Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-07-26

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 capa-
city? What did Christ mean in His CONVEX
sation 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 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? Oh,
yes. We will know each other a great deal
better then than now for how" says the
apostle, we see through glass darkly,
but then face to face" 1t will be my puri-
fed enthroned and glorified body gazing
on your purified, enthroned and gloritied
BODY.
Now demand, if you believe the Bible,
that you take this theory of future recogni-
ton out of the realm of speculation and
surmiSe into the region of positive certainty,
and no more keep saying, L 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, Il know it is So"
There are in addition to these Bible argu-
mentS other reasons why L accept this
theory. In the first place because the re-
lection 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 memory?
Abraham said to Dives, Son, remember.
If the exiled and the lost remember, will
not the enthroned remember?
You know very we'll that our JOY in any
circumstance is augmented by the COM
partnership of our friends. We cannot see
a picture 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 blessed, and when there
SurgeS up in our ears the Jubilate of the
saved. Heaven is not q contraction, it is an
expansion. If l know you here [ will know
you better there. Here l see you with only
two eyes, but there the soul shall have Il
million eyes. 1t will be Immortality gazing on
mortality-ransomed spirit in colloquy
with ransomed spirit-victor beside victor.
When John Evans, the Scotch minister, was
seated in his study his wife came III and
said to him, MY dear, do you think We
shall know each other in heaven| He
turned and said. MY dear, do you think we
will be bigger fools in heaven than we are
here?"
Again | accept this doctrine of future
recognition because the world S expectancy
affirms 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,
a sentiment, feeling, an anticipation. uni
versaiiy planted must have been God i'm
planted, and if God implanted it is right
fully implanted. Socrates writes, who
would not part with great deal to pur-
chase a meeting with Orpheus and Homer?
II it be true that this is to be the cOnSe-
quence of death, could even be able to die
often"
Among the Danes, when a master dies his
servant sometimes Stays himself, that he
may serve the master in the future world.
Cicero, living before ChriStS coming, said,
"Oh, 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
mentioned, but with my dear Cato, the best
of sons and most faithful of men. If |
seemed to bear his death with fortitude, it
was by no means that l did not most sem
bibly feel the loss | had sustained. 1t was
secause [ was supported by the consOling
reflection that we could not long be sep
arated.
The Norwegian believes it. The Indian
believes it. The Greenlander believes it.
The Swiss believe it, The Turks believe it.
Under every sky, by every river, in every
zone, the theory is adopted, and so | say
principle university implanted must be God
implanted and hence right belief. The
argument is irresistible.
Again, [ adopt this theory because there
are features of moral temperament and
features of-the soul that will distinguish us
forever. 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
proportions? Oh, no, 1t is by the diSpO
sition 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 DISPOSE
! ton has enough features to make us dis
| tinguishabe. [ can understand how in
| sickness a man will become SO delirious
| that he will not know his own friends; but
| will we be blasted with such insufferable
idiocy that standing beside our bestfriends
| 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 have an opportunity to
give thanks to those to whom we are spirit
| ually indebted. The JOY of Heaven we are
| told, is to be inaugurated by 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 at Somerville, N. J., John
| Vredenburgh preached for a great many
years. He felt that his ministry was q 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 a 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 regard to nearly all those two hundred
| souls was that they dated their religious