News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1897-01-27

very beginning of the Bible four times thai
is taken for granted. Tho whole New Tes.
lament is an arbor over " hich this doctrine
creeps like a luxuriant vine full of the pur.
pie clusters of consolation. James, John
and Peter followed Christ into the noun.
tain. 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
disciples 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 had been fol
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, 20, 30 years agos
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 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 trou
BILE. 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 de
r1o L nj
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, eve see through glass dark.
Iy, but then face to face. 1t will be my
purified, enthroned and glorifed body gaz.
ing on your purified, enthroned and glori.
fed body.
Reasons For Belief.
Now, demand if you believe the Bible,
that you take this theory of future recog.
milton out Of the realm of speculation and
surmise into the region of positive Ger.
tanty, and no more keep saying; II hope
it is So / have an idea it is So l guess
it is so" BE able to say, with all the con
Centrated 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 re.
lection of it implies the entire obliteration
of our memory Can it be possible that we
shall forget forever those with whose walk,
look, manner we have been so long famil-
lar? VIII death come and with sharp,
keen blade hew away this faculty of mem
DRY? Abraham said to Dives, "Son, re-
member If the exiled and the lost re-
member Will not the enthroned remember?
You know very well that our joy in any
circumstance is augmented by the COM
partnership of our friends. We cannot sea
n 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 sympathies and l 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 contraction. 1t is an expansion.
If know you here, will know you better
there. Here l see you with only two eyes,
but there the soul shall have a million
eyes. 1t will be Immortality gazing on
moTtality-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 heavenY' He
turned to her and said, MY dear, do you
think we will be bigger fools in heaven
than we are here?"
Again, | accept this doctrine Of future
recognition because the world expectancy
affirms it. In 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 religion. Then, argue,
sentiment, a feeling, an anticipation,
universally planted, must have been God
implanted, and if God implanted it is
rightfully implanted. Socrates writes:
"Who 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 a master dies,
his servant sometimes Stays himself that
he may serve the master in the future
world. Cicero, living before Christ's com
ing, said: 'Oh, glorious day when l shall
retire from this low and sordid scene to
associate with the divine assemblage of de-
parted spirits, and not only with the one
have just mentioned but with my dear
Cato, the best of sonssand most faithful
of men. II ! seemed to bear his death with
fortitude, it was by no means that l did
not most sensibly feel the loss had sus-
tanned. 1t was because | was supported
nv tho aplincr rafioptinr Tint VIC pOnl1
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 l say a
principle universally implanted must be
God implanted, and hence right belief.
The argument is irresistible.
Soul Features.
Again, adopt this theory because there
are features of moral temperament and
features of the soul that will distinguish
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. 1t is by the
disposition as well, by natural 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 feature and the dispo-
sition has enough features to make us dis
tinguishable. l can understand how in
sickness man will become So delirious
that be will not know his own friends, but
will we be blasted with such iDSufferable