St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-01-15
No Sect in Heaven.

This is not new put It will bear repubi-
cation The author we do not know'I
Talking Of sects till late one eve,
OF the various doctrines the saints believe
That night stood N a TT ublcd dream
BY the side Of darkly flowing stream
But the aged father did not mind
And his long gown foated out behind.
As down TO the stream his way he took
His pale hands claspng gilt.cdged book.
''I'm bound for Heaven and when I'm there
shall want my Book OF Common Prayer;
And though put on starry crown
should feel quite lost without my gown
Then he fixed his eye on the shining track
But his gown was heavy and held him back,
But the poor old father tried in vain
A SIT gle step in the food 10 gain
saw him again on the other side,
But his silk gown foated on the tide;
And no one asked in that Nsiul spot
Whether he belonged TO me church or not.
Then down to the river Quaker strayed,
His dress OF n sober hue was made;
"My coat and hat must be all Of gray,
! cannot go any other way
Then he buttoned his coat straight up to his
chin
And steadily. solemnly. walked in;
And his broad-brimed hat he pulled down
tight
over bis forehead so cold and white.
But q strong wind carried away his hat;
A moment he silently sighed over that,
And then as he pazed to the farther shore
The coat slipped off, and was seen no more
As he entered Heaven his suit OF gray
Went quietly sailing away-awny--
And none Of the angles questioned him
About the width Of his beavers brm
Next came Or. Watts. with bundle OF psalms
Tied nicely up in his aged arms.
And hymns as many-a very wise thing,
That the people IN Heaven 'nllround might
sing
But thought that he heaved an anxious
As he saw that the river ran broad and high.
And he looked rather surprised, as one by
one
The Psalms and Hymns in the waves went
down
And after him. with, his NJ S.
Came Wesley, the pattern Of gOdlincssi
But he cried Dear me what shall do
The water has soaked them through and
through"
And there on the river far and wide,
Away they went down the swollen tide;
And the saint. astonished, passed through
alone.
Without his manuscripts up to the throne.
Then gravely walking two. saints by name,
Down to the stream togtther came;
! saw onr saint from the other shrink
"sprinklcd or plunged. may ask you, friend,
How you attained to liic's great end Z"
THUS, with few drops on my brow
But | have been dipped, as you'll see me
now,
And really think it will hardly do
As I'm close communion. to cross with you;
You're bound, know, to the realms Of bliss,
But you must 90 that way, and III 90 this "
Then straightway plungng with all his
might
Away to his lcft--his friend at the right
Apart they went from this word OF sin.
But at last together they entered in.
But now, while the river was rolling on,
A Presbyterian church went down
OF women there seemed an innum'rable
But the men could count as they passed
along.
And concerning the road, they could never
agree
The old or the new way which it could he.
Nor ever moment paused TO think
That both would lead 70 the rivers brink.
And a sound OF murmering long and loud
Came ever up from the moving crowd;
You're in the old way and I'm in the new;
That is the false, and this is the true
or, I'm in the old way and you're in the new,
That is the false and this is the true"
But the brethren only seemed to speak
NJ Oldest the sisters walked, and meek;
And II ever one OF them CHARGED to say
What troubles she met with on the way,
How she longed to pass on the other side,
MOI feared to cross over the swelling tide,
voice arose from the brethren then:
Let no one speak but the holy men,
For have you not heard the words Of Paul.
oh let the women keep silence all -
| watched them long in my curious dream
Till they stood by the borders OF the stream;
Then just as | thought, the two ways met
But all the brethren were talking yet,
And all would talk on, till the heavng tide
Carried them over, side by side,
Side by side. for the way was one.
The toilsome journey OF life was done,
And priest and quaker, all who died,
Came out alike on the other side.
No forms or crosses or books had they,
No gowns of silk or suits OF gray,
No creeds TO guide them or NJ ; s.,
For all had put on Christ's righteousness