The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-11-24

sounded through the streets, news
ringing from the towers, news herald
ed from the palace gate. Glad newsl
Victorious news!
Now, / say these things about the
changes in Heaven, about the new inn
reasons. First, because l find that
some of you are impatient to be gone.
You are tired Of this world, and you
want to get into that good land about
which you have been thinking, pray
ing and talking so many years. Now
be patient. could see why you would
want to go to an art gallery if some
of the best pictures were to be taken
away this week or next week, but if
some one tells you that there are other
beautiful pictures to come-other Ken
sets, Raphaels and Rubens; other
masterpieces to be added to the gal
lery-you would say: II can afford to
wait. The place is improving all the
time" Now, | want you to apply the
same principle in this matter of reach
ing Heaven and leaving this world.
Not one glory is to be subtracted, but
many glories added. Not one angel
will be gone, not one hierarch gone,
not one of your glorified friends gone.
i BY the long practieing the music will
be better, the procession will be
longer, the rainbow brighter, the cor
onation grander. Heaven, with mag
nificent addenda! Why will you COM
plain when you are only waiting for
something better?
Another reason why l speak in re-
gard to the changes in Heaven, and
the new improvements in Heaven, is
because l think it will be consola-
ton to busy and enterprising good pee
pie. / see very well that you have not
much taste for Heaven that was all
done and finished centuries ago. At
ter you have been active 40 or so or 60
years, it would be shock to stop you
suddenly and forever; but there is a
progressive Heaven, an ever-accumu-
lative Heaven, vast enterprises on foot
there before the throne of God. Ag-
gressive knowledge, aggressive good
ness, aggressive power, aggressive
grandeur. You will not have to come
and sit down on the banks of the
river of life in everlasting inoccupa-
ton. o busy men, l tell you of a
Heaven where there is something to
do! That is the meaning of the pas
sage: "They rest not day nor night,
in the lazy sense of resting.
/ do not think it was superstitions
when, one Wednesday night, stood
by deathbed within few blocks OF
the church where / preached, and on
the same street, and saw one of the
aged Christians of the church going
into glory. After / had prayed with
her said to her: eve have all loved
you very much, and will always cher
ish your memory in the Christian
church. You will see my son before
see him, and I wish you would give
him our love-" She said: II will,
WILL" and in 20 minutes she was ir
Heaven-the last words she ever spoke
1t was swift message to the skies. i
you had your choice between riding il
a Heavenly chariot and occupying the
grandest palace in Heaven, and sitting
on the throne next highest to the
throne of God, and not seeing your de
parted loved ones; and on the othel
hand, dwelling in the humblest plac,
in Heaven, without crown or throne
and without garland, and withou
scepter, yet having your loved one'
aYound you, you would choose the lat
ter. / say these things because
want to know it is domestic Heaven
and consequently it is all the time i'm
proving. Everyone that goes III
makes it brighter place, and the at
fractions are increasing month b.
month and day by day; and Heaven, 81
vastly more of Heaven, a THOUSAND
times more of Heaven, than it use,
; to be, will be better Heaven yet
Oh, say this to intensity your antici
patton!
enter Heaven one day. 1t is almos
empty. ! enter the temples of wor
ship, and there are no worshipers.
walk down the street, and there ar
no passengers. go into the orches
ira, and l find the instruments ar
suspended in the baronial halls o
Heaven, and the great organs of eter
! nifty, with multitudinous banks o
keys, are closed. But / see shinin
one at the gate, as though he wer
standing on guard, and say: "Senti
mel, what does this mean? / though
i, Heaven was populous city. Ha
/, there been some great plague sweep
ing off the population?" "Have yo
not heard the news?" says the sent
.. mel. "There is a world burning, Their
is a great confagration out yondel
and all Heaven has gone out to look a
: the confagration and take the victim
out of the ruins. This is the day fo
q which all other days are made. Thi
, is the Judgment! This morning a
the chariots, and the cavalry, and tn
mounted infantry rumbled and ga
Hoped down the sky" And after ha
listened to the sentinel, locke
/. off over the battlements, and / sa'
a that the fields of air were brigf
n with blazing world. L said
n Eyes, yes, this must be the Juds
Q ment;" and while l stood there l hear