Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-02-12

this masterpiece or heaven by st John is
more impressive when we take only thirty
minutes OF 1t at a time. Now we have some
thing that we can come nearer TO grasping,
and it Is quiet heaven. When we discourse
about the Inultitudes of heaven it must be
almost nervous shock 10 those who have
all their lives been crowded by many peo-
pie aud who want a quiet heaven.
For the last thirty-ive years have been
much OF the time in crowds and under public
scrutiny aud amid exctements and have
sometimes thought for a few weeks after
reach heaven | would like to 90 down in
some quiet part OF the realm with a few
friends and for some little while try COM
parative solitude. Then there are those
whose hearing is so delicate that they get no
satisfaction when you describe the crash OF
the eternal orchestra, and they fesl like say
ing. as a good woman in Hudson, N. Y,
said, after hearing me speak of the mighty
chorus OF heaven. That must be a great
heaven, but what will become of my poor
headS' Yes, this half hour Of my text is
still experience.
There was silence in heaven for half au
hour" You will find the inhabitants all
at home. Enter the Kings Palace and take
only glimpse, for we have only thirty min
utes for all heaven. ''Is that Jesusy' "Yes."
Just under the hair along His forehead is the
mark Of wound made by a buuch OF
twisted brambleS, and His foot on the throne
has on the round of His instep another mark
OF a wound made by a spike, and scar on
the palm Of the lett hand. But what a
countenancel What a smilel What q
an overwhelming look Of kindness
and grace Why, He looks as IL
He had redeemed a world But come on.
for our time is short Do you see that row of
paacesy That is the Apostolic row. Do
you see that long reach of architectural
glories? That is Martyr row. Do you see
that immense structureS That is the big
gest house in heaven; that is "the House OF
Many Mansions" Do you see that walli
Shade your eyes against its burning splen-
dor, for that is the wall OF heaven, jasper
at the bottom AMI amethyst at the top.
Sec this river rolling through the heart OF
the great metropolis? That is the river
concerning which those who once lived on
the banks OF the Hudson, or the Ala.
say, 1--WE never saw the like OF this
for clarity and sheen" That is the
chief river OF heaven-so bright, so wide so
deep. But you ask, Where are the
asyiums for the oldY' l answer, "The
inhabitants are all young" Where are
the hospitals for the lame'' They are all
agile "Where are ths inhrmarles for the
blind and deatY They all see and hear"
Where are the almhouses for the poor"
"Thcv are niI multimllhonnires "Whers
are the inebriato asyluns| "Why, there
are no saloons" Where are the grave
yarls+' "Why, they never die Pass
down those boulevards Of gold and
amber anl sapphire AMI see those
interminabls streets built by the Archi-
tect OF the universe into homes,
over the threshold OF which sorrow
never steps, and out OF whose windows faces,
once pale with earthly sickness, now look
rubcund with immortal health. HOh, let
me go in and see them" you say. No, you
cannot go in. There are those there who
would never consent to let you come up.
You say, LET me stay here in this place
where they never sin, where they never suf-
| fer, where they never part" No, no! Our
time is short our thirty minutes are almost
gone. Come on! We must get back to the
earth before this half hour of heavenly silence
breaks up, for in your mortal state You can
! not endure the pomp and spleudor and reso-
nance when this half hour Of silence is ended.
This day will come when you can see
! heaven in full blast, but not now. am now
! only showing you heaven at the dullest half
| hour OF all the ct arnities. Come on! There Is
| something in the celestial appearance which
makes me think that the half hour OF silence
will soon be over. Yonier ara the wnies
horses being hitched to clariots, au yonder
are seraphs lingering hlrps as II about 70
strike them into symphony, and yonder are
conuuerors taking down from the blus halls
OF heaven the trumpets OF victory.
Remember, we are mortal yet and cannot
endure the full! roll of heavenly harmonle'
and cannot endure even the silent heaven
for more than hali an hour harS! tns
clock in the tower Of heaven begins to strike
and the half hour is ended. Descend! Come
backl Come down till your work Is donel
Shoulder a.lttle longer your burdens! Fight
A little lon ger your battles! Weep little
longer your gr .etsl And then taAe heaven,
not in its dullest half hour, but IN lts
mightiest pomp, and instead OF taxing IL
for thirty minutes take it world without
end
But how will you spend the first half hour
of your heavenly citizenship after you have
gone in to stay? After your prostratou bs.
fore the throne in worship Of Him who
made it possible for you to get there at all,
think the rest OF your first half hour IN
heaven will be passed in receiving your re-
ward il you have been faithful. L have a
! strangely beautiful book containing the pic
! lures OF the medals struck by tue English
Government in honor OF great battles; these
medals pinned over the heart OF the re-
turned heroes OF the army on great occasions,
the royal family present; the Crlmean
, medal, the Victoria cross, the "aeefioe
medal.
In your first half hour in heaven in som'
way YOU will be honored for the earthly
struggles in which you won the day. Stan(
, up before all the royal house of heaven anc
i receive the insignia while you are an
nounced as the victor over the droughu
Q and freshets of the farm field, victor over
t the temptations of the Stock Exchange,
o victor over professional allurementS victor
s over domestic infelicities, victor over me
Il chanic's shop, victor over the storehouse,
Q victor over home worrments victor over
u physical distresses, victor over hereditary
9 de1res ,ious. victor over sin aul death and
d he'll, Take the badge that celebrates those
( victories through our Lord Jesus Christ.
: Take it in the presence Of all the galleries
sanity. angelic and divinel
+ Thy SAINTS in al this glorlou, war
n Shall conquW though they die.
a They see the triumph from afar,
. And selZo IL with their eve.