The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-22
WHEN WE'RE DEAD

answers the question, DO We remember
after death?" in the New York World:
This question. so vital to all hearts,
hangs for satisfactory answer upon our
immortal kindred continuing 10 possess
two qualities-their individuality and
their memory.
Souls are all immortal, but they are 10:
all identical Far from it; for the mo-
ment individuality is lost all responsible
~ is lost; and there would be neither JUS
tice nor intelligence in rewardirg or pl n
ishing a soul which had been deprived by
death Of its personality. Even human us
tice does not punish a criminal who is in
sane-who has lost his PERSONAL---VERY.
wicked soul punished for its crime II an
ether world would be most unjusty dealt
with if its individuality were not intact IL
it did not know for what reason it was
made to suffer.
50 also with The good. If their haT ~.
ness lad nc ct injection with their lite IN
earth and with the earthly lives they in
fuenced, how bare and barren and selfish
such happiness would be. Christ, at his
last earthly supper, contemplated a more
blessed meal with His friends in Heaven;
but, if His friends were to lose their per-
sonal identity, wherein would have been
the JOY of their meeting?
The fact is, no book respects in divid-
uality more than the Word Of God. In It
each one is made to answer for himself,
in heaven as on earth. Gabriel is one per-
son, Michael another. Jesus knows all
His own by name We are even given
heavenly names-"New Names in the
Book of Life; and personal pronouns, or
their equivalents, are always used when
man is alluded to in his eternal home.
Thus: HE that overcometh shall be
clothed in white raiment;' Il will not blot
out his name;" Each one shall answer
for himself" "He that soweth sparingly
shall reap sparingly;" My reward is with
Me, to render to everyone according to
his works." Every mans work shall be
made manifest" And mark this supreme
example-'It is I, Myself
Il. Myself" This was Christ's assertion
after He had passed through death to His
disciples. Now If Christ retained His per-
sonal identity and appearance, His grace
anu AONC anu NiSIOlIls oil ter ne Ildu ldSlCu
death, we also shall do likewise. 1t will
be With US as with Christ; we shall say
when we meet our beloved again at is 1,
myself
But individuality would be more impos-
sible without memory, for we are only
consciously ourselves when we remember.
Remember" said Christ, that thou, in
nv lifatipoa hoc ho Nv
When the slave Onesimus ran away, Paul
sent him back, writing: For, perhaps,
he therefore departed from thee for a
reason, that thou shouldst receive him
forever" But if Philemon and Onesimus
were not to retain their individuality and
their memory after death what meaning
have these words? We are promised that
we shall see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
in the kingdom of heaven, but if they
have lost their individuality and we our
memory how would that promise avail
US? We are told to make ourselves
friends of the mammon Of unrighteous-
ness" but if we are not TO meet and
know and remember these those friends
whom we have helped and comforted here,
why should we help and comfort them?
"Ye are my JOY in that day" says Paul
of his converts; but if he was not to rec
ognize and renew his conversation and af-
lection with them in heaven. how would
they be his joy?" MY child shall not
come to me-" cried David, but I shall go
to him." yet what comfort would there
have been in this reflection if the child
was to lose his identity or David lose his
memory of him?
Love Is the noblest part of our being,
but if love be lost in the grave then death
triumphs. in spite of the assurance which
closes the prophecies relating to earth
Death shall be destroyed" If in this
life only we have our beloved, we are In
deed miserable. But God gave us love to
sweeten life, and He pronounced the gift
good" He viii not take it from us at
death and call it evil. No, He is the God
Of the families Of the whole earth. he
created family ties-a divine idea, which
man himself would never have thought
Of; which in a savage state he does not
even yet regard. We have only to remem-
Der that. when Paul would have in one
short sentence depict the moral degrade
ton Of heather Rome. he says the people
are without natural affections"
But in the Bible these family ties arc
treated with the greatest tonsidera ton
and tenderness. God did not save Noah
only: He saved with him all his family
He did not save Lot only: the Angel Of De
struction made particular inquiry as TO
his sons and daughters, and even his
sons-in-law. Bring them out Of this
place he said. for we viii destroy It,"
Did Peter go 10 the Roman Centurion
alone? Nay. but also 20 his whole house
hold; the whole family were baptized God,
who made as so that we must love those
Of our own family. respects that love He
will save every soul dear to the hearts OF
those who love Him. He does not wish
us to find ourselves homeless in the
heavenly land.
Would Christ not desire 10 share the
blessedness Of heaven with Mary and
John and all whom He loved on earth?
But If Mary and John and His beloved dsd
not retain their individuality and their
memory. how could they be blessed to-
gether? Can we think of Abraham in
heaven without Sarah. or Of Isaac with
out Rebecoa, or OF Paul without limo
Thy. or % our own dear one without our
selvese Such reflections are impossible 70
US. because God has made them 50.
For We must remember this: II we are
not 20 love IN heaven those We loved on
earth. then we must lose our memory,
and if We lose cur memory we lose our
personality and are mere shades. Isolated
beings. even among the multitude that
no man can number" on. how SAL. how
cold. such a heaven would be, But such
a heaven is not the Promised Land God