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

ottener than Why? There are hundreds
OF graves in Greenwood and Laurel Hill
that need to be explained. Hospitals for
the blind and lame, asylums for the idiot
ic and insane, almshouses for the desti-
tute and u world of pain and misfortune
that demand more than human solution.
God will clear ii all up. In the light
that pours from the throne no dark mys-
terry can live. Things now utterly in
scrutable will be illumined as plainly AZ
though the answer was written on the
jasper wall or sounded in the temple
anthem. Bartimeus will thank God that
he was blind, and Joseph that he was
cast into the pit, and Daniel that he
dcnned with the lions, and Paul that he
was humpbacked, and David that he
was driven from Jerusalem, and that in
valid, that for 90 years he could not lift
his head from the pillow, and that Wild
ow, that she had such hard work to earn
bread for her children. The song will
be all the grander for earth's weeping
eyes and aching heads and exhausted
hands and scourged backs and martyred
agones. But we can get no idea of that
anthem here. We appreciate the power
of secular music, but do we appreciate
the power of sacred song? There Is
nothing more inspiring to ME than
whole congregation lifted on the wave
of holy melody. When we sing some Of
those dear old psalms and tunes, they
rouse all the memories of the past Why,
some of them were cradle songs in our
fathers house, They are all sparkling
with the morning dew of a thousand
Christian Sabbaths. They were sung by
brothers and sisters gone now, by voices
A. Lr4I ;,, he Il,
voices none the less sweet because they
did tremble and break.
The Music of Heaven.
When I hear these old songs sung, it
seems as il all the old country meeting
houses joined in the chorus and city
church and sailors bethel and western
cabins until the whole continent lifts the
doxology and the scepters of eternity
beat time in the music Away, then,
with your starveling tunes that chill the
devotions of the sanctuary and make the
people sit silent when Jesus is marching
on to victory. When generals come back
from victorious wars, do we not cheer
them and shout, "Huzss, huzza?" And
when Jesus passes along in the conquest
of the earth, shall we not have for him
one loud, ringing cheer?
All hail the power OF Jesus nAfnel
Let angels PROSTATE fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown him Lord Of all.
But, my friends, il music on earth is 80
sweet what will it be in heaven! They all
know the tune there. All the best singers
If all the ages will join it-choirs Of
white robed children, -hoirs Of patriarchs,
choirs of apostles. Morning stars clappins
their cymbals. Harpers with their harps.
Great anthems OF God roll on! roll on
other empires joining the harmony till the
thrones are all full and the nations all
saved. Anthem shall touch anthem, cho-
rus join chorus, and all the sweet sounds
of earth and heaven be poured into the
ear of Christ. David of the harp will be
there. Gabriel of the trumpet will be
there. Germany, redeemed, will pour its
deep bass voice into the song, and Africa
will add to the music with her matchless
voices. | wish in our closing hymn today
we might catch an echo that slips from
the gates Who knows but that when
the heavenly door opens today to let some
soul through there may come forth the
strain of the jubilant voices until we
catch it? Oh, that as the song drops down
from heaven it might meet half way a
song coming up from earth.
They rise for the doxology, all the
multitude of the blest! Let US rise with
them. and so at this hour the joys Of the
church on earth and the joys of the
church in heaven will mingle their chal-
ices, and the dark apparel Of our mourn
ing will seem to whiten into the spotless
raiment of the skies. God grant that
through the mercy of our Lord Jesus we
may all get there!
Copyright, 1900, by Louis Klopsch.l