The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-06-24

Then they lift him out of the dungeon,
and they start with him to the place of
execution. They say; Hurry along, old
man, or you will feel the weight of our
spear. Hurry along" "How far is it, "
says Paul, 1--WE have to travelY' Three
miles" Three miles is good way for
an old man to travel after he has been
whipped and crippled with maltreat-
ment. But they soon get to the place of
execution-Acque Saliva = and he is
fastened to the pillar of martyrdom. 1t
does not take any strength to tie him
fast. He makes no resistance.
0 Paul! why not now strike for your
life? You have great many friends
here. With that withered hand just
launch the thunderbolt of the people
upon those infamous soldiers. No! Paul
was not going to interfere with his own
coronation. He was too glad to go. | see
him looking up in the face of his execu-
toner, and, as the grim official draws
the sword Paul calmly says, Il am now
ready to be offered, and the time of my
departure is at hand" But put my
hand over my eyes. | want not to see
that last struggle. One sharp, keen
stroke, and Paul does go to the banquet,
and Paul does dine with the king.
GLORIOUS TRANSITION.
What transition it was! From the
malaria of Rome tc 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
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 dining room
which by machinery was kept whirling
day and night with most bewitching
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-
nifty of love. When Paul was leaving
SO much on this side the pillar of mar
5yrdom to gain so much on the other |
side do you wonder at the cheerful vale
lictory of the text, 1.-THE time of my
departure is at hand?"
Now, why cannot all the old people
nave the same holy glee as that aged
man had? Charles |, when he was comb
ng his head, found gray hair, and he
sent it to the queen as great joke; but
DID age is really no joke at all. For the
asst forty years you have been dreading
hat which ought to have been an ex-
lilaration. You say you most fear the
struggle at the moment the soul and
body part. But millions have endured
hat moment, and may not we as well?
They got through with it and so can we.
Besides this, all medical men agree in
;aying that there is probably no struggle
1t the last moment-not so much pain
is the prick of pin, the seeming signs
If distress being altogether involuntary.
But you say, 1t is the uncertainty of
he future" Now, child of God, do not
,lay the infdel After God has filled
he Bible till it can hold no more with
tories of the good things ahead, better
lot talk about uncertainties.
THE GLoRfoUs COMPANY.
But you say, Il cannot bear to think
# parting from friends here" If you
re OLD, you have more friends in heaven
han here. Just take the census. Take
ONE large sheet of paper and begin to
ecOrd the names of those who have emf
rated to the other shore; the compan-
Ons Of your school days, your early
BUSINESS associates, the friends of mid
fe, and those who more recently went
way. Can it be that they have been
one so long yOu do not care any more
bout them, and you do not want their I
Ociety? Oh. no. There have been days |
yhen you have felt that you could not |
ndure another moment away from their {
lessed companionship. They have gone.
'ou say you would not like to bring I
hem back to this world of trouble, even {
You had the power. 1t would not do {
} trust you. God would not give you I
power. !
Before tomorrow morning you would i
e rafting at the gates of the cemetery
rying to the departed: Come back to
ne cradle where you sleptl Come back ,
} the hall where you used to play! {
ONE back to the table where you used ,
} STIR and there would be a great bur- {
larry in heaven. No, no. God will not |