Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-09

elations made to them. So Patmos, wild,
chill and bleak and terrible was the best
island in all the Archipelago, the best place
IN all the earth for divine revelations. Be-
fore panoroma can be successfully seen,
the room in which vou sit must be dark
ened and in the presence of John was to
pass such panorama as no man ever before
saw or ever will see in this world, and
hence the gloom of his surroundings was a
help rather than a hindrance.
All the surroundings of the place affected
st. Johns imagery when he speaks of
heaven. st. John, hungry from enforced
abstinence, or having no food except that at
which his appetite revolted, thinks of
heaven; and as the famished man is apt to
dream of bountiful tables covered with lux
uries so ST. John saws of the inhabitants of
heaven, ''They shall hunger no more. !"
Scarcity of fresh water on Patmos and the
hot tongue of st. Johns thirst leads him to
admire heaven as he saws, "They shall
thirst no more ST. John hears the waves
of the sea wil1ly dashing against the rocks
and each wave has a voice and all the waves
together make chorus. and he says, 'They
are like the voice of many waters"
A Panorama os Bright Visions.
Turn down all the lights that we may
better see it. The panorama passes, and 10!
the conquering Christ, robed, girdled,
armed, the flash of golden candlesticks and
seven stars in His right hand, candlesticks
and stars meaning light held up, and light
scattered. And there passes throne and
Christ on it, and the seals broken, and the
woes sounded, and a dragon slain, and seven
last plaques swoop, and seven vials are
poured out, and the vision vanishes. And
we halt a moment to rest from the exciting
spectacle.
Again the panorama moves on before the
cavern of Patmos, and John the exile sees
a great city representing all denominations,
Babylon lowered, palaced, tempted, foun-
tanned, foliaged, sculptured, hanging-gar-
dens, suddenly going crash! while from
above and beneath are voices announcing
BABYLON is fallen, is fallen" And we
halt again to rest from the spectacle.
Again the panorama passes before the
cavern of Patmos, and John the exile sees
a mounted Christ on a snow-whlte charger
leading forth the cavalry of heaven, the
long line of white chargers galloping
through the scene, the clattering of hoofs,
the clinklng of bridle-bits, and the flash of
spear, all the earth conquered and all
heaven in Doxology. And we halt again
to rest from the spectacle.
The Revelation OF the Last Day.
Again the panorama passes before the
cavern of Patmos, and John the exile sees
great thrones lifted, thrones of martyrs,
thrones of apostles, thrones of prophets,
thrones of patriarchs, and throne higher
than all on which Jesus sits, and ponderous
books are opened, their leaves turned over,
revealing the names of all that have ever
lived, the good and the bad, the renowned
and the humble, the mighty and the weak,
and at the turn of every leaf the universe is
in rapture or fright, and the sea empties its
of all the dead of the sunken
and the earth gives way and the
heavens vanish. Again we rest moment
from the spectacle.
The panorama moves on before the cavern
of Patmos, and John the exile beholds a
city of gold, and a river more beautiful than
the Rhine or the Hudson rolls through it,
and fruit trees bend their burdens on either
bank, and all is surrounded by walls in
which the upholstery of autumnal forests,
and the sunrise and sunsets of all the ages,
and the glory OF burning worlds seem to be
And the inhabitants never
breathe sigh, or utter a groan, or discuss
q difference, or frown dislike, or weep q
tear The fashion they wear is pure white,
and their foreheads are encircled by gar
lands, and they who were ok are well, and
they who were old are young, and they who
were bereft are reunited.
A Similar Vision Awaits Us,
My friends, would not wonder if YOU
should have a very similar vision after
awhile. You will be through this world. its
cares and fatigues and struggles, and if YOU
have served the Lord and have done the
best you could, should not wonder if your
living bed were q Patmos. 1t often has been
20.
] was reading of dying boy who, while
he family stood sorrowfully round expect
ng that each breath would be his last, cried:
Open the gates! Open the gates! Happy!
Happy! Happyr John Owen in his last
lour said to his attendant, ''Oh, brother
Payne! the long wished for day is come at
asst" Rutherford, in the closing moment
,f his life cried out, 81 shall shine, shall
see Him as He is, and all the fair company
with Him, and shall have my large share. 1
nave gotten the victory. Christ is holding
ng forth His arms to embrace me- Now 1
eel! Now Ienjoy! Now reioicel feed
IN mamma. l have angels food. NV eyes
will see my Redeemer. Glory, glory dwell
,th in Immanue's land"
Yes, ten Thousand times in the history of
he world has the dying bed been made a
Patmos. You see the time will come when
7ou will, o child of God, be exiled to your
asst sickness as much as John was exiled to
oatmos. You will go into your room not to
,ome out again, for God is going to do some
hing better and grander and happier for YOU
han He has ever yet done.
The First Glimpses of the Hereafter.
There will be such visions let down to |
-our pillow as God gives no man if he is
ver to return to this time world The ap- |
parent feeling of uneasiness and restlessness |
1t the time of the Christians departure, the |
physicians saw, is caused by no real distress. |
t is an unconscious and involuntary move |
nent, and think in MANY cases it is the |
7ision of heavenly gladness too great for
Mortal endurance. 1t is only heaven break
ng in on the departing spirit
Eou see your work will be done and the
ime for your departure will be at hand, and
here viii be wings over and wings under
'ou, and songs let loose on the air, and your
Id father and mother gone for years will
escend into the room, and your little chill
rem whom you put away for the last sleep
ears ago Will be at your side, and their
iss will be on your foreheads. and YOU will
ee gardens in full bloom. and the swinging
pen of shining gates, and will hear voices
1ng ago hushed. In many a Christian de-
arturo that you have known and L have
nown there was in the phraseology of the
eparting ones something that indicated the
of those long deceased. 1t is
o delirium, no delusion, but a supernal
lct.