Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-01-29

be to David to 90 to his child II he
would not know him? Would DAVID
have been allowed to record this antlci-
patton for the inspection OF all ages II IL
were q groundless anticipation! we READ
in the first book Of the Bible: Abraham
died and was gathered to his people.
Jacob died and was gathered to his peo-
pie. Moses died and was gathered to his
people. What people? Why, their
friends, their comrades, their Old com
panions. OF course it means that. 1t
cannot mean anything else. So in the
very beginning Of the Bible four times
that is taken for granted. The whole
New Testament is an arbor over which
this doctrine creeps like a luxuriant
vine full Of the purple clusters OF con
ISOLATION. James, John and Peter fol-
lowed Christ into the mountain. a light
falls from heaven on that mountain and
lifts it into the glories Of the celestial
Christ's garments glow, and his face
shines like the sun. The door Of heaven
swings open. Two spirits come down
and alight on that mountain. The dis
ciples look at them and recognize them
as Moses and Elias. Now if those dis
ciples standing on the earth could recog-
nize these two spirits who have been for
years in heaven, do you tell me that
we with our heavenly eyesight, will
not be able to recognize those who have
gone out from among Us only 3, 10, 90
80 years ago?
Recognition.
The Bible indicates, over and over
again. that the angels know each other,
and then the Bible says that we are to
be higher than the angels And if the
angels have the power Of recognition,
shall not we, who are to be higher than
they in the next realm, have as good
evesight and as good capacity: What did
Christ mean, in his conversation with
Mary and Martha, when he said, Thy
brother shall rise again?" 1t was as
much as to say: Don cry. Don wear
yourselves out with this trouble. You
will see him again. Thy brother shall
rise again.
The Bible describes heaven as a great
home circle. Well, now that would be
a very queer home circle where the
members did not know each other. The
Bible describes death as a sleep If we
know each other before we go to sleep,
shall we not know each other after we
wake up? Oh, yesl We will know each
other a great deal better then than now,
"for now, says the apostle, I'VE see
through a glass darkly, but then face TO
face" 1t will be my purified, enthroned
and glorifcd body gazing on your puri-
fed. enthroned and gloriied body.
Now, l demand, if you believe the
Bible. that Won take this theory Of fu-
ture recognition out Of the realm Of
speculation ard surmise into the region
Of positive certainty and no more keep
saying: II hope it Is so. | have an idea
it is So guess it is So" Be able to
say. with all tine concentrated energy OF
body mind and soul. Il know it is sol
There arc, in addition to these Bible
arguments, other reasons why l accept
this theory. In the first place, because
the rejection Of it implies the entire OBJ
liberation Of our memory Can 1t be
possible that we shall forget forever
those with whose walk, look, manner,
we have been so long familiar? VIII
death come and with a sharp, keen blade
hew away this faculty Of memory!
Abraham said to Dives, "Son, remem-
bcr." If the exiled and the lost remem-
her will not the enthroned remember?
You know very well that our JOY in
any circumstance is augmented by the
companiouship Of our friends We can
not see a picture with less than -four
eyes or hear song with less than four
ears. We want some one beside Us with
whom to exchange glances and sympa-
thies. and l suppose the JOY Of heaven Is
TO be augmented by the fact that we are
10 have our friends with US when there
rise before Us the thrones Of the blessed
and when there surges up in cur ear the
iubilate Of the saved. Heaven is not a
contraction. It is an expansion. II
know you here | will know you better
there. Here l see you with only two
ewes, but there the soul shall have
1. 600. 600 eyes. It will be Immortality
gazing on Immortality, ransomed spirit
in colloquy with ransomod spirit, victor
beside victor. When John Evans, the
Scotch minister, was seated in his study
his wife came in and said to him, my
dear. do YOU think we viii know oacf
other in heaven?" he turned to her ano
said, my dear, do yen think We viii
be bigger fools in heaven than we ar'
here?"
The World Expects 1t.
Again. accept this doctrine Of future
! recognition because the world : expect
ancy aAirms it. In all lands and agel
this theory is received What form O
religion planted it? No form Of religion
for it is received under all forms OF re
hgion. Then, l argue, a sentiment,
! feeling, an anticipation, UNIVERSAL.
planted. must have been God implanted
| and if God implanted it is righttulll
implanted. Socrates writes: "Wh'
would not part with a great deal Il
purchase meeting with Orpheus an'
| Homer? If it be true that this is to b
| the consequence of death, l could evel
be able to die often.
| Among the Danes, when a pIaste
dies his servant sometimes Stays himsel
that he may serve the master in the III
ture world. Cicero, living befor
Christ's coming, said: "Oh, gloriou
| day when shall retire from this loy
| and sordid scene to associate with tn
divine assemblage Of departed spirits
and not only with the one l have 'us
, mentioned, but with my dear Cato, tn
best of sons and most faithful OF men
II I seemed 10 bear his death with forti
tude. it was by no means that | did no
most sensibly feel the loss l had sus
tanned. 1t was because was supporte
by the consoling reflection that we coul
not long be separated. "
The Norwegian believes it; the India
believes it; the Greenlander believes II
the Swiss believe it; the Turks beliey