The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-03-09


shall have upon them the health OF
Heaven. For we are to remember that
we are living in comparatively the be-
ginning of the Christian dispensation,
and that this world is to be populated
and redeemed, and that ages of light
and love are to flow on. If this be so,
the multitudes of the saved will be in
vast majority.
Take all the congregations that have
to-day assembled for worship. Put
them together and they would make
but small audience compared with
the thousands and tens of thousands,
and ten thousand times ten thousand,
and the hundred and forty and four
thousand that shall stand around the
throne. Those flashed up to Heaven in
martyr fires; those tossed for many
years upon the invalid couch; those
fought in the armies of liberty, and
rose as they fell; those tumbled from
scaffolding, or slipped from the mast,
or were washed off into the sea. They
came up from Corinth, from Laodicea,
from the Red Sea bank and Gennesa-
ret's wave, from Egyptian brickyards,
and Gideon's threshing floor. Those,
thousands of years ago, slept the last
sleep, and these are this moment hav-
ing their eyes closed, and their limbs
stretched out for the sepulcher.
A general expecting an attack from
the enemy stands on hill and looks
through field glass and sees, in the
great distance, multitudes approach
ing, but has no idea of their numbers.
He says: II cannot tell anything about
them. l merely know that there are a
great number" And so John, without
attempting to count, says: "a great
multitude that no man can number"
We are told that Heaven is place of
happiness; but what do we know about
happiness? Happiness in this world is
only half-fedged thing; fowery
path with serpent Kissing across 1t;
a broken pitcher from which the water
has dripped before we could drink; a
thrill of exhilaration, followed by dis
astrous reactions. To help us under
stand the joy of Heaven, the Bible
takes us to river. We stand on the
grassy bank. We see the waters flow
on with ceaseless wave. But the filth
of the cities are emptied into it and
the banks are torn; and unhealthy ex-
halations spring up from it; and we
fail to get an 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 its drawback-all were moi
there. That brother went off to sea
and never was heard from. That sister
did we not lay her away in the fresh
ness of her young life, never more in
this world to look upon her? All! there
was skeleton at the feast; and tears
mingled with our laughter on thai
Christmas day. Not so with Heaven:
reunions. 1t will be an uninterrupted
gladness. Many Christian parent will
|
there. "Ah~ he says, can it be posi-
BILE that we are all here-life's periL
over? The Jordan passed and not ont
wanting? Why, even the prodigal il
here. l almost gave him up. How Ions
he despised my counsels! but grace
hath triumphed. All here! all here
Tell the mighty joy through the city
Let the bells ring and the angels men
tion it in their song. Wave it from th'
top of the walls. All here!
No more breaking of heartstrings
but face to face. The orphans tina
were left poor, and in meroiles
world, kicked and cuffed of many
hardships, shall join their parents
over whose graves they so long wept
and gaze into their glorified counte
nances forever, face to face. We may
come up from different parts of tn,
world, one from the land and another
from the depths of the sea; from live
affluent and prosperous or from scenes
of ragged distress; but we shall al
meet in rapture and jubilee, face t.
face.
Many of our friends have entered
upon that JOY. A few days ago they
sat with us studying these gospe
themes; but they only saw through ;
glass, darkly-now revelation hatl
come. Your time will also come. Coz
will not leave you foundering in tn,
darkness. You stand wonder-strucl
and amazed. You feel as if all tn,
loveliness of life were dashed out. Yo,
stand gazing into the open chasm o
the grave. Wait little. In the pres
|, ence of your departed, and of Him wht
carries them in His bosom, you shal
soon stand face to face. Oh, that ou
last hour may kindle up with thi'
, promised joy! May we be able to say
!, like the Christian not long ago, depart
ing; Though pilgrim, walking
, through the valley, the mountain top
, are cleaning from peak to peakw or
like my dear friend and brother, ALFRED
, Goodman, who took his fight to TIN
throne of God, saying in his last mo
!, ment that which has already gone int,
!, Christian classics: II am sweeping
! through the pearly gate, washed il
the blood of the Lamb~
WOMEN AS TEACHERS.