The Penn's Grove record., 1900-05-11
No sect in Heaven.

Talking OF Sects till late one eve,
OF the various doctrines the Saints believe.
That night I stood in a troubled dream,
By the side Of a darkly flowing stream.
And q ''Churchman'' down to the river came,
When I heard q strange voice call his name,
"Good father stop! when you cross this tide
You must leave your robes on the other side."
But the aged father did not mind,
And his long gown foated out behind,
As down to the stream his way he took
His pale hands clasping q gilt edged book.
I'm bound for Heaven, and when Pm there,
1 shall want my book of Common Prayer;
And though l put on a starry CROWN,
I should feel quite lost without my gown"
Then he fixed his Dyes on the shining track,
But his gown was heavy n held him back;
And the poor old father tried in vain
A single step in the flood to gain.
Isaw him again on the other side.
But his silk gown fl0ated on the tide.
And no one asked in that blissful spot
Whether he belonged to 1.-THE Church. or not.
Then down to the river a Quaker strayed;
His dress of a sober hue was made;
my coat and hat must be all Of gray;
l can not 20 any other way
Then he buttoned his coat straight up to his chin
And staidly, solemnly waded in,
A nd his broad brimmed hat he pulled dow
tight,
Over his forehead so cold and white.
But a strong wind carried away his hat;
A moment he silently sighed over that,
And then as he gazed to the farther shore.
The coat slipped of and was seen no more.
As he entered Heaven, his suit of gray
Went quietly sailing away-away;
AND none OF the angels questioned him
About the width Of his beavers brim.
Next came DR.. Watts, with a bundle OF Psalms
Tied nicely up In his aged arms,
And hymns so many, a very wise thing.
That the people 10 Heaven 'all-round'' might
sing.
But I thought he heaved an anxious sigh,
Az he saw that the River ran broad and high
And looked rather surprised as one by one,
The Psalms and Hymns In the waves went
down.
And after him, with his M. s. s.
Came Wesley, the pattern Of Goodness,
And he cried, Dear me, what shall I do;
The water has soaked them through and
through.
And there on the river, far and wide
Away they went down the swollen tide,
And the saint astOnished passed through alone
Without his manuscripts up to the Throne.
Then gravely walking, two saints by name
Down to the stream together came.
But as they stopped at the rivers brink
I saw one saint from the other shrink.
Sprinkled or plunged, may / ask you friend,
How you attained to life's great end?
THUS, with q few drops on my brow"
But have been dipped as you see me now."
"And I really think it will hardly do,
As I'm in close communion to cross with you;
You're bound I know for the realms Of bliss,
But you must 60 that way, and I'll go this"
Then ~straighway plunglng with all his might
Away he left his friend at the right
A part they went from this world OF sin
But ut last together they entered in.
And now when the river was rolling on
A Presbyterian Church went down,
OF women there seemed an innumerable throng,
But the mon I could count as they passed along,
And concerningthe road they could never agree,
The old, or the new way. which it could be,
Nor ever a ome pause to think
That both would lead to the rivers brink.
And q sound of murmering long and loud
Came ever up from the moving crowd;
You are in the old way. and I'm in the new;
That is the false, and this is the true''
Or 'Tmin the old way. and you are in the new;
That is the false, and this is the true"
But the brethren only seemed to speak;
Modest the sisters walked and meek,
And If ever one Of them CHANGED to say
What troubles she met with on the way.
How she l0nged to pass to the other side,
Nor feared to cross over the swelling tide,
A voice arose from the brethren then;
no one speak but the holy men,
For have We not heard tn words OF Paul, /
oh, let the women keep silence all?'s
/ watched them long in my curious dream
ill they stood by the borders of the stream;
Then, just as I thought the two ways met
But, all the brethren were talking yet,
And would talk on till the heaVing tide
Carried them over side by side
Side by side for the way was one
The t0ilsOme journey Of life was done
And Priest and Quaker and all who died,
Came out alike on the other side.
No forms or crosses, or books had they
gowns Of silk, or suits OF gray
creedS to guide them, or MS. s.
For all had put on CHRIsT'S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
An old poem, author unknown, published by