Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-12-15

whole millenniums before Xenophon
or Herodotus, or Moses, or Adam was
born. History of one world. History
of all worlds. What are our depart
ed astronomers doing? Studying as
tronomy yet, but not through the dull
lens of earthly observatory, but with
one stroke OF wing going right out tt
Jupiter. and Mars, and Mercury, and
Saturn. and Orion, and the Pleiades--
overtaking and passing the swiftest
comet in their flight. Herschel died q
Christian. Have you any doubt about
what Herschel is doing? Isaac Newton
died Christian. Have you any doubt
about what Isaac Newton Is doing =?
Joseph Henry died Christian. Have
you any doubt about what Joseph
Henry is doing? They were In discus
sion, all these astronomers Of earth,
about what the aurora borealis was,
and none of them could guess. They
know now; they have been out there
to see for themselves.
But what are the men Of the law,
who in this world found their chief
joy in the legal professionalism are
they doing now? Studying law in a
universe where everything is controlled
by law from the flight ei humming- bird
20 flight of world-laS. not dry and
hard and drudging, but righteous and
magnificent law, before which man and
cherub, and seraph, and archangel, and
GOO himself bow. The chain of law
long enough to wind around the i'm
mensities, and infinity, and eternity,
Chain of law. What place to study
law. where all the links of the chain
are in the hand!
What are our departed Christian
friends Who in this world had their Joy
in the healing art doing now? Busy at
their old business. No sickness In
heaven, but plenty Of sickness on
earth. plenty of wounds in the different
parts Of Gods dominion to be healed
and to be medicated. Those glorious
souls coming down, not in lazy doctors
gig, but with lightning locomotion. You
canot understand why that patient got
well after all the skillful doctors had
bic touched him-Abercrombie, who.
after many years doctoring the bodies
and the souls of people in Scotland,
went up to God In 1914. Perhaps Aber-
crombie touched him. / should not
wonder IL my old friend DR.. John
Brown, who died In Edinburgh-John
Brown. the author of "Rab and His
Friends"-John Brown, who was as
humble Christian as he was a skilful
physician and world-renowned author;
l should not wonder If he had been
back again to see some of his old
patients. Those who had their Joy in
healing the sickness and the woes Of
earth, gone up to heaven, are come
forth again for benignant medicament
But what are our departed Christian
friends who in all departments of use
fulness were busy, finding their chief
joy in doing good-what are they do
ing now? Going right on with the
work. John Howard visiting dungecn5;
the dead women Of Northern and
Southern battlefields still abroad look
ing for the wounded; George Peabody
still watching the poor; Thomas Clark
son still looking after the enslaved-
all Of those who did good on earth
buster since death than before. The
tombstone not the terminus but the
starting-post. What are our departed
Christian friends who found their chief
Joy in studying God. doing now ?
Studying God yet. No need of revela-
ton now, for unblanched they are face
to face. Now they can handle the ON
nipctent thunderbolts, just as child
handles the sword of father come
back from victorious battle. They have
nc sin; no fear, consequently. Study
save the revelation of the scars-that
deep lettering which brings it all up
quick enough. Studying the Christ of
the Bethlehem caravansary; the Christ
of the awful massacre with its hemorr-
hage Of head, and hand, and foot, and
solemn; Christ the Sacrifice, the Star,
The Son, the Man. the God, the God
man, the man-God. But bark! the
bell Of the cathedral rings-the cathe-
dral bell of heaven. What Is the mat
ter now? There is going to be a great
meeting in the temple. Worshippers
all coming through the aisles. Make
room for the Conqueror. Christ stand
ing In the temple. All heaven gather
ing around him. Those who loved the
beautiful come to look at the Rose of
Sharon. Those who loved music, come
to listen to his voice. Those who were
mathematicians. come to count the
years of his reign. Those who were
explorers. come to discover the height
and the depth and the length and the
breadth Of his love. Those who had the
military spirit on earth sanctified. and
the military spirit in heaven, come to
look at the Captain OF their salvation.
The astronomers come to look at the
Morning Star. The men of the law
come to look at him who is the judge
of quick and dead. The men who
healed the sick come to look at him
who was wounded for our transgres-
sions. All different and different for
ever in many respects, yet all alike in
admiration for Christ. in worship for
Christ. and all alike In joining in the
doxology: Unto him who washed us
from our sins in his own blood, and