Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-12-09

reaching than telescope, with power
of calculation mightier than all hui
man mathematics, with powers of
analysis surprising all chemical labor
atory, with speed swifter than teleg-
raphy! What must Heaven learn,
with all these advantages, in n mil
lenium? The difference between the
highest university on earth and the
smallest class in primary school can
not be greater difference than
Heaven as it is now and Heaven as 1t
once was. DO you not suppose that
when DR.. james Simpson went up
from the hospitals of Edinburgh into
Heaven he knew more than ever the
science of health; and that Joseph
Henry, graduating from the Smith
sonian institution into Heaven, awolle
into higher realms Of philosophy;
and that Sir William Hamilton, lifted
to loftier sphere, understood better
the construction of the human intel
lee; and that John Milton took up
higher poetry in the actual presence
of things that on earth he had tried to
describe?
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 a
list of all the genial, loving gracious,
blessed souls that you have known, it
would be very long list-souls that
fave 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. They have done nothing for
Heaven? Take all the gracious souls
that have gone out of your acquaint-
anceship, and add to them all the gra-
cious 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 Han
nah More and Charlotte Elizabeth
were introduced into your social cir
Gle on earth; but Heaven has added all
the blessed and the gracious and the
holy women of the past ages. Sup
pose that Robert MCheyne and John
nlI .hA,,lI Iva o11o1 IN
earthly circle! but Heaven has gath
cred up all the faithful and earnest
ministry Of the past. There is not n
town, or n city, or village that has
so improved in society in the last hun
dred years as Heaven has improved.
But you say: Hasn't Heaven al
ways been perfect?" Oh, yes! but not
in the sense that it can not be aug
mented. 1t has been rolling on in
grandeur. Christ has been there, and
lie never changes-the same yester-
day, to-day and forever. But l speak
now OF attractions outside of this,
and l have to tell you that no place on
earth has improved in society as
Heaven has within the last 20 years;
for most OF you within 40 years,
within 90 years, within five years,
within one year; in other words, by
the accessions from your own house
hold. IL Heaven were placed in
groups-an apostolic group, patri-
archal group, prophetic group, group
Of martyrs, group of angels, and then
group of your own gloritied kindred
which group would you choose ?
You might look around and make COM
parison, but it would 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 blessed thought that Heaven
has been improved by its society-this
colonization from earth to Heaven?
Again: j remark that Heaven has
greatly improved in the good cheer OF
announced victories. Where HEAVIER
rejQiced over one soul, it now rejoice.
over hundred or thousand. In the
olden times, when the events of hu
man life were scattered over four ol
five centuries of longevity, and tn,
world moved slowly, there were not Sc
many stirring events to be reported il
Heaven; but now, ] suppose, all tn,
great events of earth are reported il
Heaven. If there is any truth plain
ly taught in this Bible it is that Heav
en- is wrapped up in sympathy will
human history, and we look at thos,
inventions of the day-at telegraphy
at swift communication by steam, a
all these modern improvements whicl
seem to give one almost omnipresenc,
and we see only the secular relation
but spirits before the throne look on
and see the vast and the eternal reIa
ton. While nations rise and fall
while the earth is shaking with revo
luton, do you not suppose there i
arousing intelligence going up to tn
throne of God, and that the question
is often asked before the throne
"What is the news from that world
that world that rebelled, but is com
ing back to its allegiance?" If mir
istering spirits, according to the Bi
BILE, are sent forth to minister to thos
that shall be heirs of Heaven, whe
they come down to us to bless us, d
they not take the news back? Do tn
ships of light that come out of the C,
lestial harbor into the earthly harbo
laden with cargoes of blessing, go bac
unfreighted? Ministering spirits nc
only, but our loved ones leaving III
take up the tidings. Suppose you wer
in far city, and had been there
good while, and you heard that som
one had arrived from your native plac
some one who had recently seen you
family and friends-you would rus
up to that man, and you would ask a
| L. L. 81 4 i