The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-11-12

4
of hoofs, the clinking Of
bride bits and the fash of spears, all
the earth conquered and all heaven in
Doxology. And We halt again to rest
from the spectacle. Again the pano-
rama passes before the cavern Of Pat
mos, and John the exile sees great
thrones lifted, thrones Of martyrs,
thrones of apostles, thrones Of prophets,
thrones OF patriarchs, and a 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 emptics its sarcophagus of all the
dead of the sunkon shipping, and the
earth gives way, and the heavens van |
ish. Again we rest moment from the
spectacle. The panorama moves on be-
fore the cavern of PatInos, and John
the exile beholds a city of gold, and
river more beautiful than the Rhine or
the Hudson rolls through 1t, and fruit
trees bend their burdens on either bank,
and all Is surrounded by walls In which
the upholstery of autumnal forests,
and the sunrises and sunsets of all the
ages, and the glory of burning worlds
seem to be comIninglcd.
And the inhabitants never breathe a
sigh, or utter q groan, or discuss q diff
ference, or frown dislike, or weep a
tear. The fashion they wear is pure
white, and their foreheads are encir
cled by garlands, and they who were
sick are well, and they who were old
ore young, and they who were bereft
are reunited. And as the last figure of
that panorama rolled out of sight, /
think that John must have fallen back
into his cavern, nerveless and exhaust
ed. Too much was it for naked eye to
look at. Too much was it for human
strength to experience.
OPEN THE GATES.
Ny friends, l would not wonder
If you should have a very similar
vision after awhile. You will be
through this world, its cares and ia
tigues and struggles, and if you have
served the Lord and have done the
best you could, l should not wonder if
your dying bed were Patmos. 1t
often has been SO. l was reading of
dying boy who, while the family stood
round sorrowfully expecting each breath
would be the last, cried: open the
gates! Open the gates! Happy Hap
pyl Happy"
John Owen in his last hour said to
his attendant, "Oh, Brother Payne,
the long wished for day is come at
lastp Rutherford, in the closing mo-
ment of his life, cried out: II shall
shine, l snail see him as he is, and all
the fair company with him, and shall
have my large share. I have gotten
the victory. Christ Is holding forth
his arms to embrace me. Now feell
Now l enjoyl Now rejoicel l feed
on mamma. have angels food. My
eyes will see my Redeemer. Glory,
glory dwelleth in Immanuel's land"
Yes, ten thousand times In the his
tory of the world has the dying bed
been made q Patmos. You see the
time will come when you will, oh, child
of God, be exiled to your last sickness
as much as John was exiled to Patmos
You will go into your room not tc
come out again, for God Is going to dc
something better and grander and hap
pier for you than he has ever yet done
! There will be such visions let down t.
your pillow as God gives no man if h
3 Is ever to return to this tame world
r The apparent feeling of uneasiness anC
r restlessness ut the time of the Chris
= tian's departure, the physicians say, i
: caused by no real distress.
t 1t is an unconscious and involuntar,
movement, and I think in many case
Z it is the vision of heavenly gladness to-
u great for mortal endurance 1t is onl
Il heaven breaking in on the departing
: spirit. You see your work will be don
and the time for your departure will b
g at hand. and there will be wings owe
n you and wings under you and songs le
0 loose on the air, and your old fathe
II and mother sne for years will descen
IS into the room, and your little childre
q whom you put away for the last slice
years ago will be at your side and thei
L kiss will be on your foreheads, and 20
10 will see gardens in full bloom, and tn
y swinging open of shining gates, and will
10 hear voices long ago hushed.
70 In many Christian departure tina
d there was In the phraseology of the dc
I. parting ones something that Indicate
D. the reappearsnce of those long dc
y ceased 1t Is no delirium, no delusior
d. but q supernal fact. Your glorifis
70 loved ones will hear that you are abou
III to come, and they will say in heaven
'e MAY go down to show that soul til
ST way up2 May be the celestial escort
e, May wait for that soul at the edge {
the pillow" And the Lord will say
le "Yes. You may fly down on that mi
10 sion." And l think all your glorifie
Oh kindred will come down, and they wi
be in the room, and although those
health standing around you may hes
II no voice and see no arrival from IL
n heavenly world, you will see and hea
III And the moment the fleshly bond (
:, the soul shall break, the cry will b.
NJ "Follow mel Up this wayl By tn
M gilded cloud, past these stars, straigl
pa for home, straight for glory, straigl
NC for God!" AS on that day in the CIR
IL clan archipelago Patmos began to fac
!, out of sight, walked to the stern of ii
y, ship that might keep my eye on Il
AZ enchantment as long as could, an
u. the voice that sounded out of heave
IN to John the exile In the cavern on Pa
az mos seemed sounding In the waite
H. that dashed against the side of OF
ship Behold the tabernacle of God
"e with men, and he will dwell with the1
ia and they shall be bis people and &c