The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-04-10


want quiet heaven. For the last
thirty-five years have been much Of
the time in crowds and under public
scrutiny and amid excitements, and
Nve sometimes thought for few
weeks after I reach heaven I would
like to go down in some quiet part
of the realm, with few friends, and
for little while try comparative
solitude.
You will find the Inhabitants all at
home. Enter the Kings palace and
take only a glimpse, for we have only
thirty minutes for all heaven. ''Is that
Jesus?" Eyes," Just under the hair
along his forehead is the mark Of a
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
scar on the palm of the right hand
and scar on the palm Of the left
hand. But what countenance! What
smile! What grandeur! What 4
loneliness! What an overwhelming
look of kindness and grace! Why, he
looks as II he had redeemed world!
But come on, for our time is short. Do
you see that row of palaces? That Il
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
It's 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, 1--WE never saw the like Of this
for clarity and sheen" That is the
chief river Of heaven-so bright, 80
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 che 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 sap
phire 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, mol Our
time Is short, our thirty minutes are
almost 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 end
ed. The day will come when you can
see heaven In full blast. but not now.
Come on! There Is something in the
celestial appearance which makes me
think that the half hour of silence will
soon be over. Remember we are mortal
yet and cannot endure the full roll of
heavenly harmonies and cannot endure
even the silent heaven for more than
half an hour. Hark! The clock In the
tower Of heaven begins to strike. and
the half hour is ended. Descend!
Come back! Come down till your work
is done. Shoulder little longer your
burdens. Fight little longer your
battles. Weep little longer your
griefs. And then take heaven not In
its dullest half hour, but in its mighti-
est pomp, and, instead of taking it for,
thirty minutes, take it world without
end.
But how will you spend the first hall
hour of your heavenly citizenship, after
you have gone in to stay? After your
prostraticn before the throne in wor-
ship of him who made it possible for
you to get there at all think the rest
of your first half hour in heaven will
be passed in receiving your reward IL
you have been faithful. I have a
strangely beautiful book containing the
pictures of the medals struck by the
English government in honor of great
battles. These medals are pinned over
the heart Of the returned heroes OF the
army on great occasions, the royal
family present and the royal bands
playing-the Crimean medal, the medal
of the mutiny, the Victoria cross,
the Waterloo medal. In your first half
hour in heaven in some way you will
be honored for the earthly struggles
in which you won the day. Stand up
before all the royal house of haovon