Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-11-22

were there with samples OF their work,
in the persons of reformed drunkards
whom they-had saved from destruction.
watched my opportunity. and seeking
out one of the chief men. asked, lis
Jesus of Nazareth in your procession"
The answer came prompt and decisive.
He is not here" ventured little
furthur and asked again. "What think
ye of him, if peradventure you know
him?" The man responded. HE is
not much respected by our societies.
When he was in the world he was con-
sidered by our ancient brethren as
wine-bibber and a glutton. He even
went so far as to attend wedding
among the lower class of people, and
when the wine was exhausted and the
guests all drunk he made them q new
supply of vile stuff. right in the face
of all respectable people who were la
boring to suppress the manufacture.
sale and use of the deadful poison; and
one of his chief apostles recommended
the use of wine. So you see there is
not much agreement between US and
him, either in heaven or on easth, con-
sequently we are found very seldom, if
ever, in each others company. Many
whom you see here were saved by tenn
perance workers from drunkards'
graves and a drunkards' hell, which
would have been their certain doom.
had not the temperance cause super
ceded the work and teaching of him
you INQUIRE for"
had now seen enough of the place
to desire no more of it, and was ready
to sink in utter despair. In my en-
deavor to escape one thing unpleasant
another would confront me; finally l
came into an open court of the most
elaborate and gorgeous fashion. This
was called the "Place of Degrees.
Here men were ranked according to
the amount of good done by them, or
the character which they had built.
Some were on high seats, and some
were on low ones, and some had no
seats of honor at all. Some wore
crowns gemmed with stars, some wore
crowns without stars, and some had
no crowns,at all. Those on the high
est seats had the most, the largest and
the brightest stars in their crowns, and
wore long, rich robes, of which they
were exceedingly proud. Those on
high seats looked with scorn upon all
those below them, and those less pre-
ferred looked in envy upon those above
them. I forgot my own discomfort
for short time to muse upon the
discomfort manifested in the scene be-
fore me. I wondered if contentment.
such as heaven should bring. was even
an occasional guest in their hearts.
Everything appeared to be exactly az
ter the fashion of earth, only upon q
much more elaborate scale. The same
love of glory and distinction. the same
boastiug over interiors, the same envy
against superiors, the same principle
OF self-aggrandizement. iu fact every
thing that goes to make up the distinc-
tions, strife and dissentions among
men on earth, every principle that be-
gets and nourishes religious fraud. dis
sembling and knavery, was ripe and
luxuriant there. All the imperfections
and base deceptions of earth had rip
ened in the skies. The whole place
was as completely given to idolatry as
Athens of old, which stirred the spirit
within the holy apostle. Then came
the dreadful thought Of spending etern-
ity there. 1t was more than I could
bear, my agony of heart and last
struggles of despair aroused me. and
once more rejoiced that it was only II
dream, a dreadful illusion, but true
picture of the heaven that the religion
lists of this world are making.
Lebanon, Ohio. H. Nj. CURRY.