Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-04-04

The plumbers had torn up the foor
The roof was being lifted in cupoia.
All the pictures were gone. and the
paper hangers were doing their work
All the modern improvements were be-
ing introduced into that dwelling.
There was not room I'm the house fit
to live in at that time. although a
month before when visited that house
everything was so beautiful could
not have suggested an Improvement.
My friend had gone with his family
to the Holy Land. expecting to come
back at the end of six months. when
the building was to be done. And, oh,
what was his JOY when at the end OF
six months he returned and found the
old house had been enlarged and i'm
proved and gIorified. That is your
body. 1t looks well now-all the rooms
filled with health. and we could hard
ly make suggestion. But after awhile
your soul will go to the Holy Land,
and while you are gone the old house
OF your tabernacle will be entirely re-
constructed from cellar To attic. and
every nerve. muscle and bope and It's
sue and artery must he hauled over,
and the old structure will be FURNISHED
and adorned and raised and cupolaed
and enlarged. and all the improve
ments of heaven introduced. and YOU
will move into il on resurrection day.
''For we know that if our earthly house
of this tabernacle were dissolved we
have building Of God. a house not
made with hands. eternal in the heav-
ems" oh. what day when body and
soul meet again. They are very fond
of each other. Did your body ever have
a pain and your soul not pity it, or your
body have joy and your soul not re-
echo 1t. or, changing the question. did
your soul ever have any trouble and
your body not sympathize with it.
growing wan and weak under the de-
pressing influence? Or did your soul
ever have a gladness but your body
celebrated it with kindled eye and
cheek and elastic step? Surely God
never intended two such good friends
to be very long separated.
The Final Victory.
And so when the worlds last Easter
morning shall come the soul will de-
scend. crying, "Where is my bodyT'
And the body will ascend. saying.
where is my soulY' And the Lord Of
the resurrection will bring them to-
gether, and ii will be perfect soul In
perfect body. introduced by a perfect
Christ into a perfect heaven. Victory!
Do you wonder that on Easter day we
swathc our churches with garlands?
Do you wonder we celebrate it with
the most consecrated voice OF song
that we can invite, with the deftest
fingers on organ and cornet and with
doxologies that beat these arches with
the pillows of sound az the sea smites
The basalt at Giants Causeway? Only
the bad disapprove of the resurrec-
ton. A cruel heather warrior heard
Mr.. Moffatt, the missionary, preach
about the resurrection, and he said to
the missionary, "Wnl my father rise
in the last dayT' "Yes," said the mis-
sionary. "Will all the dead in battle
rise?" said the cruel chieftain. Yes"
said the missionary. Then said the
warrior: LET me hear no more about
the resurrection. There can be no res
direction: there shall be no resurrec-
ton. 1 have slain thousands in battle.
VIII they rise?" All, there will be
more to rise on that day than those
whose crimes have never been repent
cd of will want to see, But for all
others who allowed Christ to be their
pardon and their life and their rcsur-
rection it viii be day OF victory.
The thunders OF the last day will be
the saivo that greets you into barbor.
The lightnings will be only the torches
or triumphal procession marching down
TO escort you home. The burning worlds
flashing through immensely will he the
rockets celebrating your coronation on
thrones where you will reign forever
and forever and forever. Where is
death? What have we 10 do with
death2 AS your reunited body and soul
swing or from this planet on that last
day you will see deep gashes all up
ana down the hills. deep gashes all
through the valleys, and they will be
the emptied graves, they will be the
abandoned sepulchers, with rough
ground tossed on each side OF them.
and slabs VIII lie uneven on the rent
hillocks, and there will be fallen monu.
ments and cenotaphs. and then for the
first time you will appreciate the full
exhilaration OF the text. Death is
swallowed up In Victory"
Hail the Lord Of earth and heavonI
Praise TO thee by both be given.
Thee we greet triumphant now:
Han the resurrection thoui
Copyright. 1907. by Louis Klopsch.l