Sharp County record., 1890-08-28

Paris, and Dresden, and Berlin, but his
conversation implies it. And so this
Bible does not so positively state this
theory as, all up and down its chapters,
take it for granted.
What docs my text imply? 81 shall
90 TO Him." What consolation would
it be to David to go to his child if he
did not know him? Would David
have been allowed to record
this anticipation for the inspection
Of all ages if it were groundless antici-
patton? We read in the first book in the
Bible, Abraham died and was gath
cred to his people. Jacob died
and was gathered % his people.
Moses died and was gathered to
his people. What people? Why, their
friends, their comrades their old COM
panions Of course it means that 1t
can not mean any thing else. So in the
beginning of the Bible four times that
is taken for granted. The whole New
Testament is an arbor over which this
doctrine creeps like luXuriant vine
full of the purple clusters of consola,-
ton. James, John and Peter followed
Christ to the mountain. A light falls
from Heaven on that mountain and lifts
it into the glories of the celestial.
Christs garments glow and His face
shines like the sun. The door of
Heaven swings open. Two spirits co =.
down and alight on that mountain.
The disciples lcoll at them and recog-
nize them as Moses and Elias. Now,
if those disciples standing on the earth
could recognize these two spirits VINO
had been for years in Heaven, do you
tell I.p that we, with our heavenly
eyesigbt, will not be able to recognize
those who have gone out from among
us only five, ten, twenty, thirty years
ago?
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 are 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
"Thy brother shall rise again? 1t
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 a great home cir
Gle. Well, now, that would be
a very queer home circle where
the members did not know
each other The Bible describes
death as sleep. If we know each 9th
er before we go to sleep, shall we not
know each other after we get up? Oh,
yes. We will know each other great
deal better than now. ''For now," says
the apostle, 1--WE see through a glass
darkly, but then face to face" 1t will
be my purified, enthroned and glorificd
body gazing on your purified, enthroned
and glorifed body. --'
Now, demand, if you belive the BIZ
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; guess it is So" BE able to
say, with all the concentrated energy
of body, mind and soul: 81 know it is
So"
There are, in addition to these Bible
arguments other reasons why ! accept
this theory. In the first place, because
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, loo's,
manner wo have been so long
familiar? VIII death come, and with a
sharp, keen blade hew away this faculty
Of memory? Abraham said to Dives:
"Son, remember If the exileu and
lost remember, will not the enthroned
remember? You xnow very we'll that
our joy in any circumstance Is aug
monted by the championship OF our
friends. We can not SEQ picture with
less than four eyes, or hear song with
less than four ears. We wantsome one
beside us with whom to exchange
glanccs and sympathies; and ! suppose
the joy of Heaven is to be augmented
by tho fact that We are to have our
friends with us when there rise before
us tho thrones of the blessed, and when
there surgos up in our ears the jubilate
Of the saved. Heaven is not contrac-
tion, it is an expansion. II | know
you hero will know you bot
ter there. Hero l see you with
only two eyes, but there the
soul shall have u million eyes. 1t 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 wo will know each other in
Iloavcn?' lie turned to her and said
"My dear, do you think we will be big
gor fools in Heaven than we arc here?'
Again, accept rhis doctrine OF future
recognition because tho worlds ox.
pectancy atirms it, In all lands AMI
apos this theory Is received What form