Connecticut western news., 1892-06-23
that last struggle. One sharp, keen stroke, and Paul does so to the banquet, and Paul does dine with the king.

 and Paul does dine with the king
 GLORIOUS TRANSITION.
 What transition it wasl From the malaria of Rome to the finest climate in all the universe-the zone of eternal beauty and health. His ashes were put in the catacombs of Rome, but in one moment the air of heaven bathed from his soul the last ache. From shipwreck, from dungeon, from the biting pain of the elmwood rods, from the sharp sword of the headsman, he goes into the most brilliant assemblage of heaven, a king among kings, multitudes of the saint hood rushing out and stretching forth hands of welcome, for do really think that as on the right hand of God is Christ, so on the right hand of Christ is Paul, the second great in heaven.
 He changed kings likewise. Before the hour of death, and up to the last moment, he was under Nero, the thick necked, the cruel eyed, the filthy Tipped, the sculptured features of that man bringing down to us this very day the horrible possibilities of his nature seated as he was amid pictured mar bles of Egypt, under a roof adorned with mother-of-pearl, in a dining room which by machinery was kept whirling day and night with most bewitching magnifcence; his horses standing in stalls of solid gold, and the grounds around his palace lighted at night by It's victims, who had been bedaubed with tar and pitch and then set on fire to illumine the darkness. That was Paul's king
 But the next moment he goes into the realm of him whose reign is love, and whose courts are paved with love, and whose throne is set on pillars of love, and whose scepter is adorned with jew els of love, and whose palace is lighted with love, and whose lifetime is an eter- nity of love. When Paul was leaving 80 much on this side the pillar of mar tyrdom to gain SO much on the other side, do you wonder at the cheerful vale dictory of the text, ''The time of my departure is at handS"
 Now, why cannot all the old people have the same holy glee as that aged man had? Charles 1, when he was comb ing his head, found a gray hair, and he sent it to the queen as great joke; but old age is really no joke at all. For the last forty years you have been dreading that which ought to have been an ex- hilarahon. You say you most fear the struggle at the moment the soul and body part. But millions have endured that moment, and may not we as well? They got through with it and so can we.
 Besides this, all medical men agree in saying that there is probably no struggle at the last moment-not so much pain as the prick of pin, the seeming signs of distress being altogether involuntary. But you say, "It is the uncertainty of the future" Now, child of God, do not play the infdel After God has filled the Bible till it can hold no more with stories of the good things ahead, better not talk about uncertainties.
 THE GLORIOUS COMPANY.
 But you say, "I cannot bear to think of parting from friends here." If you are old, you have more friends in heaven than here. Just take the census. Take some large sheet of paper and begin to record the names of those who have emi- grated to the other shore; the compan- ions of your school days, your early business associates, the friends of mid life, and those who more recently went away. Can it be that they have been gone so long you do not care any more about them, and you do not want their society? Oh, no. There have been days when you have felt that you could not endure another moment away from their blessed companionship. They have gone. You say you would not like to bring them back to this world of trouble, even if you had the power. It would not do to trust you. God would not give you resurrection power.
 Before tomorrow morning you would be rattling at the gates of the cemetery crying to the departed: ''Come back to the cradle where you slept! Come back to the hall where you used to playl Come back to the table where you used to sitp and there would be @ great bur- glary in heaven. No, no. God will not trust you with resurrection power; but he compromises the matter and says, "You cannot bring them where you are, but you can go where they are." They are more lovely now than ever. Were they beautiful here, they are more beau tiful there.
 Besides that, it is more healthy there for you than here, aged man; better climate there than these hot summers and cold winters and late springs; bet ter hearing, better eyesight, more tonic in the air, more perfume in the bloom, more sweetness in the song. Do you not feel, aged man, sometimes as though you would liko to get your arm and foot Eeep Do you not feel as though you would like to throw away spectacles and canes and crutchesp Would you not like to feel the spring and elasticity and mirth of an eternal boyhood? When the point at which you start from this world is old age, and the point to which | you go is eternal juvenescence, aged | fnan, clap your hands at the anticipa- tion and say, in perfect rapture of soul, "The time of my departure is at hand" | THAT WONDERFUL WORLD. I remark again, all those ought to feel this joy of the text who have holy | curiosity to know what is beyond this | earthly terminus. And who has not | any curiosity about it? Paul, suppose, had the most satisfactory view of heaven, and he says, "It doth not yet | appear what we shall be-" It is like looking through broken telescope, 'Now we see through glass darkly." Can you tell me anything about that heavenly place? You ask me a thou sand questions about it that 1 cannot answer. ask you thousand questions about it that you cannot answer. And | do you wonder that Paul was so glad when martyrdom gave him chance to go over and make discoveries in that blessed country?
 hope some day, by the grace of God
 to go over and see for myself, but not now. No well man, no prospered man.
 I think, wants to go now. But the time
 will come, think, when shall go over | I want to see what they do there and