Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-02-03
REV. DR., TALMACE
Subject: "Heavenly Recognition. I"

David the king Disease, which stalks up
the dark lane OF tn. poor and puts its smoth.
ering hand on p and nostrii oil the wan and
wasted also mounts the palace stairs and
bending over the pillow blows into ne face
of the young prince the frosts of pain and
death. Tears are wine TO the king OF rerrors.
Alas for David the king. Ha can neither
sleep nor eat an lies prostrated on hts face
weeping and waiiins until the pa ace rings
with the ou. cry of woe.
What ara courtly attendants, or victorious
armies. or conquered provinces under such
circumstances? What to any parent Is all
spendid surrounding when his child is sick!
Seven days have passed on. There In that
great house Two eyeiids are gently close Il
two little hands folded, two little feet qutst.,
one heart still. The servants come to bear
the t.dings to the king. but they cannot
make up their minis to tell him, and they
stand at the door whispering about the mat
ter. and David hears them. and he looks up
and says TO them: ''Is the child deadf'
Yes, he Is dead"
puts on new apparel ami sits down to food.
WHAT power hushed that tempest? What
strength was it that lifted up that king
whom grief had dethrone,i? Oh, II Was the
thought that he would come again into the
possession OF that darling child. No grave.
dlgger's spade could hide him. The wintry
blasts OF death could not put out the bright
light. There would be- forge somewhere
that with silver hammer would weld the,
broken links. In city where the hoofs OF
the pale horse never strike the pavement he
would clasp his lost treasure. he wipes
away the tears from his eyes, and he clears
the choking gri from his throat and ex.
c.aims. II all go to him."
Was David rg ght or wrong? II Wa part on
earth, wi We meet again In the next wor'dt
We'll" says some one, "that seems to be an
i'm 1ssibiiily. Heaven is so large place We
sver couid find our kindred there" Going In
TO some city without having appointed time
and place Tor meeting, you might wander
around for weeks and for months. and per-
haps for years, and never see each other, and
heaven is vaster than all earthly cities to-
gether. And how are you going to md your
departed friend in that couutry2 1t ia SO vast
q realm. John went up one mountain OF in.
spiration. and he looked OF upon the multi
tude and he said, Thousands of thousands.
Then he came up upon a greater altitude Of
inspiration and looked OF upon II again, and
he said, ..Ten thousand times ten thousand. "
And then ne came on a higher mount OF in
spiration and looked of again. and he said,
"A hundred and forty and four thousand
and thousands OF thousands" And he came
on still greater height Of inspiration, and
he looked of again and exclaimed, "a great
m ultitute that 10 man can number.
Now, l ask, how are you going to nnd
your friends in such a throng as thar Is
uOI IH1S lut3 We HhNS
after all. n faisity? Is this doctrine OF future
recognition o. friends In heaven a guess.
myth, a within. or IL II granitic foundation
upon which the soul pierced OF all ages may
build glorious hope? Intense question.
Every heart in this audience throbs right
into II. There is in evecy soul here the tomb
of q, least one dead. Tremendous question!
1t makes the lip CULVER; and the cheek flush.
an! the entire nature thrill. Shall we know
each other there? I get letters almost every
month asking me to discuss this subject. l
get q letter in bold. scholarly hant, on gilt
edged paper, asking me to discuss this ques-
II n, and say. "Ah, that is a curious man,
ami lie wants a curious question solved"
But l get another letter. II Is written with
trembling hand and on what seems to DO q
torn out leaf OF book, and there anu here Is
the mark OF tear, and say, "Oh, that ts 2
broken heart. and it wants To be conforted!
The object OF this sermon Is to take this
theory out of the region OF surmtse and
speculation into the region OF positive GER
tainty. People cay: II. would be very
peasa Mt II that doctrine were true. l hope
It may be true. Perhaps 1t Is true. wish
1t were true" But believe that can bring
an accumulation Of argument to bear upon
this matter which will prove the doctrine oi
future recognition as plainly as that there ID
any heaven at all, and thar the kiss OF re-
union at the celestial gate will be Rs certain
e the dying kiss at the door OF the sepulcher.
