The Washington herald., 1908-05-25

Rev. DR.. William T. Russell. preaching
at the high mass In st. Patricik's Church
yesterday, took for the theme Of his dis
course, Heaven" his text being: This
is eternal life; that they may know
Thee" He said, in part:
There are few subjects which the
sacred Scriptures are az more pains TO ex-
plain and Illustrate, few concerning
which even Instructed people entertain
more erroneous ideas. because few are
moro difficult 10 comprehend. than
heaven. The average man conceives
heaven to be a condition OF rest and
peace and Joy. He looks forward TO his
abode in Zion as 20 state IN which he
viii enjoy most Of the pleasures OF this
life without any of its palms and arxieties
ITO him heaven is a purified earth
eternal life prolougation or the present.
exempt from its separations and misfor-
tunes. from suffering and death. All
peoples. civilized and uncivlized, infidel
and Christian, have accepted these ideas
Of heaven-the higher civilization and
culture OF Greece embodying them In the
conception OF Olympus. while among the
American Indians these aspirations found
their fruition in tho happy hunting
ground.
The Life Hereafter.
'Thus man, wherever we find him.
concelves OF a life hereafter of purely
natural bliss, which can be forfeited only
by his own misdoings, and this natural
desire or instinct. which is so universal.
can find It's explanation only by attribut-
ing II to God as its source.
1.-THE heaven Of revelation. the heaven
OF Christianity. was never conceived OF
by even the wisest OF the pagans. The
most enlightened nations have never i'm
agined Il. save as a place OF merely nat
ural happiness, never dreamed OF IL, as
Il is In reality, condition Of supernat-
urai bliss.
1t seems, too, that ST. John, in the
Apocalypse. is poweTless to find any but
material images to shadow forth, how
ever family, the wonders and the glory
Of the New Jerusalem. He sezes on all
forms OF earthly majesty and beauty.
makes use OF all that stands for earthly
power and glory.
There is one, indeed, rapt TO the third
heaven, annealed In the divine fires,
high God, yet who is silent-St Paul the
Apostle. Versed In the learning of the
Greeks and Hebrews, an intellectual
giant. who for grandeur of concept. sub
tlety Of distinction. magic OF style, splen-
dor and fire, grace and power Of express
sion, has seldom been equaled and never
surpassed, 1t would seem that he of all
men must be pre-eminently fitted to tell
of the marvels. to picture the awful
beauty OF the mystical city OF God
But he does not attempt II. He tells
us ii is not given TO man to utter what
was revealed 10 him. Eye hath not
seem he says nor ear heard, neither
hath it entered into the heart OF man
what things God hath prepared for those
that love Him.
Strangely enough, these few negative,
luminous words convey 10 the mind and
the heart more than all that has ever
been sung by sages. saints, and prophets
''We'may, however. form q clearer con-
CeptiOn OF the glory reserved for the
blessed from the evangelists simple ex-
preston, This IS life eternal, 10 know
Thee, the only true God 1t is the
beatific vision, then. that constitutes the
chief happiness of heaven. What is the
beatific vision? 1t is the clear knowledge
OF God as He is.
Meaning of Love.
knowledge begets love. and the mean
ing of love is to give the best we have
to receive the best we know. We all
love; 1t is for that we have been created,
TO long for life. to yearn for love.
But for our love we must have an OBJ
ject good and beautiful. On earth these
terms ara ralafix,a VI-l,o+ a. s-ood 20 o,,o