The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-06
WE SHALL KNOW
 EACH OTHER THERE" SAYS DR. FOSTER

Clear and convincing, with an array of Biblical arguments and proof, was | the sermon on "The Doctrine of Heav- only Recognition" delivered by pr. John S. Foster from the pulpit of the First Presbyterian church at the II o'clock service yesterday.
 The services opened with singing ard the church quartet composed of Mrs. Adams. Miss Evelyn Going and Messrs. Martin and Houston rendered several beautiful selections. among them be- ing the offertory. The announcement was made that on next Sunday Dr. James l. Vance, pastor of the P1rs. Presbyterian chruch of Nashville, Tenn, and speaker of national repu- tation will preach in this church. The sub ject of his discourse will be, Men and the Kingdom" mission study class will also be formed next Fri day night at 7:30 o'clock for the pur- pose of pursuing a course in missionary Literature and will be available for all those who care to join.
 | Dr. Foster said, in part, as follows:
 There are some questions which the minds of men are impelled to inves- | tigate by the motive of curiosity and there are no vital interests involved in the results. But this is not so In attempting to show that Gods recog- be proved as such.
 Shall those whom you knew here on earth be recognized in heaven? Is a query that has stirred more than one mind into action. We can separate our friends on earth by their particular characteristics and distinguishing traits.
 "First of all, heaven has a personal interest in you and you have per sonal interest in heaven for many of l those who have gone before want to see you again and you wish to see them again. Just as traveller de- signs a trip into a fores=n land, studies the customs and habits of the people he is going among, so do we think of the country wherein we some uay hope to dwell.
 Some persons say that recognition will be impossible because of the rei- ative changes in the people separated by the Grim Reaper, that a mother who lives to become old and stopped will lnot know the child whose death antc- dated hers by 30 or 40 years. God answers this by saying that heaven is a continual growth and the lives of those there are expanded parallel to those here There are many req sons for believing in heavenly recog hn ttrid dn6 Int two classes: Circumstantial and cor roborative; direct and substantial.
 "The circumstantial evidence is that the law of the universe is that all the capacities and activities ol tne soul are steadily increasing and the human faculties are gradually perfect I ing. God does not ripep the fruit thai 1t may fall to the ground and benefit no one nor does He mature the grain that it may wither into dust. Se il Is impossible to believe that the pro- cess of human development is being allowed for no future p~.ctice and will he denied the full use of its highest bowers
 Revert to the last scene between cur Lord and His disciples, between Him and the weeping Lazarus. Would there be any comfort in the message he leaves them, that they would meet Iagain in the heavenly kingdom, if there would be no recognition there? "Heathenism has failed to become a factor in the moral uplift of man be- cause it does not offer any comrort l to grief stricken hearts that have felt tho sting of death in their family cir cle There was time when Paul loved to think of his death for he be. .teved that he would meet those whom he had saved at the throne of grace and could he be happy in thinking this if he doubted that hc would know those souls?
 .Turning to the proof of the doc l Urine of heavenly recognition we can see that the very character of heaven itself reveals this. Every correct in- Iterpretation of the B.o1e teaches us that heaven .and earth are not unre. lated, are not antagonistic and that it is an old life under new conditions. We are told in the scriptures thae heaven is a place of perfection and mankind is perfected on this earth for that world, into which every man must carry the knowledge he has ac- Guired here. Memory is faculty oeI the soul and in proportion that the soul is developed Is 1t not reasonable 10 conclude that this faculty grows also? The immortality of intelligence means the immortality of memory which is given to man to gather facts and marshal them for his betterment.
 "The doctrine of the day of judg- ment Is also a proof of the indestruc- tibility of life. When man is brought before the judgment bar and made to answer certain charges he must be ab to remember his deeds and be conscious of miscondust at that time before he can be eligible to condemnation. i why should 1t be incredulous to think that heaven will mean oblivion when for 1t the supreme sacrifice of history has been made and that for the loss of memory. the whole scheme of ngs