Connecticut western news., 1890-07-16

implied, and you know, my friends, that that is, after all, the strongest mode ot affirmation. Your friend travels in for eign lands. He comes home. He does not begin by arguing with you to prove that there are such places as London and Stockholm and Paris and Dresden and Berlin, but his conversation i'm plies it. And so this Bible does not so positively state this theory as, all up. and down, it's chapters take it fo1 granted THE BIBLE TAKES IT FOR GRANTED.
 What does my text imply9 II shall go to him." What consolation would it be to David to go to his child if he would not know him2 Would David have been allowed to record this an. ticipation for the inspection of all ages if it were a groundless anticipationa We read in the first book of the Bible, Abraham died and was gathered to his people. Jacob died and was gathered to his people. Moses died and was gathered to his people. What peoplei Why, their friends, their comrades, their old companions. Of course il means that. It cannot mean anything else. So in the very beginning of the Bible four times that is taken fol granted. The whole New Testament is an arbor over which this doctrine creeps like a luxuriant vine full of the purple clusters of consolation James, John and Peter followed Christ into the mountain. A light falls from heaven on that mountain and lifts it into the glories of the celestial. Christ's gar ments glow and his face shines like the sum- The door of heaven swings open Two spirits come down and alight OF that mountain. The disciples look al them and recognize them as Moses and Elias. Now if those disciples standing on the earth could recognize these two spirits who had been for years in heav en do you tell me that we, with om heavenly eyesight will not be able tc recognize those who have gone out from among us only five, ten, twenty thirty years ago9
 The Bible indicates over and ovel again that the angels know each other and then the Bible says that we are tc 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?" 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"
 GREAT HOME CIRCLE.
 The Bible describes heaven as a great home circle. We'll, now, that would be 8 very queer home circle where the members did not know each other. The Bible describes death as sleep. If we know each other before we go to sleel shall we not know each other after we wake up9 Oh, yes. We will know each other great deal better then than now, flor now," says the apostle, ''we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face" It will be my purified, enthroned and glorifed body gazing on your purified, enthroned and glorified body.
 Now I demand, if you believe the Bible, that you take this theory of fut ure recognition out of the realm o1 speculation and surmise into the region of positive certainty, and no more keer saying, 'I hope it is so; have an idea it is so; guess it is so." Be able tq say, with all the concentrated energy of body, mind and soul, 1T know il 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 forever those with whose walk, look, manner we have been so long familiar? Will death come, and with a sharp, keen blade hew away this faculty of mem, ory2 Abraham said to Dives, "Son, remember" If the exiled and the lost remember, will not the enthroned re, member?
 You know very well that our joy in any circumstance is augmented by the companionship of our friends We can, not see picture with less than foul eyes, or hear a song with less than four ears. We want some one beside us with whom to exchange glances and sympa- thies; 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 contraction, it is an expansion. If I know you here will know you better there. Here I see you with only two eyes, but there the soul shall have a 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 minis ter, was seated in bis study his wife came in and said to him, My dear, do you think we will know each other in heayen2" He turned to her and said, My dear, do you think we will be big ger fools in heaven than we are here2" THE WORLDS EXPECTANCY AFFIRMs TT.
 Again, I accept this doctrine of fut ure recognition because the worlds ex- pectancy afhr1ns it. In all lands and ages this theory is received. What form of religion planted ita No form of religion, for it is received under all forms of religion. Then, I argue, a sentiment, feeling, an anticipation, universally planted, must have been God implanted, and if God implanted it is rightfully implanted. Socrates