Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1898-04-01
JOY IN HEAVEN.
FACE TO FACE.
Joys OF Heaven Are Past Mans
Understanding.

Joys OF Heaven Are Past Man
Understanding.
We are told that heaven is
place of happiness. but what d.
we know about happircs Hap
piness in this world Is ONLY :
halt f1edged thing, a howrv patti
with a serpent kissing acros:
it, broken pitcher from which
the water has dropped before
We could drink il, a thrill of ex'
hilaration. followed by disastrous
reactions. To help us understand
the JOY of heaven the Bible takes
us to a river. We stand on the
grassy bank. We see the waters
flow on the with ceaseless wave
But the filth Of the cities is
emptied into it, and the banks
are torn, and unhealthy exhila
tions spring up from it, and we
fail to get all idea of the river OF
life in heaven.
We get very imperfect ideas
of the reunions of heaven. We
think of some festal day on earth
when father and mother were
yet living and the children came
home. A good time that! But it
had this dra wback-all were not
there. That brother went off to
sea and never was heard from.
That sister-did we not lay her
away in the freshness OF her
young life, never more in this
world to look upon herr All,
there was skeleton at the feast,
and tears mingled with our
laughter on that Christmas day.
Not SC with heavens reunions.
1t will be an uninterrupted glad
ness Many a Christian parent
will look around and find all his
children there. "Ah." he says
"can it be possible that we are
all here-life's peri!s over? The
Jordan passed and not one want
ing? Why, even the prodigal is
here. l almost gave him up.
How long he despised my coun-.
sells. But grace hath triumphed.
All here, all here Tell the
mighty joy through the city.
Let the bells ring and the angels
mention it in their song. Wave
it from the top of the walls. All
here!'
No more breaking of heart
strings, but face to face. The
orphans that we've left poor and
in merciless world, kicked alfd
cuffed of many hardships, shall
join their parents over whose
graves they so long wept, and
gaze into their glorifed coun
tenances forever, face to face. We
may come up from different parts
OF the world, one from the land
and another from the depths of
the sea, from lives af1uent and
prosperous, or from scenes of
ragged distress, but we shall all
meet in rapture and jnbilee, face
to face.
Many Of our friends have
entered upon that joy. A few
days ago they sat with us study>
ing these gospel themes, but
they only saw through glass,
darkly. Now revelation hath
come. Your time will also come.
God will not leave you founder
ing in the Darkness You stand |
wonder struck and amazed. You
feel as if all the loveliness of
life were dashed out. You stand
gazing into the open shasm of
the grave. Wait little. In the
presence of your departed and
OF Him who carries them in his
bosom you shall soon stand face
to face. Oh, that our last hour
may kindle up with this prom
ised joy! May we be able to say,
like the Christian not long ago
departing, Though u pilgrim,
through the valley, the
mountain tops are cleaning from
peak to peak" or, like my dear
friend and brother, Alfred Cook
man, who took his flight to the
throne of God, saying in his last
that which has already |
gone into Christian classics, II
am sweeping through the pearly
gates washed in the blood OF the
Lamb. DIR. Talmage.