Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-08-28

WIN toe Sofnhy Men 81 Olo-
And. Oh. how many redeemed Inn
mortais We shall have TO thank in that
heavenly kingsiomi John Todd. you
were dead thirty years before was
born. but shall I'm heaven thank thee
for the yellow leaves OF that old book
] found in my fathers library of
which you were the author That book
was one OF the means used by the
Holy Spirit OF turning my thoughts to-
ward the Christian ministry. William
III. Milburn, twenty years blind chap
lain OF the United States senate, thou
didst not. in all probability. ever bear
Of my nnme. With thy sightless eyes
thou dist make me fpsn many CRATE
full glance toward the Christ who I'm
heaven is today Watching thy raptur-
Gus and holy face. I wish TO thank
thee. o redeemed spirit thou who
yesrs, ago as sunday school teacher
In the old Brooklyn tabernacle didst
shed many an anxious tear over thy
scholars. ] would tell thee that today
In the sacred ministry feel the touch
OF thy sainted hand ana hear the ear
nest tone OF thy pleading voice. Yes
there are many spirits IN heaven we
would thank for whit they did for us
when upon the earth. We would thank
them that they may rejoice. as we al
rejoice. and that their hosaunas OF graf
itude might be augmented with our
halleuiahs.
But IL heaven is to be O place OF
manifested gratitude it IL also to be
o place Of glorious "reminiscences. AZ
the camp fires of the Grand Army re
unions we have beard the old veterans
talking over tbs struggles, the defeats
and triumphs OF the civil war. We
have heard what comrades ut Shiloh
did. md what comrades at Atlanta did
and what comrades Mt PetersbuFg did
To the old veterans the struggle of the
civil war 10 never an old story. So in
the heavenly rsuniops the gospel vet
Grams will love 70 talk over the Chris
tian struggles OF tina past.
As Christian comrades one will say;
do You remember that time when we
started those cottage prayer meetings
AZ a result OF those prayer meetings
what q glorious revival we bad "a
hundred and twenty souls for Christi
Yes" says another. ''thst reminds me
OF what a hard time we hid ip starting
TINT mission school down In the slums
Cynics said Il would do no good, but II
did. 70 did" Eyes" viii answer many
voices, 1--WE were converted and saved
through those little meetings." Then
the pastors and the different congrega.
tons will get sosother, aud they wifi
have. their "reminiscences. And the
parents aud the children will set to-
gether. and they will talk over again
the blessings which came from their
affairs. And the Bible distributors will
tell how they were scoffed at and yet
blessed as they distributed their tracts
and sacred leaves And Francis II.
Clark and the Christian Endenvorers
will have their separate reunions. We
shall be IN that better land" living
over and over again the Christian joys
which we passed through when serving
Christ upon the earth. oh. nay friends,
IL this idea is true. that heaven is to
be place of glorious "reminiscences,
ought we not all to double and treble
our energies IN the service OF Jesus
Christf Shall we not by the power OF
the Holy Spirit do more and more for
our Saviour, who has done no much for
US. In order TO be able TO drink deep out
OF this golden chalice OF celestial pleas
ure2
Face 90 Face with Chrfss.
But the greatest celestial Joy OF ali 1
have reserved until the last. Heaven
is TO be place OF perpetual worship.
docs that mean," asks some one,
Heaven is TO be great cathedral or
church In which all the Inhabitants OF
the New Jerusalem shall assemble and
pray TO him-and pray to him and
never cease to pray 10 him? In which
there shall be service with no dox-
oiogy and no benediction, for that serv-
ice shall be without beginning and
without endT -r
Oh no. my brother. do not believe
you have caught the right idea or the
worship OF the celestial city. Heaven
is not 10 be church, where we shall
have stated times for prayers aud
hymns. st. John distinctly says In his
And i saw no temple
therein. For the Lord God Almighty
and the Lamb and the temple are OF IT,"
That means, as ] take II, instead OF
having buildings especially dedicated
Tor the worship OF the Trinity we shall
feel. wherever we may be. that we are
standing face to face with Christ. And
then our hearts shall be so fun OF
gratitude 20 him for what be has done
for us that our eyes and lips and
tongues and hearts Will never cease TO
praise him. III will not be the worship
or intercession or OF pleading for the
pardon OF SIN. but the worship OF ad.
Grafton and OF eternal homage.
Perhaps my thought may be simply
Illustrated by a conversation I had
with very dear friend some time ego.
This noble Christian man turned to me
one day and said: do you know that
my ideas OF prayer and Worship have
greatly changed within the last few
years? When j used to pray would
make out a long list or petitions for
which would ask God. But now I
have begun 10 zee that he loves me
better thanEIilove myself. Therefore.
instead OF saying. o God. give me
this or that i simply. say, % Chrst,
thou art so good and pure: SUIT thy
self In reference TO my life and thou
wilt suit me. Thy win, o Lord. ana
not mine. be done." So In that heay-
emily land we shall have but one
prayer and one song. Thy will, @
Lord. not mine. be done" We shall
sing II. on the street. We shall sing Il
In the green pastures beside the still
writer's. We shalt sing IT I'm chorus
with our loved ones. We shall sing II
when We are alone. Thy Will, O God,
thy will be doney' In that one song.
and that alone, we shall hnd the per.
petuai. and never ending worship of
heaven.
Thus. my Gear Christian friends. I.
have tried 10 open for you .litfIs way
the gates OF the glorious .eiy Of the
redeemed" have tried to Externally
bind our lives with the imnaortaIsiNes
OF our dead Like Chfistfa u ii Bun
vans "Pilgsim's Progress" may You
continue to- strive to. enter into the
"strast gate" And Ike the Christian
Queen Victoria may you hopefully and