Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-12-07

they might be present at the laying or
the cornerstone and Mt the dedication and
leave less inducement for the heirs-at-law
to prove in orphans court that when the
testators made their last will and tesla
ment they were crazy. The tclcgraphic
wires in the air and the cables under the
sea thrill with Christian invitation. Pho
nographs charged with gospel sermons
stand in every neighborhood. The 5000
100000 of the worlds inhabitants in that
century are 1000 100000 disciples
But" | say to our escort, the spirit OF
the twenty-6rst century, you have
shown us much. but what about interna-
tional conditions? When we lived on
earth, it was n century that bed with
Marcngo and Chalons and Lodi Bridge
and Lucknow and Solferino and Lcipsic
and Waterloo aud San Juan" Our es-
cort replies, Come with me to this build
ing of white marble and glittering DOME
As we pass up and on we are taken into
n room where the mightcst and best rep
rcsentatives OF all nations are assembled
to settle international controversies. AS
we enter hear the presiding officer open
ing the council of arbitration, reading the
second chapter of Isaiah: They shall
beat their swords into plowshares and
their spears into pruning hooks. Nation
shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more"
Questions which in our long past nine
teenth century caused quarrel and blood
shed, as when Germany and France were
deciding about Alsacc and Lorraine, as
when the United States and Spain were
deciding about Cuba-such questions in
this twenty-iirst century settled in five
minutes one drop of ink doing more than
once could have been accomplished by
river of blood.
The Hall of Arbitration.
But we cannot stay long in this hall of
arbitration, for it is almost time for us
to retrace our way heavenward. This
voluntary exile must soon end. And,
passing out of this hall of arbitration. we
go through n national museum, whore we
are shown among the curiositics an En-
field rifle, n howitzcr, n llotchkiss SHE'LL
an ambulance-curiositie to that age,
but, alas no curiosity to us of the nine
tccnth century. for some of our own kim
dred went down under their stroke or
were carried off the field by those wheels.
But" ! say to our escort, the spirit
of the twcnty-frst century. and you and
| say to each other 1--WE must go home
now, back again to heaven. We have
staid long enough on this terrestrial yisi-
tation to see that all the best things fore
told in the Scriptures and which we read
during our earthly residence have come
to pass, and all the Dayidic, Solomonic
and Paulinian and Johannean prophecies
have been fulfilled, and that the earth,
instead of being Il CHASTITY failure, is the
mighticst success in the universe. A star
/ redeemed. 4 planet rescued. A world
! saved. 1t started with a garden, and it
| is going to close with II garden. What n
| happiness that we could have seen this
old world after it was rightcd and before
! it burned, for its internal fires have near
/ ly burned out to the crust, according to
the gcologist making it easy for the the
ologian to believe in the conilagration
that the Bible predicts. One element
taken from the water and that will burn
and another clement taken from the all
and that will burn, and surrounding plan.
cts will watch this old ship of n world on
fire and wonder if all its passengers goi
safely of. Before that planetary catas
trophc, hic us back to heaven. Farewell
spirit of the twenty century Thanks
for your guidance. We can stay no lon
ger away from doxologcs that never end
in temples never closed, in day that has
no shutdown. We must report to the i'm
mortals around the throne the transfer
nations we have seen, the victories OF
truth on land and sea, the hemisphere.
irradiated, and Christ on the throne %
earth. rs he is on the throne Of heave
And now you and | have left our escor
as we ascend, for the law OF gravitAtioi
has no power to detain ascending spirits
Up through immensitieS and by stella
and lunar and solar splcndors. which can
not be described by mortal tongue, W
rise higher and higher till we reach tn
shining gate as it opens for our return
and the questions greet us from all sides
What is the news? What did you fin
in that earthly tower? What have yo
to report in this city of the sum-" Pro
phetic, apostolic, sanity inquiry. And
standing on the steps Of the house o
many mansions, we cry aloud the news
Hear it. all We gloriticd Christian work
crs Of all the past centuries. We foun
your work was successful. whether o
earth you toiled with knitting needle, o
runG trowel on rising wall, or smot
a shoe last, or endowed university. O
swayed scepter; whether on earth 70
gave cup Of cold water in the name O
a disciple, or at some Pentccost prcache
1900 souls into the Kingdom.
ENtirpntion of Sin.
In that world we have just visited tn
deserts are all abloom, and the wilder
nesses are bright with fountains. Sin
extirpated. Crime is reformed Dseas
is cured. The race is emancpated. 'Th
earth is full of the knowledge of God, n
the waters cover the sea- The redeeme