The Monitor-register., 1897-01-29

again, that the angels know each other,
and then the Bible says that we are to
be higher than the angels. And II the
angels have the power of recognition,
shall not we, who are to be higher fhan
they in the next realm, have asgood
eyesight 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't 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 sleep. If we
know each other before we go to Sleep
shall we not know each other after we
wake up? Oh, yes! We will know each
other great deal better then than now,
"for now," says the apostle, ''we see
through glass darlly, but then face to
face" 1t will be my purified, enthroned
and glorified body gazing on your puri-
fed, enthroned and glorified body.
Now, I demand, if you believe the
Bible, that you take this theory of fu-
ture recognition out of the realm of
speculation and surmise into the region
of positive certainty, and no more keep
saying: 81 hope it is so. have an idea
it is so. guess it is So" Be able to
say, with all the concentrated energy of
body, mind and soul, 81 know it is sol"
There are, 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 it be
possible that we shall forget forever
those with whose walk, look, manner,
we have been SO long familiar? Will
death come and with sharp, keen blade
hew away this faculty of memory?
Abraham said to Dives, "Son, remem-
ber.'' If the exiled and the lost remem-
Der, will not the enthroned remember?
You know very well that our joy in
any circumstance is augmented by the
companionship 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 suppose the joy of heaven is
to be augmented by the fact that we are
to have our friends with us when there
rise before us the thrones of the blessed
and when there surges up in our ear the
jubilate of the saved. Heaven is not o
contraction. 1t is an expansion. If l
know you here, 1 will know you better
there. Here ] see you with only two
ewes, but there the soul shall have
1, 200, 900 eyes. 1t will be Immortality
gazing on Immortality, ransomed spirit
in colloquy with ransomed 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 will know each
other in heaven?' He turned to her and
said, "My dear, do you think we will
be bigger fools in heaven than we are
here?''
The World Expects 1t.
Again, I accept this doctrine Of future
recognition because the worlds expect
ancy affirlns it. III all lands and ages
this theory is received. What form Of
religion planted it? No form of religion,
for it is received under all forms of re-
ligion. Then, 1 argue, sentiment, a
feeling, an anticipation, universally
planted, must have been God implanted,
and if God implanted it is rightfully
implanted. Socrates writes: "Whe
would not part with great deal to
purchase a meeting with Orpheus and
Homer? If it be true that this is to be
the consequence of death, could even
be able to die often. -
Among the Danes, when master
dies his servant sometimes Stays himself
that he may serve the master in the fu-
ture world. Cicero living before
Christ's coming, said; "Oh, glorious
day when I shall retire from this low
and sordid scene to associate with the
divine assemblage of departed spirits,
and not only with the one 1 have just
mentioned, but with my dear Cato, the
best of sons and most faithful of men.
II I seemed to bear his death with forti-
tude, it was by no means that did not
ms,st sensibly feel the loss I had sus-
tanned. 1t was because was supported
by the consoling reflection that we could
not long be separated.
The Norwegian believes it; the Indian
believes it; the Greenlander believes it,;
the Swiss believe it; the Turks believe
it. Under every sky, by every river, in
every zone, the theory is adopted. And
so I say principle universally implant-
ed must be God implanted, and hence a
right belief The argument is irresisti-
BILE
Again, I adopt this theory because
there are features of moral temperament
and features Of the soul that will distin-
guish us forever. How do we know each
other in this world? Is it merely by the
color of the eye, Or the length Of the
hair, or the facial proportions? Oh, no!
Tt is by the disposition as well, by nat
ural affinity, using the word in the very
best sense and not in the bad sense. And
if in the dust our body should perish
and lie there forever, and there should
be no resurrection, still the soul has
enough features and the disposition has
enough features to make US distinguish
able. can understand how i'll sickness
! man will become so delirious that he
will not know his own friends, but will
we be blasted with such insufferable
| idiocy that, standing beside our best
friends for all eternity, we will never
guess who they are?
One Reason For Belief
Again, think that one reason why
we ought to accept this doctrine is be-
i cause we never in this world have an
opportunity to give thanks to those to
whom we are spiritually indebted The
Joy of heaven, we are told, is to be in
augurated by review Of life's work,
These Christian men and women who
have been toiling for Christ, have they
seen the full result of their work? Oh
no!
In the church at Somervilie, n. j. +,
John Vredenburgh preached fer great
many years. He felt that his ministry
was failure, although he was faith
full minister preaching the gospel all
the time He died, and died amid dis
couragements, and went home to God
for no one ever doubted that John Vre-
denburgh was a good Christian minister
A little while after his death there came
a great awakening in Somerville, and
one Sabbath 200 souls stood up at the
Christian altar espousing the cause of
Christ, among them my own father and
mother. And what was peculiar i'll re-
gard to nearly all of those 200 souls was
that they dated their religious impress
sions from the ministry of John Vre-
denburgh. Will that good Christian
man before the throne of God never
meet those souls brought to Christ
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