Sharp County record., 1891-11-26

rest trGin the spectacle. Again the
panorama passes before the cavern Of
Patmos. and John the exile sees great
thrones lfted. thrones of martyrs,
thrones Of apostles, thrones Of fprophets-
thrones Of patriarchs and throne high
er than all on which Jesus sits and
DOnderOus 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 emptles
its sarcophagus Of all the dead Of the
sunken shipping, and the earth gives
way, and the heavens vanish. AGAIN
We rest a moment from the spectacle.
The panorama moves on before
the cavern Of PatmOs, and John'
the exile, beholds city Of gold, and a
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 for
ests. and the sun rises aud sun sets OF
all the ages, and the glory OF burning
worlds seem to be commingied. And
the inhabitants never breathe a sign, or
utter a groan, or discuss difference, or
frown a dislike, or weep a tear. The
fashion they wear IS pure white, and
their foreheads are encircled by gar
lands. 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 odt of sight, I think that John
must have fallen back into his cavern,
ner7eless and exhausted. Too much
was it for naked eye to look at. Too
much was it for human strength to ex-
perience.
Nv friends, I would not wonder if
you should have 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
I should not wonder if your dyiug-bed
were PatmOs. It often has been so,
I was reading of dying boy who,
while the family stood round sorrow.
fully expecting each breath would be
the last, cried: open the gates.
Open the gates Happy. Happy.
Happym John Owen in his last hour
said to bis attendant: "Oh, Brother
Payne. the long-wished-for day is come
at last" Rutherford, in the closing
moment Of his life cried out Il shall
shine, shall sec 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 I feel.
Now l enjoy! Now I rejoice! l feed
on mama. l have angels food. My
eyes will see nv Redeemer Glory,
glory dwelleth in Immanueps
land" Yes, ten thousand times in
the history Of the world has the dY-
| ing bed been made a PatmOs. YOG
see, the time will come when you
will, 0 child of God, be exiled to your
last sickness as Esuch as John was eX-
lied to Patmps. You will 90 into your
room not to come out again, for God is
going to do Something better and grand
er and happier for you than He has ever
Oct 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 uneas-
mess and restlessness at the time Of
the Christian departure, the physi-
clans say, is caused by no real
distress 1t is an unconscious and
involuntary movement, and, | think,
in many cases 1t is the vision Of
Heavenly gladness too great for mortal
endurance. 1t is only Heaven break.
ing 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 heal
voices long ago hushed. In many a
Christian departure that you have
known and have known there was in
the phrascoloqy Of the departing ones
something that indicated the reappear.
ance Of those long deceased. II is no
deirium, no dcusion, but a supernal
fact Your glorihed loved ones will
hear that you are about 10 come and
they will say in Heaven: "May 90
down 10 show that soul the way up
May ] be the celestial escort May
! wait for that soul 40 the edge
Of tho piIlow2' And the Lord will say:
"Yes You may fly down on that mis-
sion" And think all your glorided
kindred will come down, and they will
be in the room, and although those In
health standing around you may hear
no voice, and see no arrival from the
heavenly world you will see and hear
And the moment the fest bond Of the
soul shall break The cry will be; "Fol-
low mel Up this way' fy this gilded
cloud apast these stars straight for
home, and straight for glory, straight