The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-07-15


have been allowed to record this an
ticipation for the inspection of all ages
if it were groundless anticipation
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 it
means that. 1t cannot mean anything
else. So in the very 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 ofthe
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
sun. The door of heaven swings open
Two spirits come down and aGght on
that mountain. The disciples look at
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 our
heavenly eyesight, will not be able to
recognize those who have gone out
from among us only five, ten, twenty,
thirty years ago.
Tho Bible indicates over and over
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 tho power of recognition
shall not we, who are to be higher than
they in the next realm, have as good
eycsight and as good capacityl What
did Christ mean in his conversation
with Mary and Martha when he said,
Thy brother shall rise again?" Itwas
as much us to say, Don't CRY. Don't
wear yourselves out with this trouble
You will see him again. Thy brother
shall rise again"
A GREAT HOME CIRCLE.
The Bible describes heaven as a great
home circle. Well, now, that would b
n very queer homo circle where the
members did not know each other The
Bible describes death as a sleep. If we
know each other before we go to sleer
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 now" says the apostle, I'VE
see through a glass darkly, but Their
face to face 1t will be my purified,
enthroned and glorified body gazing on
your purified, enthroned and glorified
body.
Now l demmd, ii you believe the
Bible, that you take this theory of fut.
ure recognition out of the realm OF
speculation and surmise into the region
of positive certainty, and no moro keer
saying, Il hope it is so; l have an idea
it is so; I guess it is So" Be able &c
say, with all the concentrated energy
of body, mind and soul, Il know ii
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 50 long familiar VIII
death come, and with a sharp, keen
blade hew away this faculty of mem
orr. 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 song with less than four
ears. We want some one beside US with
whom to exchange gIances and syrnpa-
thies; and suppose the JOY OF heaven
is to be augmented by the fact that we
are to have our friends with rs when
there rise before us tic thrones of the
blessed, and when there surges up in
our ears the jubilate of the saved.
Heaven is not a contraction, it is an
expansion. If | know you here | will
know you b. tier there. Here see you
with only two eyes, but there the soul
shall have G 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 minis
ter, was seated in his study his wife
came in and said to him, My dear, do
you think we will know each other in
heavenw He turned to her and said,
MY dear, do you think we will be big
ger fools in heaven than we are here2n
THE WORLDS EXPECTANCY AFFIRMS IT.
Again, accept this doctrine of fut,
ure recognition because the worlds ex-
pectancy affirns it. IL all lands and
ages this theory is received. What
form Of religion planted itl 10 form
Of religion, for it is received under all
forms of religion. Then, I argue,
sentiment, u 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 a
great deal TO purchase a meeting with
Orpheus and Homer? If it be true
that this is to be the consequence Of
death, l could even be able to die
often"
Among the Danes, when a master
dies his servant sometimes Stays him
self, that he may serve the master in
the future world. Cicero, living before
Christ's coming, said, "oh, glorious
day when shall retire from this low
and sordid scene. TO associate with the