The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1891-10-13
NO SECT IN HEAVEN.

N1A|OA 4N liza v EN-
Talking of sects till late one eve,
vi the various doctrines the saints be-
lieve,
That night 1 stood in troubled dream,
by the side OF darby flowing stream.
And Churchman " down to the river
When l heard a strange voice call his
name.
Good father, stop; when you cross this
tide,
You must leave your robes on the other
side"
But the aged father did not mind.
And his long gown floated out behind,
As down to the stream his way he took,
His pale hands clasping gilt-edged
book.
" I'm bound for heaven, and when Pm
there,
shall want my book OF Common Prayer
And though put on a starry crown,
l should feel quite lost without my
gown"
Then he fx'd his eye on the shining
track,
But his gown was heavy and held HIM
back,
And the poor old father tried in vain.
I single step in the food to gain.
l saw him again on the other side,
But his silk gown floated upon the tide
And no one ask'd in that blissful spot,
If he belonged to ''the Church " or not.
Then down to the river Quaker st,ay'd,
His dress OF a sober hue was made:
" My coat and hat must be all of gray,
l cannot 20 any other way"
Then he button'd his coat straight up to
his chin,
And sraidly, solemnly, waded in,
And his broad-brimm'd hat he pull'd
down tight
Over his forehead, SO cold and white.
But strong wind carried away his hat;
A moment he silently sigh'd over that,
And then, as he gazed to the farther
shore,
The coat slipp'd of, and was seen no
more.
As he enter'd heaven, his suit OF gray
Went quietly sailing-away-awa
And none of the angels questioned him
About the width OF his beavers brim.
Next came Dr. Watts with bundle of
Psalms
Tied nicely up, in his aged arms,
And hymns as many, very wise thing,
That the people in heaven, all round"
might sing.
But | thought that he heaved an anxious
sigh,
AS he saw that the river ran broad and
high,
And look'd rather surprised as, one by
one,
The Psalms and Hymns in the wave
went down.
And after him with his MSS,
Came Wesley, the pattern Of goodness.
But he cried, " Dear me, what shall
do?
The water has soaked them through and
through"
And there on the river, far and wide,
Away they went down the swollen tide,
And the saint astonish'd, pass'd through
alone,
Without his manuscripts, up to the
throne.
Then gravely walking, two saints by
name,
Down to the stream together came,
But as they stopp'd at the rivers brink,
| saw one saint from the other shrink.
" Sprinkled or plunged, may ask you,
friend,
How you attain'd to LIES great end?"
-" Thus, with few drops on my brow"
But have been dipp'd as you'll see
me now.
d" And really think it will hardly do,
As Pm close communion to cross with
You're bound, know, to the realms of
bliss,
But you must 90 that way, and III go
this"
Then straightway plunging with all his
might,
Away to the left-his friend at the right, |
Apart they went from this world of sin,
But at last together they enter'd in.
And now, when the river was rolling on,
A Presbyterian church went down;
Of women there seem'd a wondrous |
throng,
But the men 1 could count as they pass'd |
along.
And concerning the road they could
never agree,
The Old and the New way, which it
should be,
Nor ever a moment paused to think
That both would lead to the rivers
brink.
And a sound of murmuring, long and
loud,
Came ever up from the moving crowd,
You're in the Old way and Pm in the
New,
That is the false and this the true; .
Lo OIJ ,rov IN, |