Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-07-25
the angels: and if the angels have the power

brother shall rise AGAIN. It was as much as
to say, Don't cry. Don't wear yourself out
with this trouble. You will see Him again.
Thy brother shall rise again"
The Bible describes heaven as great
home circle. Well, now. that would be a
very queer home circle where the members
did not know each other. The Bible de-
scribes death as sleep. If we know each
other before we go TO sleep shall we not
know each other after we wake up: On,
yes We will know each other a great deal
better then than now; for now" says the
apostle we see through glass darkly, but
then face to face" 1t Will be my purified,
enthrOned and glOrified body gazing on your
purified, enthroned and glorifed body.
Now | demand, If you believe the Bible,
that you take this theory Of future recOgni-
ton out OF the realm Of speculation and sur
mise into the region of positive certainty,
and no more keep saying: 4 hope it is so [
have an idea it is so, / guess it is So" Be able
TO say, with all the concentrated energy Of
body, mind and soul, I know it is So"
There are in addition to these Bible argu-
ments other reasons why [ accept this
theory. In the first place because rne reTec-
ton of it implies the entire obliteration of
our memory Can it be possible that we
shall forget forever those with whose walk
look, manner we 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"
enthroned remember?
You know very well that our Joy in any
circumstance IS augmented by the cOmpan-
iOnship of our friends. We cannot see pic
ture with less than four eyes or hear a song
with less than four ears. We want some one
beside US with whom to exchange chances
and sympathies, and | 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
oy,I fhoV@o inc
the jubilate of the saved. Heaven is not a
contraction; it is an expansion. If know
you here will know you better there. Here
see 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 ransomed 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 bigger fools in heaven than
we are here?
Again | 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, argue. senti-
ment, feeling, an anticipation, universally
planted must have been God implanted, and
If God implanted it is rightfully implanted
a great deal TO purchase meeting with Or
pheus and Homer? If it be true that this is
to be the consequence OF death L could even
be able to die often"
Cicero, living before Christ's coming, said:
ooh, glorious day when shall retire from this
low and sordid scene to associate with the
divine assemblage of departed spirits, and
not only with the one have just now men
toned, but with my dear Cato, the best of
sons and the most faithful of men. X
seemed to bear his death with fortitude it
was by no means that I did not most sensibly
feel the loss had sustained. It was because
I 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 adopted, and 50 say q
principle universally implanted must be God
implanted, and hence right belief. The ar
gument is irresistible
Again I adopt this theory because there
are features of moral temperament and feat
ures of the soul that will distinguish 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? Oh, no. It 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 no resurrection, still the soul has enough
features and the disposition has enough feat
ures to make US distinguishable. | I'M
derstand how in sickness a 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
in ynTH hoy an fn
give thanks to those to whom we are splr-
itually indebted. The JOY Of heaven, we are
told, is to be inaugurated by a review of
lifes 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 a great many
years. He felt that his ministry was fail
ure, although he was faithful minister,
preaching the Gospel all the time. He died,
and died amid discouragements and went
home to God; for no one ever doubted that
John Vredenburgh was a good Christian
minister. A little while after his death
there came great awakening in Somer-
vile, and one Sabbath two hundred souls
stood 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
souls was that they dated their religious i'm
pressions from the ministry Of John Vreden-
burgh. Will that good Christian man be-
fore the throne of God never meet those
souls brought to Christ through his instru-
mentality? Oh, Of course he will know them
| remember one Sabbath afternoon, borne
down with the sense of my sins, and know
ing not God, | took up Doddridge's Rise
and Progress" Oh, what dark afternoon
it was, and | read the, chapters and | read
the prayers, and | tried to make the prayers
my own. Oh, 1 must see Philip Doddridge.