The Iola register., 1901-04-19


natural weather. "What kind of
weather will it be to-day2" said
some one to a farmer. The farmer
replied: "It will be such weather
as I like" "What do you mean by
that?" asked the other. "Well," said
the farmer, at will be such weather
as pleases the Lord, and what pleases
the Lord pleases me-"
Oh. the sunshine, the sunshine of
Christian explanation Here is some-
one bending over the grave of the
dead. What is going to be the consola-
ton? The flowers you strew upon the
tomb? Oh, no. The services read at
the grave? Oh, no. The chief consola-
ton on that grave is what falls from
the throne of God. Sunshine, glorious
sunshinel Resurrection sunshinel
Sometimes you wish you could make
the tour of the whole earth, going
around as others have gone, but you
have not the means. You will make
the tour yet, during one musical pause
in the eternal anthem. | say these
things for the comfort of those people
who are abridged in their opportuni-
ties, those people to whom life is hum
drum. who toll and work and aspire
after knowledge, but have no time to
pet it, and say: "If had the oppor-
tunities which other people have, how
I would fill my mind and soul with
grand thoughts!" BE not discouraged,
my friends. You are going to the uni
versity yet. Death will only matricu-
late you into the royal college of the
universe.
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 the south of
France, and you will not see him for
long while, and after awhile you
meet him, and the hollows under the
eyes are all filed and the appetite has
come back and the crutch has been
thrown away, and he is so changed you
hardly know him. You say: "Why, I
never saw you look so we'll" He says:
COulNlll ItlB bub NC we'll nav
been sailing these rivers and climbing
these mountains, and that's how I got
this elasticity. ] never was so we'll"
Oh, my friends, your departed loved
ones are only away for their health in
a better climate, and when you meet
them they will be so changed, and
after awhile, when you are assured
that they are your friends, your de-
parted friends, you will say: why,
where is that cough? Where is that
| paralysis? Where is that pneumonia?
Where is that consumption" And he
will say: "Oh, l am entirely we'll.
/ There are no sick ones in this country.
/ have been ranging these hills, and
| hence this elasticity. have been here
/ now 20 years, and not one sick one have
| | seen. We are all well in this cli-
mate"
And then 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 fun
/ of flowers and then | see procession
| of kings and priests moving in Celes-
| tial pageantry-a long procession, but
no black tasseled vehicle. no mourning
/ group. and | say: "IIow strange il isl!
| Whore is your Greenwood? Where is
| your Laurel Hin? Where is your West
minister abbcy?" And they shall cry;
"rhere are no graves here" And then
listen for the tolling of the old helfries
Of Heaven, the old hclfrics of eternity.
! I listen to hear them toll for the dead.
They only strike mp 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 fountains of water, and God
shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes"
Oh, unglove your hand and give IL to
me in congratulation on that scene! I
feel ms If | could shout. | will shout.
Dear Lord, forgive me that 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 door
bell. Your loved ones ave only away
for their health in land ambrosial.
Come, Lowell Mason; come, Isaac
Watts. Give us your best hymn about
Joy celestial
What is the use Of postponing our
Heaven any longer? Let it begin now,
and whosoever hath a harp let him
thrum it, and whosoevcr hath trum-
pet let him blow it, and whatsoever
hath an organ let him give us a full
diapason. They crowd down the air,
spirits blessed, moving in cavalcnde of
triumph. Their chariot wheels whirl
in the Sabbath sunlight. They come!
Halt, armies of God! Halt until we are
ready TO join the battalion of pleas
ures that never die!
Oh, my friends, II would take SER
mon as long as eternity to tell the joys
that are coming TO us. 1 just set open
the sunshiny door. Come in, all ye dis
ciples of the world who have found the
world a mockery. Come in, nil We dis
ciDles of the dance and see the hound