Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-02-17


30 systematic are these movements that
astronomers can calculate down to the
very minute when star will pass
given place or disappear" Thus we
find that the armament Of the heavens
IS a great cosmos. 1t is a collection OF
stars gathered into groups, each star
having its own place in a separate
group with other stars.
This was conclusiyely proved by
William Herschel, the great English
astronomer. Herschel for years studied
the laws which bound star to star. In
his day no man knew more about them
than he did "In nearly every branch
Of modern physical astronomy he was
n pioneer" wrote his biographer; 'he
was the virtual founder of sidereal sci
ence As an explorer Of the heavens he
had but one rival, his own SON" After
years of study, William Herschel evoly-
ed this beautiful theory Of the heavens,
which, believe, is the symbol Of our
future celestial existence. The ancient
Chaldeans first gathered the stars into
groups or consultations. They had the
Dipper and Orion and the Bear and the
Bull, the Ram, the Twins, the Water
pot, the Scales, the Fish, the Sea Goat
and others too numerous to mention.
But it remained for the modern astron-
omer to show how these various groups
were related. Herschel mapped the
motion of these groups around their in
dividual centers; then he went higher
and higher in his astronomical theory,
and he showed how these centers NOV
ed around other centers and these other
centers in turn swing around other cen
ters; then at last he swings all these
groups and consultations and solar
systems and all these centers around
one great center, which he calls the
"great white throne Of Cod" Cannot
you grasp the parable?
They Shall Shine as Stars.
In heaven all the soul winners Of
earth shall shine as the stars forever
and ever. But these stars shall not be
simply Il great multitude Of stars shin
ing as a mass Of light Each star will
be the member Of certain group.
What is the group? Why, the family.
We shall shine like Moses and Joshua
and Paul and Peter. Yes, but we shall
shine alongside Of our fathers and
mothers and brothers and sisters and
wives and husbands and children. In
groups-in family groups-we shall be.
O God, | thank thee that in heaven
my loved ones shall be by my side as
they have lived by my side on earth!
All the soul winners shall be there, but
my dear ones shall live as close to Inc
as though our mansion in heaven were
the only mansion built upon the Boule-
ward of Gold down near to the Beauti-
full Gate.
But there is another fact about these
stars to which | would call your at
tention today. If we turn many tc
righteousness we shall shine. What
does that mean? Shall we be as min
ers with our little aickering lamps go
ing into the dark places Of the eartt
TO hunt out gold for ourtown selfish
purposes? Shall we become miserS
who are ready to shut themselves VI
into solitary rooms, so that with a lit
tie Pickering candlelight they can oper
their iron vaults and in safety exam
inc their Jewels and piles Of silver and
of gold? Nay. If we turn many tc
Righteousness we can never shut our
selves up in heaven We must shine
as the stars. We must shine not Sc
much for the benefit Of ourselves as
for the benefit of others. Heaven Is
to be a place of eternal enjoyment be
cause it is a place where we shal
spend the millenniums in helping t(
make others happy. Oh, blessed, thrice
blessed is this thought! Is it you
hope?
When Cyrus W. Field was about t
law the first successful Atlantic CABLE
he had two vessels, the Agamemnol
and the Niagara. Each loaded witt
the precious cable, they met In mid
ocean. Then the two vessels parted
and one sailed toward Valentia and tn
other toward Trinity bay. Farther an'
farther apart they went, each payln
out its end of the cable. But during
all that long journey toward the Oh
world and the new these two vessel
could keep sending messages to eac
other. SO on the great sea OF spac
the stars seem to be floating ships
Ave. more than that-they seem to b
creatures of life And these stella
creatures of life seem to be alway
signaling. always talking to each othel
They seem to me to keep saying "Ol
child of Christ, when thou dost shin
as the stars forever and ever tho
shalt be shining for other worlds an
NOT for thyself." Is it not a beautlft
thought to you that all through etel
nity YOU shall be shining to make you
dear ones happy? Heaven can neVe
no 70 your loved ones a perfect heaye
unless you are there to shine for the
glory and eternal joy.
Even the Stars Differ.
But how are these celestial stars 81
ing to shine? Shall they all look allA
and have just the same color ana ID
same characteristics? Are they to b
similar to each other, like the picture
we used to study Of the angels, WI
were always dressed in white robe
and had two wings, with just so man
) feathers. so that each angel looked liz
/ every other angel? No. When 20
/ speak thus | know you have not oI
served the stars. You have not notice
how they differ in brightness and sii
and color. The Bible distinctly tells l
: that zone star difleretb Hom anoth'
star In glory" Heaven is not to be
place of monotonous similarities, bl
: of varied and ever fresh contrasts. 4
+ I'm the material armament one star dl
fers from another star so there VIII
| s,.st cfo