Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-11-04

uating from the Smithsonian Institution
into heaven, awoke into higher realms
Of philosophy, and that Sir William
Hamilton, lifted to loftier sphere, un-
derstood better the construction Of the
human intellect, and that John Milton
took up higher poetry III the actual
presence Of things that on earth he had
tried to describe? When the first saints
entered heaven, they must have studied
only the A B @ Of the full literature
of wisdom with which they are now
acquainted.
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 have 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. Have they
done nothing for heaven? Take all the
gracious souls that have gone out Of
your acquaintanceship and add to them
all the gracious 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
Hannah More and Charlotte Elizabeth
were introduced into your social circle
on earth; but heaven has added all the
blessed and the gracious and the holy
women Of the past ages. Suppose that
Robert MacCheyne and John Summer
field should be added to your earthly
circle-but heaven has gathered up all
the faithful and earnest ministry Of the
past. There is not town, or a city, or
a village that has so improved in society
in the last 100 years as heaven has i'm
proved.
Always Perfect.
But YOU say, Hasn't heaven always
been perfect." Oh, yes, but not IN the
sense that it cannot be augmented 1t
has been rolling on in grandeur. Christ
has been there, and he never changes
the same yesterday, today and for
ever; glorious then and glorious now
and glorious forever. But l speak now
of attractions outside of this, and l have
to tell you that no place on earth mas
improved in society as heaven has with
in the last 10 years, for the most OF you
within 40 years, within 20 years, with
in five years. within one year-in other
words. by the accessions from your own
household. If heaven were placed III
groups-an apostolic group, patri-
srchal group, a prophetic group, group
of martyrs, group Of angels, and then
group Of your own glorifed kindred
which group would you choose: You
might look around and make compari-
son, but it woald not take you long to
choose. You would say "Give me- back
those whom | loved 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 a
blessed thought that heaven has been
improved by its society-this colonial
tion from earth to heaven:
Again, | remark that heaven has
greatly improved in the good cheer OF
announced victories. Where heaven re-
ioiced over one soul it now rejoices over
a hundred or thousand. In the olden
times. when the events OF human life
were scattered over four or five CEN
turies Of longevity and the world moved
slowly. there were not SO many stirring
events to be reported in heaven; but
now. | suppose, all the great events OF
earth are reported in heaven. If there
is any truth plainly taught in this Bible
il is that heaven is wrapped up IN sym
pathy with human history, and we look
at those inventions Of the day-at teleg-
raphv. at swift communication by
steam, at all these modern improve
ments which seem TO give one almost
omnipresence, and we see only the soc'
ular relation, but spirits before the
throne look out aud see the vast aud the
eternal relation. While nations rise and
fall. while the earth is shaking with
revolution do you not suppose there Il
arousing intelligence going up to tn'
throne Of God aud that the question Il
often asked before the throne, Nhal
is the news from that wOrld-that w1rlc
that rebelled, but is coming back 10 IL!
allegiance?' If ministerlng spirits ac
cording 70 the Bible, are sent forth t'
minister TO those that shall be heirs o
heaven. when they come down 10 Us e
bless us, do they not take the newl
hack? Do the ships Of light that CONT
out of the celestial harbor into th'
earthly harbor, laden with cargoes o.
blessing, 90 back unfreighied: Minister
ing suirits not only, but our loved one
leaving us, take up the tidings. sup
nose Won were in a far city and ha'
been there a good while, and you hear'
that same one had arrived from you
native place-some one who bad recent
ly seen your family and friends-yo'
would rush up to that man and yo'
would ask all about the old folks a
home And do you not suppose whei
your child went up to God your gloriiie'
kindred in heaven gathered around ant
asked abont you, to ascertain as q
whether you were getting along wei
IN the struggle Of life; to ind on
whether you were in any especial peril
that with swift and mighty wing the.
might come down TO intercept you
perilsg Oh. yes Heaven is create
nlace for news than il used to be--new
sounded through the streets, news ring
ing from the towers, news heralde
fto,u the palace gate. Glad newsl Vic
torious newsi
A Glorious Day.
But the viyacity and sprigLtliness
heaven will be beyond all conceptio
when the final victories come IN, vine
the church shall be triumphant ever,
where. oh, what day in heaven
, will be when the last throne OF earthi
, oppression has fallen, when the la
H.