Now. when you are going to build q ship
you must GET the right kind OF timber. You
lay the keel and make the framework OF the
We y best mu erials-tho keeison. stanch1o1s.
plauk shear, counter timber. knees, transoms
all iron or solid oak You may build Q
ship of lighter N terial, but when the cyclone
comes on 1t will go down. Now, We may
have a great many beiutifui theo les about
the future world built out Of our own fancy.
aud they may DO very we'll as long as We
have smooth sa ling in the world, but when
the storms of sorrow come upon US, and the
hurricane OF death, We will beswamped-we be
will be toundered. We want a theory built
out of Gods eternal word. The doctrine OF
future recognition i. not so often Positively
stated "a the word OF God as implied, and
you know, my friends. that that is. after all,
the strongest mode OF Affirmation. Your
friend travels in foreign lanis. He comes
home. He does not begin by arguing with
you to prove that there are such places a.
London and Stockholm and Paris and Dres-
den and Berlin, but his conversation implies
it. And 80 this Bible does NOT so positively
state this theory as, all mp aud down tti
chapter. take II for granted.
What does my text imply? 81 shall so to
him" Wat consolation would 1t be to
David 10 20 to his child II he would not know
him? Would David have been G1twed &c
record this anticipation for the inspection ol
all ages II It were a groundless anticipation
We read In the first book OF the Bible: Abra
han. died and was gathered to his people.
Jacob died and was gathered to his people
Moses died and was gathered to his people
We peoples Why, their friends, their con
raCs, their old companions OF course Il
means that II cannot mean anything else
So in the very beginning. of the Bible foul
times that is taken for granted. The wholt
New Testament Is an aroor over which THU
doctrine creeps ike luxur'ant vine fult ol
the purple clusters OF consolation. james
John and Peter followed Christ into thi
mountain. light fal.s from heaven on
that mountain and lifts 1t into the glories o
the celestial. Christ's garments glow and HI
face shines like the sun. The door OF HEAVIER
swings open. Two spirits come down AMI
eIight On that mountain. The disciples lool
at them and recognize them as Moses AMI
Elias Now, II these disciples standing ol
! the earth could recognize these Two eptrlr
who had been for years in heaven, do yo'
tell ne that we, with our heavenly eyestght
will not be able to recognize those who hav
| gone out from among u5 only nve, ten
| twenty, thirty years agot
| The Bible indicates over and over agail
| that the angels know each other, and thel
| the Bible Gays that we are to be higher Thai
| the angels, and il the angels have the powe
| OF recognition, shall not Ne. who are {. b
higher than they in the next realm, have a
good eyesight and as coed c..pacltyT Wha
| did Christ mean IN His conversation Wit
Mary and Martha when he said, eth
brother shall rise AGAIN." IT WAS ~ niue
4 as 10 say: Don't cry. Don't wear your
| selves out with this trouble. You vii. &c
Him again. Thy brother shall rise again.
The Bible describes heaven as erea
home circle. Well. now. that wouid be
very queer home circle where The member
4 lid NOT know each other. The Bible d.
scrb~s death as sleep. II We know sac
other before We go to steer, shall We u.
| know each other a'ter We wake upf o.
yes. We will know each other great del
| better then than now, "Fur now" says Ii
apostle, I'VE see through glass darkly. br
.hen face TO face" II will be m: purified
enthroned and glorifed body gazing on 20,
! purified, enthroned aud glorified body.
Now, demand, If you believe The Biol
! TINT you take this theory OF future recogn
tion out OF the realm of speculation and su
mise into the region OF positive certaint
and no more keep saying: ~ hope 1t is
have an idea II is so. l guess 1t Is 50.
| able to say, with all the contracted sner,
Of body, mind and soul, II know u 70 SOL