St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-12-03


sonian institution into Heaven, awoke
into higher realms of philosophy;
and that Sir William Hamilton, lifted
to loftier sphere, understood better
the construction of the human intel
lee; and that John Milton took up
higher poetry in the actual presence
of things that on earth he had tried to
describe?
Again: Heaven is vastly improved
in its society. During your memory
how many exquisite spirits have gone
into it! If you should try to make
list Of all the genial, loving gracious,
blessed souls that you have known. it
would be a very long list-souls that
rave gone into glory. Now, do you
not suppose they have enriched the
society? Have they not improved
Heaven? You tell of what Heaven did
for them. They have done nothing for
Heaven? Take all the gracious souls
that have gone out of your acquaint-
anceship, and add to them all the gra-
cious and beautiful souls that for 500
or 1000 years have gone out of all the
cities and all the villages, and all the
countries of this earth into glory,
and how the society of Heaven must
have been improved! Suppose Paul,
the apostle, were introduced into your
social circle on earth; but Heaven has
added all the apostles. Suppose Han
nah More and Charlotte Elizabeth
were introduced into your social cir
Gle on earth: but Heaven has added all
the blessed and the gracious and the
holy women of the past ages. Sup
pose that Robert M'Cheyne and John
Summerfield should be added to your
earthly circle! but Heaven has gath
cred up all the faithful and earnest
ministry of the past: There is not a
town, or a city, or village that has
so improved in society in the last hun
dred wears as Heaven has improved.
But you say: Hasn't Heaven al
ways been perfect?" Oh, yes! but not
in the sense that it can not be aug
mented. 1t has been rolling on in
grandeur. Christ has been there, and
He never changes-the same yester-
day, to-day and forever. But speak
now of attractions outside of this,
and have to tell you that no place on
earth has improved in society as
Heaven has within the last 20 years;
for most of you within 40 years,
within 90 years, within five years,
within one year; in other words, by
the accessions from your own house.
hold. If Heaven were placed in
groups-an apostolic group, a patri-
archal group, prophetic group. group
Of martyrs, group of angels, and then
q group of your own glorified kindred
which group would you choose?
You might look around and make COM
parison, but it would not take you
long to choose. You would say: Give
me back those whom ,oved on earth; |;
let me enter into their society-my
parents, my children, my brothers, my
sisters. We lived together on earth,
let us live together in Heaven" Oh,
is it not blessed thought that Heaven
has been improved by its society-thiS
colonization from earth to Heaven?
Again: 1 remark that Heaven has
greatly improved in the good cheer OF
| announced victories. Where Heaven
rejoiced over one soul, il. now rejoices
! over hundred or thousand. In the
| olden times, when the events of hu-
man life were scattered over four OF
five centuries of longevity, and the
world moved slowly, there were not Sc
many stirring events to be reported in
Heaven; but now, l suppose, all the
great events of earth are reported in
Heaven. If there is any truth plain.
ly taught in this Bible it is that Heav.
en- is wrapped up in sympathy with
human history. and we look at those
inventions of the day-at telegraphy
at swift communication by steam, al
all these modern improvements which
seem to give one almost omnipresence
and we see only the secular relation;
but spirits before the throne look out
and see the vast and the eternal rela
ton. While nations rise and fall
while the earth is shaking with revo
luton, do you not suppose there j.
arousing intelligence going up to the
throne of God, and that the question
is often asked before the throne:
Heaven he knew more than ever the
science of health: and that JOSEPH
What il the news from that world
that world that rebelled, but is com
ing back to its allegiance?" If min
istering spirits, according to the Bi
BILE, are sent forth to minister to thos,
that shall be heirs of Heaven, wheI
they come down to us to bless us, d,
they not take the news back? Do tn,
ships of light that come out of the ce
lestial harbor into the earthly harbor
laden with cargoes of blessing, go bacl
unfreighted? Ministering spirits no
only, but our loved ones leaving us
take up the tidings. Suppose you wer
in far city, and had been there ,
good while, and you heard that SOM
one had arrived from your native plac
some one who had recently seen you
family and friends-you would rusl
up to that man, and you would ask al
about the old folks at home. And d.
you not suppose when your child wen
up to God. your glorified kindred il
Heaven gathered around and aske'
about you, to ascertain as to whethe
you were getting along well in tn
struggle of life; to find out whethe
you were in any especial peril, tina
with swift and mighty wing the,
might come down to intercept you
perils? Oh, yes! Heaven is a create
place for news than itused to be-new
sounded through the streets. new
ringing from the towers, news herald
ed from the palace gate. Glad news
Victorious news!
But the vivacity and sprightliness o
Heaven will be beyond all conception
when the final victories come in, whe
the church shall be triumphant every
where. Oh, what day in Heaven
will be when the last throne Of earthl
oppression has fallen, when the las
chain of serfdom is broken, when tn
last wound of earthly pain is healed
when the last sinner is pardonet
when the last nation is redeemed
What q time there will be in Heaven
!. You and I will be in the procession
YOU and 1 will thrum q string in tina
| great orchestra. That will be tn