Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-06-07

sE q b belief or hope of
4 such recognition.
which is expressed on every tomb
stone and heard in the hymnody OF
1 the church III all the centuries. be
/ lief Of few men in few places Is
not sufficient ground Of evidence
1 but a belief Of all men in all places
| is very different God would seem TO
be the author OF a belief like this.
and. Il so. there must be ground
for 1t
In the second place the reasonable
ness OF the idea strengthens the con-
viction of its truth. For example. the
resurrection OF which the Bible
speaks is one OF individuals, but in
dividuals are capable OF identifying
themselves only as they identify 9th
ers with whom they were associated.
| IT, in other words. we shall know our
selves In the resurrection. then we
must know others who have helped TO
make us what we are But the OBJ
ject OF the resurrection is equally con
yincing. since II is 10 bring reward TO
the righteous and punishment to the
wicked These rewards and punish
ments are based upon the deeds done
in the body. but to remember the
deeds, we must remember those for or
against whom the deeds were done.
What the Bible Says.
In the third place. while the testi-
mony OF the Bible In this respect Is
not definitely clear. II is inferentially
So Certainly Christ's words to
Martha with reference to the resur
rection of her brother Lazarus. imply
that in the resurrection they would
be known one TO another. Read the
story In the eleventh OF John to prove
this. Furthermore. We have the
teaching OF Jesus in the parable OF
the unjust steward. recorded in Luke
10. where he says; Make 10 your
selves friends of the mammon OF un-
righteousness. that when we fail they
may receive you into everlasting
habitations" II is difficult 10 inter
pref this in any other way than that
In the life TO corao those saints OF
whom we have made friends here by
our treatment OF them will know and
welcome us into the Joys beyond And
Paul's words n the text are to the
same purport.
Possible Objections.
II IS no objection to this tina, lesr.
teaches in another place. (Ma'thew.
90 3ol that IN the resurrection there
is u, lihcr marrying nor giving N mar
riago. Tor such relationship Is not
necessary to identity nor the spIYi ual
| JOY Of il
Some would say that IN the llfe 70
come many friends would be missed
who have not died In the faith of
Christ. and that from such n point of
view recognition and reunion would
make FOR sorrow instead OF Joy But
as Bishop Mant SAYS;
"r.ar -ei The prospect Of the realms of
sliaa mar ny buss. or thence sad u-hts
t. blum, thv sensc Il heavens ecsrn sles.
Tse-e. n fhy heart with warm devotion
glow
Nee, Cor thy place. twill soiace thee to
know
No fri,nd Of thine. mid those keen
agonies
IN that dark prison-homse OF tormen' lies:
For none is there bat Il Of God the Zoe.
! And alien thus from thee. The tics Of
blood.
And ear,h's most sacred bonds. are nut
Irvine
o, grosSamcr compared with what is
God
To tim. the Lord OF all on HIN re-
'ire:
He shall ny heart o. every care urload.
" 20 ~ 1sy Nlta cioudless ulster
shine"
The practical effect OF such hope
as fhis IS ar ovtended one In the
first place It brings MS strongly ~. der
the power Of heavenly realities In
the second place IL induces us to form
only holy friendships that can b. con
,irued through eternity In the 'hlrd
place. IL affords the most pr cious
cousoia Ion TO ,hc hcrcayed
'kr vesr hv year lose
f'-iends Gus - sirit 20 know
naw groves W f'ar 9. our store
Let the fact be emphasized b. clos
ing. that We are talking about Chris
tians and not the unhelieving >, ople
Of iho world 1iuo Christians are
those who have cciyed Jesus Christ
a, chair Saviour - faith ara uthn