Connecticut western news., 1891-11-12

l pride bits and the flash of spears all the earth conquered and all heaven in Doxoloyy And we halt again to rest l from the spectacle Again the pano- rama passes before the cavern of Pat mos, and John the exile sees great l thrones lifted, thrones of martyrs, | thrones of apostles, thrones of prophets, l thrones of patriarchs, and throne | higher than all on which Jesus sits, l and ponderouS books are opened, l 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 it's sarcophagus of all the dead of the sunken shipping, and the earth gives way, and the heavens van ish. Again we rest a moment from the 1 spectacle. The panorama moves on be- 1 fore 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 iit\which the upholstery of autumnal forests, and the sunrises and sunsets of all the ages, and the glory of burning worlds seem to be commingled.
 And the inhabitants never breathe a sigh, or utter a groan, or discuss a 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 are young, and they who were bereft are reunited. And as the last figure of that panorama rolled out of sight, I 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.
 My friends, 1 would not wonder if you should have very similar vision after awhile. You will be through this world, its cares and fa- tigues and struggles, and if you have served the Lord and have done the best you could, should not wonder if your dying bed were Patmos. It often has been so. 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 Happyl Hap py! Happy"
 John Owen in his last hour said to ! SIn the long wished for day is come at last!" Rutherford, in the closing mo- ment of his life, cried out: II shall shine, shall 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 feel! Now I enjoyl Now rejoicel feed on mama. I 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 a 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 to come out again, for God is going to do something better and grander and hap pier for you than he has ever yet done. There will be such visions let down to your pillow as God gives no man if he is ever to return to this tame world. The apparent feeling of uneasiness and restlessness at the time of the Chris tian's departure, the physicians say, is caused by no real distress.
 It is an unconscious and involuntary movement, and I think in many cases it is the vision of heavenly gladness too great for mortal endurance. It Is only heaven breaking in on the departing spirit You see your work will be done and the time for your departure will be at hand. and there will be wings over you and wings under you and songs let loose on the air, and your old father and mother gone for years will descend into the room, and your little children whom you put away for the last sleep years ago will be at your side and their kiss will be on your foreheads, and you will see gardens in full bloom. and the swinging open of shining gates, and will hear voices long ago hushed
 In many a Christian departure that you have known and I have known there was in the phraseology of the de- parting ones something that indicated the reappearance of those long de- ceased It is no delirium, no delusion, but supernal fact. Your glorified loved ones will hear that you are about to come, and they will say in heaven: May go down to show that soul the way up2 May be the celestial escorta May l wait for that soul at the edge of the pillowg And the Lord will say: "Yes. You may fly down on that mis- sion." And l think all your glorified kindred will come down, and they will be in the room, and although those in health standing around you msy near no voice and see no arrival from the heavenly world, you will see and hear.
 And the moment the f1eshly bond of the soul shall break, the cry will be: "Follow me! Up this way! By this gilded cloud, past these stars, straight for home, straight for glory, straight for God!' As on that day in the Gre elan archipelago Patmos began to fade out of sight, walked to the stern of the ship that might keep my eye on the entertainment as long as l could, and the voice that sounded out of heaven to John the exile in the cavern on Pat mos seemed sounding in the waters | hot mel hn of