The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-07-25
MEETING IN HEAVEN.
WE SHALL RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER
IN THE OTHER WORLD.

the Reorganization of Friends and Rola-
tives in Heaven.
DR.. Talmagc preached to on cnor-
nous outdoor gathering ut Wa n,
Mimi. on Sunday His subject was,
Meeting Oar Friends in Heaven"
The eminent clergyman took for his
text Samuel, xii, 23: Il shall go to
him." His sermon was as follows:
There is very sick child in the
abode of David, the king. Disease,
which stalks up the dark lane of the
poor and puts it's smothering hand on
the lip and nostrl of the wan and
wasted, also mounts the palace stairs
and. bending over the pillow, blows
into the face of young prince the
frosts of pain and death. Tears are
wine to the king of tcrrors. Alas!
for David the king. He can neither
sleep nor eat. and lies PROSTATE on
his face, weeping and wailing until
the palace rings with the outcry of
woe.
What arc courtly attendants, or
provinces, under such circumstances?
What to any parent are splendid sur
roundings when his child is sick?
Seven days have passed on. Then in
that great house two eyelids are
gently closed, two little hands folded,
two little feet quiet, one heart still.
The servants como to bear the tldlngs
to tho kine, h,at they cannot maxi np
their minds to tell him.and they stand
at the door whispering about the mat
ter, and David hears them and he
Aolls up and says to them, us the
'chld dcad!' Yes, he is dead.
David rouscs himself up, washes HIM
self, puts on new apparel, and sits
down to food. What power hushcd
that tempest! What strength was it
that lifted up that king whom grief
had dethroncd! Oh, it was the
thought that he would come again
into the possession Of that darling
child. No grave digger's spade could
hide him. The wintry blasts of death
could not put out the bright light.
There would be Il forge somewhere
that with silver hammer would weld
the broken links. In II city where
the hoofs of the pale horse never
his lost treasure. He wipes away the
tears from his eyes, and clears the
exclaims, Il shall go to him.
Was David right OF wrong! Ii we
part Oh earth will we meet again i'll
the next world! Well" says some
one, ''that seems to be an impossible
ty. Heaven is SO large a place, we
never could find our kindred there.
Going into some city, without having
appointed time and place for meet
ing, you might wander around FOR
weeks and for months, and perhaps
for years, and never sceS each other,
and heaven is vaster than all earthly
cities together, and how are you go
ing to find your departed friend III
that country? 1t is SO vast realm
John went up Oh one mountain OF
inspiration, and hc looked off upon
the multitude, and he said, Thou
sands of thousands" Then he came
upon II greater altitude of inspiration
and looked off upon it again, and he
-:l "Tnn thnnsnnd times ten thou
or mount OF inspiration. and looked
off again, and he said, "A hundred
and forty and four thousand anG
thousands of toousand." And he
came on still greater height Of in
SpiratiOn, and he looked off again, and
exclaimed, ~ great multitude that
no man can number" Now, / ask
how are you goingt to find your friends
III such throng rs that! Is not this
idea we have been entertaining, aftcl
all Il falsity! Is this noctrine of fu
turc reorganization of friends in hcav
cka guess, a myth, whim, or is il
aSranitic foundation upon which the
soul pierced of all ages may build a
glorious hope! Intense question!
Every heart i'll this audience throbs
right into it. There is in every soul
here the tomb of ut least one dead.
Tremendous question! 1t makes
the lip quivcr, and the cheek flush,
and the entire nature thrill Shall
we know each other there! / get
letters almost every month askingmo
to discuss this subject. Igct letter
in bold, scholarly hand, on gilt edge
paper, asking me to discuss this uucs
ton, and l say, "Ah that is acurious
man, and he wants curious question
solved. But | get another letter.
1t Is written with n trembling hand,
and on what seems to be torn out
leaf of Il book, and here and there is
\ the mark of Il tear: and l say, "Oh.
that is II broken heart and it wants to
, be cOmfOrtcd.
The object of this sermon is to
take thus theory out of the region of
sulmisc and speculation into the
region of positive certainty People
say: 1T would be very pleasant if
that doctrine were true. / hope it
may be true. Perhaps it is true. |
wish it were true" But ] believe
that l can bring an accumulation of
argument to bear upon this matter
which will prove the doctrine of future
recognition rs plainly as that there is
any heaven at all, and that the kiss of
reunion at the celestial gate will be
rs certain rs the dying kiss Mt the door
OF the scpulcmc.
Now, when You are going to build