The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-07-23
RECOGNITION HEREAFT TER.

BY Rev. N. N. Barbour.
Behold My hands and My feet, that
it is L Myself.-St. Luke, XIV, part of
80.
The above words suggest the sub
ject of our recognition of departed
loved ones in the world to come. This
subject is of interest at all times, and
touches well nigh every one. Hardly
any there are but have buried their
dead; hardly any but have shut off
from the daily activities of their souls
consecrated void; hardly any but at
times are earnestly asking: Shall we
see these dear absent ones again, and
will there be some bond of recognition
between uS?"
But we are not left to mere Infer
ences and implications. The Bible as
serts directly the doctrine of mutual
recognition hereafter. MANY shall
come from the east and from the west
and shall sit down with Abraham and
Isaac and Jacob In the kingdom of
God" OF course, there would be no
significance in this statement If the
patriarchs are not to be known as
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Again:
Eye shall see Abraham, Isaac and ia
cob, and all the prophets in the king
dom of God" Says st. Paul to the
Thessalonians: What Is our hope or
joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not
even We in the presence Of our Lord
Jesus Christ at his coming" Again
he says to them: Now we beseech
you, brethren, by the coming Of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering
together unto him." And once more:
II would not have you to be ignorant,
brethren, concerning them which are
who have no hope" The hope refer
red to here is obviously that Of meet
ing again. Many more illusions OF
like character might be drawn from
the Epistles Of st. Paul Butlt VIII
suffice us to turn from them row and
to consider only the further state
ment of our text. And were that state
ment alone it would be enough. for
1t tells us that the glorified body of
our Lord was recognized, and he was
our first fruits, and as he rose so
shall we rise. There was, indeed,
about him an unearthly luster, but the
wounds were yet visible, the same eyes
looked out upon the apostles, the same
lips spoke to them, the same hands
blessed them, albeit a wondrous glory
illumined ALL There was that about
him which dazzled and bewildered.
Not at first did Mary and his dis
ciples know him. While they sought
the gardener or would go a-fishing or
walked sorrowful and hopeless by the
wayside their eyes were darkened; but
when they turned their spiritual gaze
upon him then they knew him. Then
Mary said, "Rabboni;" then ST. John
cried 1T is the Lord" then doubling
Thomas believed; then repentant Peter
sank at his feet. In like manner ii
shall be with us and ours. We shall
be changed. For corruption there shall
be interruption; for weakness, power:
for dishonor, glory; for the natural, the
spiritual body. And mayhap, too, the
unseen struggles and suffeTings of the
past shall be registered upon our faces,
and thus our real characters express
themselves; the things which were hid
den come abroad. and the good deeds
done In secret be forever rewarded
openly. But our identity, our appear
ance, our immortal individuality shall
yet remain and we be known to each
other by many infallible proofs. Abra-
ham shall remain Abraham, Daniel
shall still be Daniel, the Good Shep-
herd shall still call his sheep by name,
and they who have met In this life
shall meet again in that. An Isaac
shall rejoin Rebecca, David shall 60
to the child who could not come TO
him, Mary and Martha shall greet
their brother, and the tears OF
Rachel weeping for her children shall
be wiped away.