Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-08-24

:5here their group is augmented. 1t is
graves here and collins and hearses here.
When Soul Arrives.
A little child's mother had died. and
they comforted her. They said: Your
mother has gone to heaven. Don't cry,
and the next day they went to the grave
yard, and they laid tho body of tho
mother down into ground, and the lit
tie girl came up to the verge Of the
grave, and looking down at the body OF
her mother said, Is this heaven?" Oh,
we have no idea what heaven is. IL is
the grave here. 1t is darkness here, bat
there is merry making yonder. Methinks
when soul arrives some angel takes it
aroand to show it tho wonders of that
blessed place. The usher angel says 10
the newly arrived: "These are the mar
tyrs that persisted at Piedmont; these
were torn TO pieces at the inquisition !;
this is the throne Of the great Jehovah /;
this is Jesusi'' Il Am going to sec
Jesus, said dying negro boy. II am
going 60 see Jesus, y and the missionary
said, "You are sure you will see him?"
Ooh, yes. That's what want to go to
heaven for . But, said the mission
airy, suppose that Jesus should so away
from heaven, what them" 81 should fol-
low him." said the dying negro boy.
But if Jesus went down to hell, what
them" The dying boy thought for q
moment, and then he said, "Massa,
where Jesus is there can be no hellp'
Oh, to stand in his presencel That
will be heaven Oh, to put our hand i'll
that hand which was wounded for us OH
the cross-to go around amid all the
groups Of the redeemed and shake hands
with prophets and apostles and martyrs
ard with oun own dear, beloved ones I
That will be the great reunion. We can
not imagine it low, our loved ones seem
so far away. When we are i'll trouble
and lonesome, they don't seem to come
to us. We. go on the bafffsaas Of the Jor-
dan and call across to tbem, but they
don seem to hear. =, e,n;iy: Is it we'll
with the child? Is it well with the low
ed ones?' and we listen to hear if any
voice comes back over the waters. Tonet
Mcneil Unbelief says, ''They are dead
and extinct forever, but, blessed be
God, we have a Bible that tells us DIFF
ferent. We open it and find that they
are neither dead nor extinct; that they
never were so much alive as now; that
they are only waiting for our coming,
and that we shall join them on the 9TH
er side of tho river. Oh, glorious re-
union, we cannot grasp it nowl Eye
hath not seen, nor car heard, neither
have entered into the heart of man the
things which God hath prepared for
them that love him. "
Sacred Song.
l remark again, we can in this world
get 10 idea Of the song of heaven. You
know there is nothing more inspiritiHg
than music, In the battle Of Waterloo
the highlanders wero giving way, and
Wellington found out that the bands of
music had ceased playing. He sent q
quick dispatch, telling them to play,
with utmost spirit, 8 battle march. The
music started, the highlanders Were
rallied, and they dashed on till the Gay
was won. We appreciate the power of
secular music, bat do we appreciate the
power of sacred song? There is nothing
more inspiring to me than whole con-
gregation lifted up on the wave of holy
melody. Whom we sing some Of those
dear old psalms and tunes, they rouse
all the memories Of the past. Why,
some Of them were cradle songs in our
fathers house. They are all sparkling
with the morning dew of thousand
Christian Sabba;hs.
They were sung by brothers and sis
tiers gone now, by voices that were aged
and broken III the music, voices none
the less sweet because they did tremble
and break. When / hear these old songs
sung, it seems as if all the old country
meeting homes joined in the chorus. and
Scotch kirk and sailors Bethel and
western cabins, until the whole CONT
nent lifts the doxology and the scepters
Of eternity beat time to the music.
Away then with your staryeling tunes
that chill the devotions OF the sanctuary
and make the people sit silent when
Jesus is coming to hosanna.
But, my friends, if music on earth is
SO sweet, what will it be in heaven?
They all know the tune there. Me-
thinks the tune Of heaven will be made
up partly from the songs Of earth, the
best parts Of all our hymns and tunes
going to add 10 the song of Moses and
the Lamb. All the best singers of all the
ages Will join it-choirs of white robed
children. Choirs of patriarchs! Choirs of
apostles! Morning stars clapping their
cymbals! Harpefs with their harps!
Great anthems Of God roll on, roll on
Other empires joining the harmony till
the thrones are full of it and the ma
tions all saved. Anthem shall touch an
them, chorus join chorus, and all the
sweet sounds of earth and heaven be
poured into the ear of Christ. David Of
the harp will be there. Gabriel of the
trumpet viii be there. Germany re
deemed will pour its deep bass voice in
to the song, and Africa viii add to the
music with her matches voices.
wish we could anticipate that song.
! wish in the closing hymns of the
churches today we might catch an echo
that slips from the gates. Who knows
but that when the heavenly door opens
today to LET some soul through there
may come forth the strain of the jubilant
voices until we catch it? Oh, that as the
song drops down from heaven it might
meet half way song coming up from
earthf