Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-08-12

tioa. more % wvr-hip. There j. not -
much difference between Washington. =
mudholv seventy year ago. And washiug,
ton nos, the most beuatiful city GA -arth.
not 80 much difier-ucr. let g.en New YORK
when Canal street was far uptown. ami
when Canal street T. tar downtown. a.
there Il difference between what heaven
vas when nv text was written AMI what
/ heaven Il now. The most thrilling plar.
We have ever been Ia l. stupid compared
with that, and II We now have no time %
spare. We will then have no eternity %
spare. Sil-nc. ia heaven only half an hour,
Ny subject also impresses me with the
Immortality Of half hour. That hall
hour mentioned In nv text l. more widely
known than any other period ia the cal
sndAr Of heaven. None OF the whole
hours Of heaven nre measured on. none
Of the years. none OF the centuries. Oftba
millions OF ages past, ani the millions Of
ages 10 cone. not one u especially
measured Oh In the Bible The half hnur
Of INV text is made immortal. The only
Part oi eternity that was ever measure Nv
earthly tim"pieee was measured by the
minute hand Of NV text. "a, the half
hour! They decide everything aai
not asking what you will DO with the years
OF months or days OF your life. hut what
al the half hours. Tell me the history of
your half hours, and / will tell you the
story Of your whole life on earth and
the story Of your whole life ia eternity.
The right or wrong things You -an think
in thirty minutes. the right or wrong thing.
YOU can say In thirty minutes the RICH: or
wrong things you eau do In thirty minutes
are glorious or baleful. inspiring or drspcr.
ate.
Look out for the fragments Of time.
they are pieces OF eternity. 1t was the
half hours between shOcing horses that
made Elihu Burritt the learned black
smith; the half hours between professional
calls rs n physical that made Abercrombie
the Christian philosopher; the half hours
between his duties as school master that
made Salmon p. Chase Chief Justice; the
half hours between shoe lasts that made
Henry Wilson Vice President of the Unitel
States; the half hours between canal boats
that made James A. Garfield President.
The half hour a day for good books or bad
books; the half hour day for prayer or
incidence; the half hour IL day for helping
others or blasting Others; the half hour
before you 20 to business and the hall
hour after your return from business; that
makes the difference between the scholar
and the ignOramus. between the Christian
and the inAdtl, between the saint aud the
demon, between triumph and catastrophe,
between heaven and hell. The most ire
mendous things of your life and mine were
certain half hours.
Remember. we are mortal yet. and can
not endure the full roll OF heavenly har-
monies and cannot endure even the silent
heaven for more than half IN hour. Hark'
the clock In the tower of heaven begins 10
strike. and the half hour Is ended. De
scend! Come back. Come down! till your
work is done. Shoulder little longer your
battles. Weep little longer your griefs.
Md then taka hpaytAn in its fnllnst bu
hour, but In its mightiest pomp and instead
OF taking 1t for thirty minutes. take it world
without end.
But how will YOU spend the first half hour
OF Your heavenly citizenship afteryou have
gone in to stay? After your prOstration
before the throne in worship OF Him who
made il possible foryou to get there ut all
| think the rest OF your first half hour in
heaven will be passed in receiving your re.
ward If you have been faithful. | have
strangely beautiful book, containing the
pictures of the medals struck by the Eng
fish Government in honor OF great battles;
these medals pinned over the heart OF the
returned heroes OF the army, on great Oc.
casions, the royal family present, and
the royal bands playing-the Crimean
medal, the Legion OF Honor, the Victoria
Cross, the Waterloo medal. In your first
half hour in heaven in some way You will
be- honored for the earthly struggles in
which you won the day. stand up before
all the royal house Of heaven and receive
the insignia while you are announced a.
victor over political misfortune, as victor
over the drOughts and freshets Of the farm
field, victor over the temptations Of the
stock exchange, victor over domestic in
felicities, victor over mechanics shop vie
tor over professional allurements, victor
over the stOrehOuse, victor over home
wOrriments victor over physical distress
victor over hereditary Impressions, victor
over sin and death and he'll. Take the
badge TINT celebrates those Victories
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Take it In
the presence OF all the galleries, sanity,
angelic, and divine, while all heaven
chants: These are they who came ont of
great tribulatiou and had their robes
washed and made white Ia the blood Of the
Lamb"
Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer though they die;
They see the triumph from afar
Aud seize it with their eye.
If heaven is all this while halted, what
will it be when on the march: II heaven
is all this while silent. what will 1t be when
in full triumph? Many years ago, at the
Crystal Palace, in New York. Julian gave a
great concert. 5000 voices aud 5000 players,
upon instruments. He controlled that
great harmony, beating time with hand and
foot and to myself, who had never before
heard music on a grand scale, it was over
towering. But OH when they shalt come
from the north and the south, and the east
and the west, and sit down In the temple
OF God anj the Lamb, and Christ shall
rise. and all heaven shall rise with Him, He
shall control that harmony with once
wounded hand and once wounded foot, and
it will be like the voice of many waters and
the voice OF mighty thunderings. Worthy
is the Lamb that was slain to receive bless
ing and riches and honor and glory and
power. Amen and amen!