Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-17

forever. For everlasting years to have
neither ache, nor pain, nor weakness. nor
fatigue. Eye hath not seen it, ear hath
not heard it,
Adequate Description impossible.
| remark further that we can in this
world get no just idea Of the splcndors of
heaven John tries to describe them. He
says, "thc II gates are II pearls" and
that "the foundations of the wall are gar
nShcd with all manner Of precious
stones As we stand looking through
the telescope of st. John, we sec n blaze
Of amethyst and pearl and emerald and
sardonyx and chrysoprasus and sapphire,
mountain of light, a cataract of color,
sea Of glass and city like the sun.
John bids III look again, and we see
thrones-thrones of the prophets, thrones
of the patriarchs, thrones of the angels,
thrones of the apostles, thrones of the
martyrs, throne of Jesus-throne of God
And we turn round to see the glory, and
it is thrones, thrones, thrones,
John bids us look again and see the
great procession of the redeemed passing.
Jesus, on q white horse, leads the march,
and all the armies of heaven follow on
white horses. Infinite cavalcade passing,
passing; empires pressing into line, ages
following ages. Dispensation tranping
after dspensation. Glory in the track Of
glory. Europe, Asia, Africa, North and
South America pressing into lines. Is
lands Of the sea shoulder to shoulder.
Generations before the food following
generations after the flood, and as Jesus
rises at the head of that great host and
waves his sword in signal Of victory, all
crowns are lifted and all cnsigns swung
mt a,,1 oil gl,i,, "A all l. al.
iahs chanted. and some cry, GLORY to
God most high" and some, "Iosauna to
the son of David" and some, Worthy is
the Lamb that was slain!'-til all excla-
nations Of cndearment and homage in the
vocabulary of heaven are exhausted, and
there comes up surge after surge Of
Amen! Amen. and Amen" Eye hath
not seen it, ear hath not heard it," Skim
from the summer waters the brightest
sparkles, and you will get no idea of the
sheen of the everlasting sea. Pile up the
splendors Of earthly cities, and they
would not make stepping stone by
which you might mount to the city Of
God. Every house is a palace. Every
step is a triumph. Every covering Of the
head coronation. Every meal is ban
quet. Every stroke from the tower is a
wedding bell. Every day is a jubilee ev-
cry hour rapture and every moment an
ecstasy. Eye hath not seen It, ear hath
not heard it,"
| remark further, we can get no idea Of
the reunions of heaven. IL you have ever
been across the seas and met friend or
even an acquaintance in some strange
land, you remember how your blood
thrilled and how glad you were to see
him. What will be our JOY after we
have passed the seas of death to meet in
the bright city of the Lord those from
whom we have long been separated.
After we have been away from our
friends 10 or 10 years and we come up
on them we see how differently they look.
Their hair has turned, and wrinkles have
come in their faces, and we say, How
you have changed" But, oh, when we
stand before the throne, all cares gone
from the face, all marks of sorrow dis
appeared and feeling the JOY of that
blessed land, methinks we will say to
each other with an exultation we can
not now imagine, How you have chang
ed?"
No Separation There.
In this world we only meet to part. 1.
is goodby, goodby. Farewells floating in
the air, We hear it at the rail car win
dow and at the steamboat wharf-good-
by. Children lisp it, and old age answers
1t. Sometimes we say it in a light way
"goodby"-and sometimes with anguish
in which the soul breaks down-goodby
All, that is the word that ends the
thanksgiving banquet; that is the word
that comes in to close the Christmas
chant. Goodby, goodby. But not SO in
heaven. Welcomes in the air, welcomes
Mt the gates, welcomes at the house of
many mansions, but no goodby. That
group is constantly being augmented.
They are going up from our circles Of
earth to join little voices to join the
anthem, little hands to take hold in the
great home circle, little feet to dance in
the eternal glee, little crowns to be cast
down before the feet of Jesus. Our
friends are in two groups-a group this
eide OF the river and group on the 9th
er side of the river. Now there goes
one from this to that and another from
this to that, and soon we will all be
gone over. How many of your loved
ones have already entered upon that
blessed place? II should take paper
and pencil, do you think l could put
them all down? All, my friends, the
waves Of Jordan roar so hoarsely we can
not hear the Joy on the other side when
that group is augmented.
A little chld's mother had died, and
they comforted her. They said: Your
mother has gone to heaven. Don't cry
And the next day they went to the grave
yard and they laid the body of the
mother down into the ground, and the lit
tie girl came up to the verge OF the grave
and, looking down, said, rs this heav'
en-" We have no idea what heaven is
1t is the grave here-it is darkness here