognize these two spirits who had been for years in Heaven, do you telA me that we, with our heavenly eydsight, will not be able to recognize thdse who have gone out from among us pnly five, ten, twenty, thirty years ag42
 The Bible indicates, over and over again, that the angels know each other; and then the Bible says that we are to be higher than the angels, and if the angels have the power of recognition, shall not we. who arc to be higher than they in the next realm, have as good eyesight and as good capacity? What did Christ mean, in His conversation with Mary and Martha, when He said: 'gThy brother shall rise again2" It was as much as to say: Don't cry. Don't wear yourselves out with this trouble. You will see him again. Thy brother shall rise again." The Bible describes Heaven as great home cir cle. Well, now, that would be very queer home circle where the members did not know each other Tho Bible describes death as a sleep If we know each oth- CT before we go to sleep, shall we not know each other after we get up? Oh, yes. We will know each other a great deal better than now. "For now" says the apostle, i've see through a glass darkly, but then face to face" It will be my purified, enthroned and glorified body gazing on your purified, enthroned and glorified body.
 Now, demand. if you belive the Bi- ble, that you take this theory of future recognition out of the realm of specula- tion and surmise into the region of posi- tive certainty, and no more keep say ing; II hope it is so; l have an idea it is so; I guess it is so." Be able to say, with all tue concentrated energy of body, mind and soul: q know it is so."
 There are, in addition to these Bible arguments other reasons why I accept this theory. In the first place, becanse the rejection of it implies the entire obliteration of our memory. Can it be possible that we shall forget for ever 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? Abraham said to Dives: "Son, remember" If the exiled and lost remember, will not the enthroned remember? You know very well that our joy in any circumstance is aug mented by tho championship of our friends. We can not see picture with less than four eyes, or hear song with less than four ears. We wantsome one beside us with whom to exchange glances and sympathies and I suppose the joy of Heaven is to be augmented by the fact that we are to have our friends with us when there rise before us the thrones of the blessed, and when there surges up in our ears the jubilate of the saved. Heaven is not contrac- tion, it is an expansion. If l know you here I will know you bet ter there. Here I see you with only two eyes, but there the soul shall have million eyes. It will be immortality gazing on immortality ransomed spirit in colloquy with ran somed 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 we will be big ger fools in Heaven than we are here?"
 Again, accept this doctrine of future recognition because the worlds ex- pectancy afflrms it. In all lands and ages this theory is received. What form of religion planted il? No form of re- ligion, for it is received under all forms of religion. Then, argue sentiment, feeling, an anticipation, universally planted, must have been God-implanted, and if God-implanted it is rightfully inn planted. Socrates writes: Who would not part with great deal to purchase ting with orpheus and Homer? If it be true that this is to be the consequence of death, l could even be able to die often" Among the Danes, when master dies his servant sometimes stabs himself that he may erye his master in the future world. Cicero, living before Christ's coming, said; 70 glorious day, when I shall re- tire from this low and sordid scene, to associate with the Divine eassemblage of departed spirits, and not only with the one l have just now mentioned, but with my dear Cato, the best of sons and most faithful of men. If I seemed to bear his death with forti- tude, it was by no means that I did not most sensibly feel the loss I had sustained. It was because l was supported by the consoling reflection that we could not long be separated" The Norwegian believes it. The Indian believes It The Greenlander believes it The Swiss believes it. The Turk believes it. Under every sky, by every river, in every zone, the theory is adopt cd; and SO I say principle universally implanted must be God-implanted, and hence right belief. The argument is irresistible.
 Again, think that one reason why we ought to accept this doctrine is be- cause we never in this world have an opportunity to give thanks to thoso to whom we are spiritually indebted. The joy of Heaven, we are told, is to be in- augurated by review of life's work. These Christian men and women who have been toiling for Christ have they seen the full extent of their work? Oh, no. In the church at Som eryilie, N. J., John Yredenburgh preached for great many years. He felt that his ministry was failure, and others felt so although he was faithful minister preach ing the Gospel all the time. He died, and died amid discour- agements, and went home to God; for no one ever doubted that John Yreden- burg was good Christian minister A little while after his death there came a great awakening in Somerville, and one Sabbath two hundred'souls stoo5 up at the Christian altar espousing the cause of Christ, among them my own father and mother And what was peculiar in re- gard to nearly all of those two hundred