Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1892-02-27
ACCoMAo C. H. VA. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY q, 1899

are no vacant chairs in heaven, but I
recall that. Right beside your loved
one in that good land there is a va
cant chair. not made vacant by death,
for death never enters there; it is
a vacant chair for you. VIII you
take itp
HEAVEN AND EARTH N CLOSE SYMPATHY
Ny subject also impresses me with
the idea that heaven and earth are
in close sympathy. People talk Of
heaven as though it were great way
Off, They say it is hundreds Of thou
, sands of miles before you reach the
n4.Jstar, and then you go hundreds
of thousands of miles before you get
to the second star, and then it is mil
lions of miles before you reach heav-
en-. They say heaven is the center
of the universe and we are on the
rim of the universe. That is not the
idea of my text. ! think the heart
of heaven beats very close to our
world. We measure distances by
the time taken to traverse those dis
tances.
1t used to be. a long distance to San
: Francisco Manyweeks and months
were passed before you could reach
that city. Now it is six or seven
days. It used to be six weeks before
you could voyage from here to Liv-
erpool. Now-you can go that dis
lance in six or seven days. And SO !
measure the distance between earth
and heaven and I find it is only a
flash. 1t is one instant here, and an
other instant there. 1t is very near
today. Do you not feel the breath
of heaven on your face2 Christ says
in one place it is not twenty -four
hours distance, when he says to the
penitent thief, This day, this day,
shalt thou bo with me in Paradise. )"
1t is not a day, it is not an hour, it is
not q minute, it is not a second.
Oh, how near heaven is to earth.
By oceanic cable you send message.
AS it is expensive to send a message,
you compress a great deal of meaning
in a few words. Sometimes in two
words you can put vast meaning.
And it seems to me that the angels of
God who carry news from earth to
heaven, need to take up this hour, in
regard to your soul, only two words
in order to kindle with gladness all
the redeemed before the throne, only
two words, Father saved, mother
saved, " son saved, ""daughter saved"
And there is joy in heaven among
the angels CT God over one sinner
that repcnteth.
THE SALVATION OF THE SOUL.
My subject also impresses me with
the fact that the salvation of the soul
is of vast Importance. If you should
make 5000, 900 this year, DO you sup
pos that news would be carried to
heaven? 1t would not be Of enough
importance or significance to be car
ried heavenward. If at the next
quadrennial election you are made
president of the United States, do you
suppose that news would be carried
to heaven? Do you suppose that the
news Of q revolution ii Franco or
Spain would be carried to heaven9
These things are not of enough i'm
portance; but there is one item that
is sure to be carried 1t is the saliva
ton of your soul; it is your repent
ance before God.
The flying hoofs Of Gods couriers
clash through the gates and the news
goes from gate to mansion and from
mansion to temple and from temple
to throne, and there is JOY in
heaven" among the angels Of Col
over one sinner forgiven Unjust be
of vast Importance to be Of any mo-
ment in heaven, your salvation in
that land where gladncsses arc the
everyday occurrence in that land
where the common stones of the field
are jasper and emerald and chryso-
prasus and carbuncle and saTdonyX:
And yet the news of your salvation
makes Joy before the throne of God.
You remember years ago o stage
driver In the Whi5o mountains be-
came very reckless. He had a large
number of passengers on the stage,
and the stage was drawn by six
horses, Wild and ungovornable, and
he drove near the precipice, and he
drove off, the stage with its precious
freight rolling down the embank-
ment, and many were slain, but few
were saved. I suppose when thoy
wrote home they wrote with con-
gratulntions at their rescue. The
angels of God look down end they
see men driving On tho edge of greet
precipices Of ruin and danger drawn
by wild, leaping, foaming and un-
governable perils in this life, and if
any shall escape before they capsizo,
do you not suppose the angels of,God
rejoice, crying: Good, good! Saved
from sin, saved from death, saved
from he'll, saved forever?"
The supreme court Of the United
States does not adjourn for anything
t,1t1ing. 1t must be the death OF a
cabinet minister, or tho death Of a
president, or somo matter of very
great moment. When I find all
heaven adjourning its other joys for
this one joy, make up my mind it
is of very great Importance if heav-
On can afford to adjourn all other
festivities to celebrate this ono tri-
umph.
Do you wonder that SO many of
these Christian people have toiled
night and day in this work of soul
coI-i,,o. If II ie of S11ch vast imDOr-