The Monitor-register., 1896-10-02

4 S~aviour's atonement before the gate
of divine pardon. Gate of poverty before
gate of affluence. 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, and
the welcoming angel appoints such a
newly arrived soul to a mansion, and
says: $50 in and live there. That man
sion is yours forever" That man thinks
to himself, "Why, 1 have for many
years lived in a mansion; a mansion is
no novelty to me-" The welcoming
angel appoints some one 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
l could appreciate, and crowns are heavy
things to wear, anyhow" The welcom-
ing angel appoints some prospered soul
Of earth to a fine landscape in the heav-
emily country and says, "Walk there and
enjoy yourself" The soul thinks to it.
self, "The place I owned on the Hud-
SON. or ''the castle 1 had on the
Rhine was almost as picturesque, and
then l 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, Ills
ten now to the music; the orchestra of
heaven is about to render one of the
best oratorios." The soul would think:
why, l have been hearing the best
music for 80 years on earth. Almost ev-
cry winter I heard in the Academy of
Music the Creation, the Messiah, and
'Jephthah.' l have heard all the great
living prima donnas and some who are
dead" Let the welcoming angel then
say to a %prospered soul Of earth. $50
now and rest; this is the everlasting
rest" "Why," the soul would think,
)"I am not tired; why do I want rest? I
have not done a stroke of work for the
last 30 years. I spent my winters in
Florida and my summers in the Adiron-
dacks, and I am not in need Of rest"
The Closing Picture.
My hearers, heaven will not be SO
much of a heaven for those who had no
struggle on earth. But when those who
had a hard push with the red gate of
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 of valuable en-
trance in 40 years that 1 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-, go where you please and sit
down on what velvet bank or cushioned
throne you may prefer" And I hear
the newly arrived soul saying: "Oh,
my! What a good thing it is to rest. I
was SO tired. 1 was tired for 40 years.
Angel, tell me, is this an unbroken
rest3 Can it be 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 I 80 much need
ed as rest. Now I have it. Blessed
Jesusl Blessed heavenl Blessed restr'
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 in
the opening piece of the temple wor-
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 lutes of praise I hear the
surprised soul just entered heaven say
ing: "Musicl Why, that is the first 1
ever heard. Will it keep on? Tell them
not to stop. What is the name of that
anthem? Why, I never heard anything
like that. I never heard anything at
ALL"
And a 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 I hear
your voice. On earth I saw your smile
and felt the coil of your blond curls on
your childish brow, but | never heard