The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-07-30


with less than four ears. We want some 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 1rlendS Win US wnen
there rise before US the thrones or the
blessed, and when there surges up in our ears
the jubilate of the saved. Heaven is not
contraction; it is an expansion. If 1 know
YOU here l will know you better there. Here
I Sc, you with only two eyes, but there the
soul Shall have a million eyes. 1t will be I'M
mortality gazing on Immortality, ransomed
spirit in colloquy with ransomei spirit, victor
beside victor. When John Evans, the Scotch
minister, was seated in his study his VIE
came in and said to him: MY dear, do you
He turned to her and said: "My dear, doyou
think we will be bigger fools in heaven than
we are here~
Again I accept this doctrine Of future re-
cognition because the worlds expectancy af-
firms it. In all lands and ages this theory is
received. What form of religion planted it?
No form of religion, for it is received under
all forms of religion Then, 1argue. senti-
ment, feeling, an anticipation, universally
planted, must have been God implanted, and
Il God implanted it is rightfully implanted.
Socrates writes: "Who would not part with
great deal to purchase meeting with Or
80
to be the consequence OF death 1 could even
be able to die often" :,
Cicero living before Christ's coming, said:
"Oh, glorious day when shall retire from TINS
low and sordid scene to associate with the
divine assemblage Of departed spirits, and
not only with the one have just now man
toned, but with my dear Cato, the best or
sons and the most faithful OF men. Ii
seemed to bear his death with fortltude 1t
Til ot tYr,oc
feel the loss / had sustained. 1t was because
I was supported by the consoling reflection
that we could not long be separated"
The Norwegian believes it. The lnilan
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 adopted, and so say a
principle universally implanted must be God
implante !, and hence right belief. The an
gument is irresistible.
Again adopt this theory because there
are features of moral temperament and feat
ures of the soul that will distinguish Us for
ever. How do we know each other in this
world? Is it merely by the color of the eye,
or the length of the hair, or the facial pro-
portions? On, no. 1t is by the disposition
as well, by natural affinity, using the word
in the very best sense and not in the bad
sense, and if in the dust our body should
perish, and lie there forever, and there should
be 10 resurrection. still the soul has enough
features and the disposition has enough feat
ures to make us distinguishable. | can un-
derstand how in sickness man Will become
so delirious that he will not know his own
friends: but will we be blasted with such in
sufferable idiocy that, standing beside our
best friends for all eternity, We will never
guess who they are?
Again, think that one reason why we
ought to accept this doctrine is because we
never in this world lave all opportunity to
give thanks to those to whom we are Spir-
itually indebted. The joy OF heaven, we are
told, is to be inauguratei by a review OF
life's work, These Christian men and women
who have been toiling for Christ, have they
seen the full result of their work? Oh. no.
In the church of Somerville, n. j., John
Vredenburgh preached for n great many
wears. He felt that his ministry was fail
ure, although he was O faithful minister
preaching the Gospel all thestime. He died.
and Gled amid dlScouraSe:nentS, anu WeuG
home to God; for no one ever doubted that
John Vredenburgh was a good Christian
minister. A little while after his death
there came a great awakening in Somer-
vile. and one Sabbath two hun ired souls
stood up at the Christian altar espcusng 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
souls vas that they dated their religious iul-
presslons from the ministry of John Vreden-
burgh. Will that good Christian man be-
fore the throne of Gol never meet those
souls brought to Christ through his lnstru-
mentality? Oh, of course he will know them.
remember one Sabbath afternoon, borne
down with the sense 81 my sins and know
ing not God, l took up Doddridge "RISo
and Progress" On, what a dark afternoon
it was, and I read the chapters, AMI read
tho PRAYERS. an tried to make the prayers
my own. Oh, must see Philip Doldrilge.
A glorious old book he wrote. 1t is out OF
fashion nov.
There is mother before the throne of
God. You say her joy is full. Is itf You
say there can be no augmentation OF it. Cam
not there be? Her son was wanderer anda
vagabond on the earth when that good
mother diel. He broke her old heart She
died leaving him in the wilderness OF sin.
She is before the throne Of God now. Years
pass and that son repents Of his crimes and
gives his heart to God and becomes d useful
Christian, and dies and enters the gates of
heaven You tell me that that mothers Joy
cannot be augmented? Let them confront
each other. The son and the mother. "Oh,'
she SAYS to the angles of God, rejoice with
me. The dead is alive again, and the lost is
found. Hallelujah! never expected to see
this lost one come back" The Bible says ma
tions are to be born in day. When China
comes to God will it not know Dr. Abeel?
When India comes will it not know DR.. John
Scudder? When the Indians como to God
will they not know David Brainard?
see soul entering heaven at last, with
covered face at the idea that it has done so
little for Christ and feeling borne down with
10 ;tca1 70
no right to be here" A voice from the
throne says: "Ot, you forget that Sunday
school class you invited to Christ. was one
of them." And another voice says: "You
forget that poor man to whom you gave
loaf of bread and told OF the heavenly bread.
I was that man," Aud another says: You
forget that sick one to whom you gave medi-
cine for the body and the soul. was that
one." And then Cnrist. from throne over
topping all the rest, will say: "lnasmuch as
yc did it to one of the least Of these, you did
it to Me-" And then the seraphs will take
their harps from the side of the throne and
cry: What song shall it be?' And Christ,
bending over the harpers shall say: III
shall be the Harvest Home"
One moro reason why l am disposed to ac-
cept this doctrine Of future recognition IS
that so many in their last hour OIL earth
have confirmed this theory. speak not OF
persons who have been delirious in their last
moment and knew not what they were about,
but of persons who died in calmnass and
placidity and who were not naturally super
stitious. Often the glories of heaven have
struck the dying pillow, and the departing
man has said he saw and heard those who
had gone away from him. How often it is
in the dying moments parents see their de-
parted children and children see their de-
parted parents. I came down to tho banks
of the Mohawk River. IT, was evening and |
wanted to go over the river, and so | waved
my hat and shouted, and after while saw
some one waving on the opposite bank and
heard him shout, and the boat came across