Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-04-22
When We Get There.

L
For now we see through glass. darkly.-
|. Cor, Kill L.
We shall have a great many curious
when we reach "the house
not made with hands," for once sateiy
out of the body and beyond It's limlta,
tions we shall be able to look DacK-ana
solve some of the puzzles OF this pres
ent life. rrow
valley for many years his mind becomes
as narrow as the valley, and he almost
necessarily takes narrow view VI
things. Lift him, by some magic; 70
the summit of the mountain, let nlu
look down on the little place IN WHICH
he nassed his summers and winters. anu
then outon the boundless landscape
that stretches beyond the reach OF nls
vision. and he at once becomes larger
and broader. He understands on Inc
instant great many things WHICH
have heretofore been hidden from nin'
When he lived in the valley ne wonu1r
ed about thousand matters, put oIiy
had his labor for his pains, because nie
wonder asked questions when reason
ecould not answer. From tne Yan'"So
ground of the summit, hoWeve.;, a m
simply looks abroad, ana many u 'N'
L
Or again. if a man lives in the oarA'
he can find out great deal by gropl.s'
and AS far as he is able to 60 h1s III,
Formation may be quite correct, FROM
the little he knows he may fashion a
theory of the many things he does not
know but the theory will be always
omen 10 doubts and subject to cnange'
hecause he is dealing with matters DE-
vond his vision. Suppose you were
ahle to draw up the hidden curtain OF
some hidden window, and let the plaz
mo GLORY of the sunlight into the room
in which he has lived He would De at
first embarrassed, if not posltlveIy
frightened, and it would require Iine
for him to become accustomed 10 Cne
new state of affairs; but now much ne
would learn, and in how SNORT tan9
he would learn it A single glance, aId
[ many of his preconcelved notlons 49, nv
fall like Withered leaves; announcer
Glance. and the actual truth concern
t mo things would gradually dawn on
t his startled but delighted mind.
, Something of that kind must needs
bannen when we open the door on the
, thither side of the tomb and step from
: the darkness of death into the brlgnt
i iioht of eternal life. When the hrst
y hswilderment has passed, we shall LOOK
: hack with a kind of regret that it was
nossihle for ms to SO misunderstood the
e beneficent purpose of God in the ex
Y neriences which were allotted to us. :,
q We shall see that this life is really
very beautiful, for earth is only sup
nrh of heaven. and if rightly used woule
= he full of happiness. 1t is hard to be
', lieye that it was Gods intention ina
"a we should suffer as in a great many ~
stances we do suffer. Unless we oeciar'
that Gods moral, and, for that maC'ef
8 His physical laws also, were maoe " "
10 be broken, we must lnslsG Cna1 nuo.
le of the sorrow which burdens Inc nea a.,
< is the result of our own mlsdolng rain
e. er than of Gods doing. -,
1t That discipline is necessary we VIII
80 not doubt, but why add to the discl
al pline of a wise, and kindly Provldenc
he what ought to be classified as the pen
ke altv of broken laws? When God hurt
G. ms we can bear it, but how shall we pea
ne the hurts we infict on ourselves py "a
re wilf,lness and wantonness wh4cn IL
g. has distinctly forbidden us to indulge
OF and which He must punish in order =
w teach us the terrible lesson OF oOeol
Nv ence? -,
Vn All this is very puzzling to us Jus
We now. and in the silent watches OF III
d night the eyes of the body have pee
re kept wide open because the lnqulrih
en- ewes of the mind could not see the SOU
H. ton of the mystery. But when we af
:, III free, when We stand on hlgner groun
he and look down on all we have done an
se. left nndone. we shall discover that a
Is the first God filled this lower life VII
cd all possible happiness. and that GU
We peryerse and perhaps ignorant attltud
Ut toward Him has conjured up evl
or which are permitted by Him, but nc
approved. e..
on If we could only come back frol
ler heaven. and bring our newly acquire
~. knowledge with US. how little our SCI
lat ond earthly life would resemble tn
srs first! In other words, the Christ spir
we alone makes life beautiful, and II W
OF, have not that, then there are awful e.
ng periences in our months and years, JUL
M as in the landscape there are disngul
fly ing chasms and precipices and Law
oe beds aud long stretches OF ARD ana I'll
We productive territory.
lor The lips of the body may laugh {
IN trivial things, but when the soul laugh
SIS, and is merry it is because God is NJ
Ut far off and heaven is nigh at hand. ~
lnt serene heart is the obedient HEARTH
nlii heart that beats in unison with tt
ltn eternal truth of things. 1t is alwa.
~ ~ quiet, even as Christ's heart was que
ISL because there is nothing to fear an
ne, nothing to dread when Gods sentlne
IN guard the home. Love, faith, peace
OF these are golden keys which hang
ne the girdle when man is his best sell,
"a; the dear lord intended him always
nd be, and they unlock the mysteries
or af the present and turn the bolt IN Il
Vi door of the future. Love Sod. be fat
var full; for though just now you 8
~ through glass darkly, it is Father
we hand that leads and Fathers streng
e. that protects you.
AS