Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-02-09
REV. DR.. TALMAGE
The Eminent Brooklyn Divine'S Sun
day Sermon.
Subject: "a Vision of Heaven"


pirates, sat Ezekiel. II was there ne had an
immortal dream, and It is given to ne IN tho
HOLY Scriniures He dreamed OF Tyre AMI
Egypt He dreamed OF Christ and the COM
ing heaven. This exile seated by that river
Chebar. had more wonderful dream than
you or ever have had or ever will have
seated on tho banks OF the Hudson or Ala
hama or Oregon or Thames or Tiber or
Danube.
But we all have had memorable dreams,
some Of them when we were hall asleep and
half awake. 60 that we did not know whether
they werc horn OF shadow or sunlight.
whether they were thoughts Jet loose and
disarran red rs in sumber. or the imagna-
ton OF faculties awake.
Such a dream I had this morning It was
about half-past 8. and the day was breaking.
IT was dream OF God. dream OF Eeaven.
Ezekiel had his dream on tho banks OF the
Chebar; | had my dream not far from the
banks OF the Hudson. The most oil the stories
OF heaven were written many centuries ago
AMI they tell us how the place looked then.
or how it will look centuries ahea ]. Would
YOU not like to know how it looks now? That
is what am going to tell YOU. | was there
this morning. I have lust got back. How
got into that city Of the sun l know not
Which OF the twelve gates ] entered Is to me
uncertain. But my first remembrance OF tho
scene is that stOO on one of tho main ave-
nues, looking this way AMI that. lost in rap
lures. AMI the mir so full OF music and redo
lence and laughter AMI light that knew not
which street to take. when an angel OF Col
accOsted me and offered TO show me the o.
iects OF greatest interest. ana conduct me
from street to street and from mansion 10
mansion. and from temple to temple. AM
from wall to wall. | said TO the angel. "HOw
long hast thou been in heavenY and the an
swer. "Ihirty-twO years according to the
earthly calendar
There was "A secret about this angels name
that was not given me. but from the ten ler-
ness and sweetness and affection and later
est taken in my walk through heaven, and
more than all i'm the fact OF thirty-twO years
residence. the number OF years since she
assembled. think it was my mother. Old
age and decreptu1e and the tired look wera
all gone, but think It was She You see,
was only on a visit TO tho city and had not
yet taken up residence, and / could know
only in part
looked in for few moments at the goat
temple. Our brilliant and lovely scotch es-
sayist. Mr.. Drummond. says there is no
church in heaven. but he did not look for it
on the right street. st. John was right when
in his PatmOsic vision recorded in lhc third
chapter oil Revelation, he speaks OF "tho
temple OF my Col" ! saw it this morning.
the largest church I ever saw. rs big rs all
the churches and cathe Trails OF the earth pUt
together, and it was thrOngcl. Oh. what q
multitude. | hal never soon so many peO-
pletosether. All the audiences Of all the
churches OF all the earth put together would
make poor attendance compared with the
assemblagr. There was fashion in attire
and hcad1ress that imme liatcly took my at
tention. Tho fashion was white. All in
white. save one. An the hcaddress was a
garland Of rOs, and lily AMI mignOnette.
mingled with green leave, Guile from the
royal gar lens AMI boun TO ycthcr with bands
Of gold.
And | saw some young men with rins on
the finger o. the right han an said TO my
accompanying angel. why those rings on
the fingers OF the right han lsy' and / was
told that those who w0ret' IN were pro ligal
sons ana once fell swine in the wilderness
and lived on husks. hut they came home. AMI
the rejoicing father said, Put n ring on his
han ;.
But said there was ono exception to this
fashion o white pervl ling AL the au iitorun
and clear up through a. the galleries. IL
was the attire OF IA" ono who presided in
that immense temple-.he rhieiest. tne
mighticst the loyeHest person in all tho
place His checks seemed 20 De flushed with
Infinite beauty. AMI his forehead was a
morning sky. ana his lips We're eloqu
onnipotent. Bat his attire was Of deep
c0iOrs. They suggested the carnage through
which he had passal, and 1 slid 20 my at
ten linz angel "What Is that crimson robe
that he wears and was told, They arr
dyed garments from Bozrah,' and He troll
the wine press alone.
