The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1894-11-15
RELIGIOUS READING.
FRIENDS IN HEAVEN.


II il plorious 10 have friends in heaven.
They seem TO add to the attraction OF inc
eternal world. Whiewe think ofthem as the
r~hitants Of the star-paved city, we, de INC
same time, regard them as our collpanlono,
and thus we are drawn nearer TO the thIoIo
bv the cords of human love. ana pecoille, ~
some sense. famliarlZcd with lhe SioiiI
which await us in a blissiul immortality IL
one view they appear as our associates, re-
ioicino in our prosperity, sympathHinB III
our sorrows and having sentiments ana Pui-
noses kindred with our own; in another, we
behold them the companions OF the patriai. ono
and the prophets. listening to the supiiilo
alterations of Paul. and the seraphic ihelo-
dies of Davd's celestial lutte, and pouring
forth their own voices III the ah'neHio "a
praise to the Lamb forever.
| bless God for the hope am permitted 10
entertain, and that l have mothef-the
beart-enshrined idol Of my earlier years
whose shirt wanders in e oud OF glory,
through the aromatic garCens, ana oNcr tno
delectable mountains of the best. She spent,
here below a life of sorrow-wedded to prl-
vations. disappointments and disease; but
now she plucks the fragrant flowers ana the
delicious fruits of paradise-leans her own
wearied head upon the BOSOM OF Jesus, anu
SAUNDERS in q beatilc vision OF the tnrone VI
God I have often fancied, in hours OF dhrk
ness and respondent gloom, that her giorllle 'l
spirit fingered around me, whispering "orus
OF consolation and hope. | have llnaglhed
that il was the echo of her lutte when maue
sweet music in my heart, the halloWedneSs OF
her presence which drove far from me the
tenutor. with his wicked doubts, ana the
rustling of her wings of glory which seemed
TO PAVILION me around with etarlit 1rradla-
lions from the eternal throne.
Aud to have child en- in heaven. Are they
not golden knobs, which transmit the cleo
Of ii throne
Of the Lamb to be the burdened and dlscoh-
solate soul? Bereaved parents Could you
behold vhe babe which has perished IKE Il
bios ON from your arms. you would scarce
" recognize the sickly infant which de-
mauGld your unceasing care and unSlurl-
bering watchfuness. 1t has exchanged It's
toys tor an angelic lute-its sobs for song
of triumph, and its little griefs and acute
pains for the sweetness of seraphlc Joy, ana
the rapture of undving praise. And then,
what astonishing advantages has 1t ALREADY
made in the clements of knowledge, and
wisd m and love! And yet. what wonder,
since it has been instructed by the Great
Teacher? 1t would be no matter OF sur
prise. though it could inform us concerning
the mysteries of redemption, and speak in
language which it would not be lawful 1or
us to utter.
Glory to God, that we have friends in
heaven Parents. husbands, wives, child
ren, brothers. sisters and associates nave
gone before us. Their tears are wiped away,
their signs of sorrow are repressed, tnelr
burden of afliction is removed, and they
have proved by their own experience, that
'life and immortality are brought to Light IN
the gospel They await our arrival upon
those blissiul shores. They stoop from the
golden battlements of heaven, to lure us on
to that glory which shall be eternal God
grant, gentle reader, that you and | may be
attracted by that splendor of the unforeseen
world, and admonish by the terrors OF he'll,
that we may ''work out our salvation with
fear and trembling and be brought at last
to stand high upon the mount of God, encir-
cled with the rainbow splendors, and filled
with the ulutterable glories of a blissful
Observation-Disclosures Advocate.