Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-01-30
t.i, q II for granted.

ta,,.c it for granted.
What docs my text imply? 81 shall
90 TO him. " What consolation would it
lie TO David TO 80 TO his child if no
would rot know him? Would David
lave been allowed TO record this antici-
r:,tiou fer the inspection of all ages il 1T
were Il arcnndlcss anticipation? We read
in the first book CT tho Bible: Abraham
,lis,l and was gathered to his people.
Jacob died and was gathered to his pco-
PIE. Moses died and was gathered to his
people. What people? Why, their
friends. their comrades, their old COM
palions OF course it means that. 1t
cannot mean anything else. So i'll the
very beginning of the Bible folr times
that is taken for granted The whole
New Testament is an arbor over which
this doctrine crccps like II luXuriant
vine full of the purple clusters of con-
ISOLATION. Jnncs. John and Peter fol-
lowed Christ into the mountain. n light
fails 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
wears in heaven, do you tell me that
we, with our heavenly eyesight, will
not be able to recognize those who have
gone ont from among us only 3, 10, 20,
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
he higher thun 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 us good
cycsight and rs good capacity? What did
Christ mean, III his conversation with
Mary and Martha, when he said, THY
brother shall rise again." 1t was as
much rs to say: Don terry. Don't wear
yourselves out with this trouble. You
will see him again. Thy brother shall
rise again.
The Bible describes heaven rs Il great
home circle. Well, now, that would be
very queer home circle where the
members did not know each other. The
Bible describes death us Il sleep. It we
l-no,v each other before we 40 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, I'VE sec
through glass darllly, but then face to
face. - 1t will be my purified, cnthroncd
and glorificd body gazing on your puri-
fled, enthroned aud gloritied body.
Now, demand, if you believe the
Bible, that you tu1lc this theory of fu-
ture recognition ont of the realm of
speculation and suImise into the region
of positive certainty, and no more keep
saying: {" I hope it is so. l have an idea
it is so. guess it is So +" Be able to
say, with all the concentrated energy of
body, mind and soul, Il know it is sou
There are, in addition to these Bible
arguments, other reasons why I accept
this theory. III 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-
Der. If the cxiled and the lost rcmcm-
Der, will not the enthroned remember?
You know very well that our JOY III
any circumstance is augmented by the
companionship of our friends. We can-
not see a picture with less than four
ewes or hear a song with less than four
ears We want some one beside Us with
whom to exchange Chances and sympa-
thics, and suppose the JOY of heaven is
to be augmented by the fact that we arc
to have our friends with us when there
rise before us the thrones of the blessed
and when there surges up i'll our ear the
iubilate Of tho saved. Heaven is not u
contraction. 1t is an expansion. If
know you here, l will know you better
there Here 1 see you with only two
eyes, but there the soul shall have
1000, 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 i'll and said to him, MY
dear, do you think we will know each
other i'll heaven" He turned to her and
said, My dear. do you think we will
be bigger fools i'll heaven than we are
here?"
The World Expects 1t.
Again, accept this doctrine of future
recognition because the worlds expect
ancy affirms 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, I argue, sentiment,
feeling, an anticipation, universally
planted, must have been God implanted,
and Il God implanted it is rightfully
implanted. Socrates writes: who
would not part with a great deal to
purchase meeting with Orpheus and
Homer? If it be true that this is to be
the consequence of death, I 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 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 aasombl2Sc Of departed spirits,
and not only with the one have just
mentioned, hut with my dear Cato, the