The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-29
c..u ~. Know Each Other In Heaven!

| OLdT.
Shall We Know Each Other In HeaVen'
o., ,ho, shall know even as also i
am known.-l. Cor, Kill, L.
T,here is not as much scepticism IN the
| world nowadays as there was twenty
| years ago. IN, nm
A careful survey OF the times VIII con-
| vinca Won that the old lines OF doupt
| have been abandoned and mat men are
/ thinking afnrmativeiy about the future
| life.
| Not that men are going back to church
| dogmas. on the contrary. they are get
| ting further from them, IL possible.
Put they are silently formulating a
| religion of their own-a peculiar KIND or
| religion. which the clergy are inclined
| to look at askance, but which contains
| the essential principles on which an hon
| est life here and the hope of a life here
| after are securely based.
| The people were never more averse TO
creeds than now. That is rather start
| ling characteristic Of the age. Thought
! full men have feared that the multitude,
| after slipping the mornings of Calvnism,
| would drift out TO sea or on lee shore.
| because 1t frequently happens that when
one gives up his old faith he lives the
| rest of his life without any faith at all.
| This danger. however, has been safely
passed The tendency is toward a wider
| and deeper faith than we have ever had.
| If the church would recognize this fact
| and fit itself to the new condition Of
affairs 1t could easily become the leader
| Of the people in their explorations. But
If the church persists in emphasizing the
| formulas of other days and continues 10
| ignore all sources of information except
those to which IT has been accustomed
the people will go on without it and find
leaders among themselves.
| In illustration of this general statement.
and also in proof of 1t, we may safely
assert that at no hour In the worlds
| history has there been so much interest
| in the subject Of mans immortality as
now. Nor has there been so much leeit-
| innate curiosity as to the conditions which
| will prevail In that other life TO which we
are hastenng.
Whether this Is the result OF that odd
| movement called spirituallsm. which
| started in the forties and spread like
| prairie fire; which loudly declared that
communion between the two worlds IS
| privilege TO be enjoyed by every shadowed
home; or whether it came from a combi-
nation of other causes. is a matter OF
| Inferior consequence. When the thirsty
| man has water TO drink he simply drinks
| 1t and is thankful, not stopping to in
| quire from what mountain range the
river flows on whose green banks he re-
| poses In peace.
| But besides the bare fact OF continued
! life We desire TO know what our rela-
| tons to each other will be after we cross
the golden threshold. Is orr love mere
| ly temporary contrivance. n volatile ele-
ment which will evapora.e at death, n
bond of union based on the necessity of
| perpetuating the race which will be brok-
| en- at the grave, or is 1t the mutual at
| traction Of souls which have luckily found
each in this life and which will continue
in force in all other lives which may lie
| ahead of us?
Much depends on the answer 10 that
| question II love is an earthly conven-
fence, and only that, then practically the
end comes when the curtain drops on
our little drama, comedy or tragedy. as
the case may be. But II the mothers
love or the lovers love, being a love of
souls and not Of bodies, is a part of the
| soul itself. then both we who remain a
little longer and they who 20 amid our
signs and tears can wait patiently. as
one waits in Europe for the coming of
the dear one, or waits in America for
| lHt return nome.
The problem is not difficult TO solve II
we race facts bravely. That we shall
recognize each other in the life beyond
heeus no argument. Common sense sim
ply says OF course we SHALL" and that
ehus all controversy. That we shall know
each other better than we do now goes
without saying. That we shall see
through all DISCUSSES. even as we shall no
SEEN seems TO be very certain. There win
De no receptions, for soul will look az
Soui anu motives cannot be concealed
| lhat TINS clearer sight will alter n erea,
many Oh our relationships becomes per
iectiy evident, just as it is evident that
III our hearts We're laid bare In this usa
| changed u DC
III love; therefore, our present love. is
connected in any way with our nhvs,oat
passions or is at all dependent on tbay,
then death. which deprives us of orr hod
les VIII bring that love to an end W.
may know each other there but the me-
culiar attraction which now binds -.
VIII cease to exist. There will be no froi
Ior It's name and the flame must needs
ule out. clearly that kind OF love IS
merely earthly expedient or incident or
zen accident and will have fulfilled its
mission when the breath leaves the hoav
IL cannot go hence when we go. but no,s,
be LETT behind because there Is M sIan,est
OF Ii Mortality in II.
But the other kind of love, which rest.
on unity OF purpose. on divine sympathy
on summation for qualities Of Character,
tue rove which has its origin in what tho
loved one is. not in what ne has-that is
as mnch part of the soul as ambition
Is or courage, and can no more die than
the soul itself can die. Those who love
each other in an earthly way may soon
become strangers over yonder. but thev
who love in this higher wav viii cor.
closer together when they reach The
shore beyond the shadow. ''e
This then. Is the truth-that We shan
Know each other. without doubt: thai
we shaIl love each other throughout eter-
hlty' provided our love is that NJ so,Is
rather than of bodies-New York ueraIa
Let IL he So.
| Between us two dead love lice st,, 40