Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1901-04-18


catch-up with the astronomers. the ge-
ologists. the scientists. the philosophers
of all ages, who so far surpassed us In
this world. We can afford to adjourn
astronomy and geology and many Of
the sciences to the next world, because
we shall there have better apparatus
and better opportunity. l must study
these sciences so far as to help me 10
my work, but beyond that | must give
myself to saving my own soul and saw
Ing the souls of others, knowing that
In one flash of eternity we will catch Ii
all. oh, what an observatory in which
to study astronomy heaven Will be,
not by power of telescope, but by SUI
pernatural vision, and, IL there be some
thing doubtful 10000, 900 miles away,
by one stroke of the wing you are
there, by another stroke Of the wing
you are back again, and all in less time
than l tell you, catching 1t all In one
flash of eternity.
And geology! What place that will
be to study geology when the world Is
being picked to pieces as easily as a
schoolgirl in botanical lessons pulls the
leaf from the corolla! What place to
study architecture, amid the thrones
and the palaces and the cathedrals-St.
Marks and st. Paul's rookeries In COM
parison.
Sometimes you wish you could make
the tour Of the whole earth, going
around as others have gone, but you
have not the time, you have not the
means. You will make the tour yet
during one musical pause In the eter-
nal anthem. / say these things for
the comfort of those people who are
abridged in their opportunities-those
people to whom life Is humdrum, who
toll and work and toll and work and
aspire after knowledge, but have no
time to get it and say, III had the
opportunities which other people have,
how 1 would fill my mind and soul
with grand thoughts~ Be not dis
couraged, my friends. You are going
to the university yet. Death will only
matriculate you into the royal college
of the universe.
Peace sublinfe.
What a sublime thing 1t was that
DIR. Thornwell of South Carolina
uttered in his last dying moments!
AS he looked up he said, 1T opens; 1t
expands, it expands" Or as Mr.. Top
lady, the author of Rock of Ages" In
his last moment or during his last
hours looked up and said, as though
he saw something supernatural,
"Lightp and then as he came on near
er the dying moment, his countenance
more luminous, he cried, Light and
at the very moment of his departure
lifted both hands, something super
natural in his countenance as he cried
"Lightr' Only another name for sun
shine.
Besides that, we shall have all the
pleasures of association. We will go
right up in the front of God without
any fright. All our sins gone, there
will be nothing to be frightened about.
There our old Christian friends will
troop around us. Just as now one Of
your sick friends goes away to Florida,
the land Of flowers, or to the south Of
France, and you do not see him for a
long while, and after awhile you meet
him, and the hollows under the eyes
are all. filled, and the appetite has come
away, and he is SO changed you hardly
know him. You say, why, / never
saw you look so WELL" He says: Il
couldn't helpAbut be well. l have been
sailing these rivers and climbing these
mountains, and that's how 1 got this
elasticity. I never was 80 WELL" oh,
my friends, your departed loved ones
are only away for their health In bet
ter climate, and when you meet them
they will be so changed you will hardly
know them, they will be so very much
changed, and after awhile, when you
are assured that they are your friends,
your departed friends, you will say:
why, where Is that cough? Where Is
that paralysis? Where Is that pneu-
monta? Where Is that consumption ~
And he will say: "Oh, 1 am entirely
well! There are no sick ones in this
country. 1 have been ranging these
hills and hence this elasticity. l have
been here now 20 years, and not one
sick one have l seen. We are all well
In this climate"
Join the Chorus.
And then l stand at the gate of the
celestial city to see the professions
come out, and l see long procession
of little children with their arms full
of flowers, and then l see procession
of kings and priests moving in ceies-
tial pageantry-a long procession, but
no black tasseled vehicle, no mourning
group-and l say: How strange 1t is!
Where is your Greenwood? Where Is
your Laurel Hill? Where Is your West
minister abbeyY And they shall cry,
There are no graves here" And then
listen for the tolling Of the old belfries
of heaven, the old belfries of eternity.
listen to hear them toll for the dead,
but they toll not for the dead. They
| only strike up a silvery chime, tower to
tower, east gate to west gate, as they
ring out, ..They shall hunger no more,
neither thirst any more, neither shall
the sun light on them nor any heat, for
the Lamb which is in the midst Of the
throne shall lead them to living foun-
tains of water, and God shall wipe
| away all tears from their eyes,"
Oh, unglove your hand and give 1t to
me In congratulation on that scenei l
| feel as IL l could shout. I will shout.
Dear Lord, forgive me that I ever com
planned about anything. If all this is
| before us, who cares for anything but
/ God and heaven and eternal brother
hood? Take the Grape Off the doorbell.
| Your loved ones are only away for
their health In a land ambrosial. Come,
| Lowell Mason. Come, Isaac Watts.
Give us your best hymn about Joy &C.
lestial.
| What is the use of postponing our
| heaven any longer? Let it begin now,
and whatsoever hath harp let her
| thrum it, and whatsoever hath a trum-
pet let him blow 1t, and whatsoever hath
an organ let him give us a full diapa-
son. They crowd down the air, spirits
blessed, moving in cavalcade of tri-
umph. Their chariot wheels whirl in
the Sabbath sunlight. They come.
/ IaIt ~.