St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-05-17
70 minutes of it at a time. Now, we

have something that we can come
nearer to grasping, and it is quiet
Heaven. When we discourse about the
multitudes of Heaven, it must be al
most nervous shock to those who
many people and who want a quiet
Heaven. For the past 80 years / have
been much of the time in crowds and
under public scrutiny and amid excite
ments. and l have sometimes thought
for a few weeks after I reach Heaven
l would like to go down in some quiet
part of the realm, with few friends,
and for little while try comparative
solitude. Then there are those whose
hearing is so delicate that they get no
satisfaction when you describe the
crash of the eternal orchestra, and
they feel like saying, as good woman
in Hudson, n. Y, said after hearing me
speak of the mighty chorus of Heaven:
"That must be great Heaven, but
what will become of my poor head?''
Yes, this half hour of my text is still
experience. 'There was silence in
Heaven for half an hour"
You will find the inha bitants all at
home. Enter the Kings palace and
take only glimpse, for we have only
80 minutes for all Heaven. "Is that
Jesus?" eyes" Just under the hair
along His forehead is the mark of
wound made by bunch of twisted
brambles, and His foot on the throne
has on the round of His instep another
mark of wound made by spike, and
a scar on the palm of the right hand
and a scar on the palm of the left
hand. But whats countenance! What
a smile! What a grandeur! What a
loneliness! What an overwhelming
look of kindness and grace! Why, He
looks as if He had redeemed world!
But come on, for our time is short. Do
you see that row of palaces? That is
the Apostolic row. Do you see that
long reach of architectural glories?
That is Martyr row. Do you see that
immense structure? That is the big
gest house in Heaven; that is "the
house of many mansions" Do you
see that wall? Shade your eyes against
its burning splendor, for that is the
wall of Heaven. jasper at the bottom
and amethyst at the top. See this river
rolling through the heart of the
great metropolis? That is the river
concerning which those who once lived
on the banks of the Hudson or the Ala
bama or the Rhine or the Shannon
say: "We never saw the like of this
for clarity and sheen" That is the
chief river Of Heaven-so bright. so
wide. so deep. But you ask: "Where
are the asylums for the old?" I an
swer: "The inhabitants are all young
"Where are the hospitals for the
lame?" "They are all agile" ''Where
are the infirmaries for the blind and
deaf?" "They all see and hear"
"Where are the almshouses for the
poor?'' "They are all multimillion-
aires" "Where are the inebriate asy-
lums?" "Why, there are no saloons -
"Where are the graveyards?" "Why,
they never die" Pass down those
boulevards of gold and amber and
sapphire and see those interminable
streets built by the Architect of the
Universe into homes, over the thresh-
old of which sorrow never steps and
out of whose windows faces, once pale
with earthly sickness, now look rubi'
cund with immortal health.
ooh, let me go in and see them!" you
say. No, you cannot go in. There are
those who would never consent to let
you come out again. You say: "Let me
stay here in this place where they
never sin, where they never suffer
where they never part" No, no! Ou1
time is short, our 80 minutes are al
most gone. Come on! We must get
back to earth before this half hour Of
heavenly silence breaks up, for in your
mortal state you cannot endure the
pomp and splendor and resonance
when this half hour of silence is ended
The dav will come when you can SET
Heaven in full blast, but not now.
am now only showing you Heaven al
the dullest half hour Of all the eterni
ties. Come on! There is something
in the celestial appearance which
makes me think that the half hour o:
silence will soon be over, Yonder art
the white horses being hitched tt
| chariots, and yonder are seraphs fin
gering harps as if about to strike then
into symphony, and yonder are con
ouerors taking down from the blu'
halls of Heaven the trumpets of vic
tory, Remember we are mortal ye
and cannot endure the full roll O.
heavenly harmonies and cannot endure
even the silent Heaven for more thai
half an hour. Hark! The clock in tn
tower of Heaven begins to strike, ant
the half hour is ended. Descend! Com
back. Come down till your work i
done. Shoulder a little longer you
burdens. Fight little longer you
battles. Weep little longer you
| griefs. And then take Heaven not il
it's dullest half hour, but in its might
lest pomp, and. instead of taking it TO
30 minutes, take it world without end
But how will you spend the first hal
hour of your heavenly citizenship afte
YOU have gone in to stay? After you
nrostration before the throne in wo.
shin of Him who made it possible TO
Won to get there at all think the res
If vour first half hour in Heaven will
he passed in receiving your reward
vo,, have been faithful. I have
strangely beautiful book containing
the pictures of the medals struck b
the English government in honor o
Great battles. These medals are pinne
over the heart of the returned heroe
Of the army on great occasions, tn
royal family present and the roya
bands playing-the Crimean media
the medal of the mutiny, the Victori
cross. the Waterloo medal. In you
frs+ half hour in Heaven in some wa