News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1896-10-01

a Saviour's agonemmt before the gate
of divine pardon. Gate of poverty before
gate of af1luence. Gate Of earthly trial
before gate of heavenly satisfaction.
Through much tribulatiOn you enter the |
kingdom Of God if you ever enter it at
all. But heaven will not be so much of
a heaven to those who had everything
in this world. A man who had every
thing in this world enters heaven, aud
the welcoming angel appoints such a
newly arrived soul to a mansion, and
says: go i'll and live there. That man
sion is yours forever" That man thinks
to himself, "Why, l have for many
years lived in mansion; a mansion is
no novelty to Inc. " The welcoming
angel appoints some ore prospered OF
earth to the honors Of heaven, the cOro-
nets and thrones. The soul thinks to it.
SELF 81 had more honors ON earth than
could appreciate, and crowns are heavy
things to wear, anyhow" The welcom-
ing angel appoints some prospered soul
of earth to fine landscape in the heav-
emily country and says, "Walk there and
enjoy yourself. :" The soul thinks to it
self, "The place L owned on the Hud
son" or "the castle l had on the
Rhine was almost as picturesque, and
then cannot see the sunset on the river,
for it is here everlasting day and the
sun never sets" The welcoming angel
says to some newly arrived soul, 'Lis
ten now to the music; the orchestra of
heaven is about to render one Of the
best oratorios. The soul would think:
"Why, | have been hearing the best
music for 80 years on earth. Almost ev-
cry winter | heard in the Academy of
Music the Creation, the Messiah, and
'Jephthah. | have heard all the great
living prima donnas and some who are
dead" Let the welcoming angel then
say to prospered soul Of earth, go
now and rest; this is the everlasting
rest. " "Why," the soul would think,
81 am not tired; why do l want rest?
have not done a stroke of work for the
last 20 years. spent my winters i'll
Florida and my summers i'll the Adiron-
dacks, and | am not in need of rest. .
The Closing Picture.
My hearers, heaven will not be so
much CT a heaven for those who had no
struggle on earth. But when those who
had hard push with the red gate CT
my text, the gate Of carbuncle, come to
the gate of pearl and find it wide open,
they will say: "Why, how strange this
is. This is the first gate CT valuable en-
trance in 40 years that l have found
OPEN" And the welcoming angel will
say to some Christian mother who
reared a large family Of children and
prepared them for usefulness and heav-
en-, $50 where you please and sit
down Gu what velvet bank or cushioned
throne you may prefer. And l hear
the newly arrived soul saying: ooh,
my! What good thing it is to rest.
was so tired. | was tired for 40 years.
Angel, tell me, is this an unbroken
rest? Can it he that there are no sick
children to take care of? My head was
so tired planning for the household on
small means; my eyes were so tired
with sewing and knitting; my back
ached with doing work that made me
stoop for so many hours. There was
nothing in the universe 80 much need
ed as rest. Now l have it. Blessed
Jesusl Blessed heaven! Blessed restf'
Then the welcoming angel will say to
some Christian that on earth was deaf
and had not heard voice of song or voice
of friendship, "Hark now to the choirs
in white as they are about to join IL
the opening piece CT the temple wE-
Ship" and as the baton swings and as
the deft fingers begin to feel the pulses
of the harp and lips of martyrs breathe
on the soft Iutes Of praise | hear the
surprised soul just entered heaven say
ing "Music Why, that is the first
ever heard. Will ii keep on? Tell them
not to stop. What is the name of that
like that l never heard anything al
all. "
And little child, long ago in heaven,
pulls at the white robe and says, "Moth
er!'' And she turns around, saying
"My child, for the FIST time | heal
your voice. On earth saw your smile
and felt the coil of your blond curls OIL
your childish brow, but l never hearC
your voice, even in play or prattle, ant
/ am confused to know which is the
best music-that which the angels Of
God render or the voice Of you, MY
darling. Musicl read about it ant
saw the notes in the music book, and
saw the fingers Of pianists and organist'
run up and down the snowb banks Of The
keyboard, but never thought it would
be anything like this. Musicw The1
the angel will say to lifelong invalid
odd you ever breathe air like this
Such balm! Such tonic Such immorta
life in every respiration! Did you evel
have any climate on earth like Thu
climate of heaven?" And the soul says
: "This is the first time in many a Ions
year | have been freed from pain. AS
, passed through the river by that gate
the last ache left me, and l am we'll
/, gloriously well, everlastingly well.
have swallowed the last bitter draft
!, have felt the last cut Of the knife.
have passed the last sleepless night
and now realize the beauty of wha
st. John said in Revelation, 'Ther
shall be no more pain. And then TIN
martyrs and the prophets and the apps
, ties will take up the chorus, and all th
recovered invalids from earth will joil