Soon after l entered this temple they be-
gan 10 chant the celestial litany II was m
like anything had eyer heard for swee ness
eul power and have heard the most sweet
o., the great organs and the most Of the
greet oratorios. / said 90 my accompany ING
angel. WHO is that stanling yOader with
the harpI and the answer was. David
Anil said. "Who is that SCUM ling that
trumpet AMI the answer was Gabriel
AID | said. "Who is that ut the organT an
the answer was Handel. And the music
rolled on till it came TO a dcXology extollins
Christ Himself, when all the worshipers,
lower down AMI higher up. q thousand ga
leries o. them. suddenly dropped on their
knees and chanted. Worth is the Lamb that
was slain Under the oyerpoweriny har-
m0ny fell back. ! said: Let rs 90. This
Is too much for mortal ears. I cannot bear
the overwhelming symphony.
But / noticed As ! was about 70 turn away
that Oh the steps Of the altar was something
like the lachvrm4l. or tear bottle. rs | had
seen il in the earthly musems, the lachry-
mails. or tear bottles. into which the orieA
tails used 10 weep their gricfs AMI set them
away as sacred. But this lachyrm1l. or tear
bottle, in stead Of earthenware, rs those the
orientas used, was lusr0us and fiery with
many splendOrs, and il was towering and Of
great capacity. And said 10 my aiten lin :
&. h.N Ia..fl trrra auI or
tear bottle, standing on the step or the altar!
and the angel said "Why don't You know
That is the bottle to which David. the psalm
ist referred in this lty-sixth psalm wlen ho
said. Put thou my tears into thy bottle. II
IS fun OF tears from earth tears OF repen-
tance tears OF bereavement tears OF joy,
tears " many centuries. Aud then / saw
how sacred tOthe sympathetic GOD earth
/ iy sorrows.
As was coming ont Of the temple l saw
all along the pictured walls there were
shelves. aud golden vials were being set NJ
/ on all those shelves. and said: "Why the
setting up Of all these yials at this time.
They seem Just now 70 have been filled.
I and the attending angel said, The week o.
prayer AL around tho earth has just closed
and more supplications have been made than
! have been made for long while, and thes-
new vials. newly set up, arc what the Bibl'
! speaks OF as golden via's full o. o1ors,
which are the prayers Of saints Aud sal.
| to the accompanying angel, "C'n It be pos5'
! BILE that the prayers OF earth are worthy o
| being kept in such heavenly shapeF why.
/ said the angel, "iherc is nothing that 81
moves heaven rs the prayers OF earth, an.
| they are set up in sight OF these infinite
! multitudes, and. more than all, in the sigh
| OF Christ, and He cannot forget them, an
! they are before Him world without end.
Then we came out. and as the temple IS al
WAYS open and some worship at one houi
/ and others at other hours We passed DOVE
! the street amid the throngs coming to an
going from the great temple. And W. passed
| along through a street called Martyr place
and we met there. or saw sitting at the win
! dOws, the souls of those who on earth wen
| through fire and blood and under sword an;
| rack. We saw John Wyclif, whose ashe
were by decree Of the council OF constance
/ thrown into tho river. and Rogers, wh'
bathed his hands in the fire as though II ma.
been water. and Bishop Hooper and Mcha
AMI T.atimer nm ! Biileva an I Po.ycarp. whom
| the flames refused TO destroy - thew bent
! outwari I'll! q spear did the WORK. AMI some
! of tao Albigen5es AMI IugupnOts AMI consc'
err Ouakers who were slain for their re-
liz They had on them manv scars. bu'
| the. scars were illumined. and thcv had Oh
| their faces a look OF especial triumph.
Then We p1ssel along Song row. m W
met some OF tho old gospel singers. THAT i'
Isaac Watts" said nv attan l1at. "A w
came up 70 him, ne askei me iftho churches
/ ell - i'm