The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1920-07-06

cipleship. AS Bernard said: ut Is the
completion of mans education by
God" But love implies companion
ship and service in heaven.
at soweth here in toll and care
But the harvest time of love Is
there"
Growth in knowledge too implies
sympathy. We grow more and more
toward each other.
Now all this raises powerful pre-.
sumption for the belief we are consid
ering. 1t rests, therefore, with those
denying it to adduce single Scripture
negativing it. We have right to say
IF that which buds in grace is moi
to bloom
In bliss and thou canst prove 1t so
say on"
But there is also positive evidence
in the Scriptures. 1t is said that the
patriarchs were gathered to their
fathers" Does that mean nothing
more than the laying of their bones
together in one place? But Abraham
was not laid in his fathers sepulchre,
and Moses, of whom 1t was used, no
man knoweth Of his spulchre and as a
fact he appeared In glory in his own
body at the TRANSPORTATION, At the
death of his. child David cried: Il
shall go to him, but he shall not re-
turn to me-"
In the TRANSPORTATION scene on
Mount Herman we have very pic
ture of the heavenly recognition.
Moses and Elias associated in heaven
and came down and are recognized by
Peter and the others, and they talk to-
gether about Christ's coming decease.
Turn another page and there is the
picture of Lazarus lying in Abraham's
bosom. What can that mean but that
the lowliest of the redeemed are to
know and commune with the greatest
there?
Paul assured the grieving Thessa-
lonians that their believing friends
were not lost to them but that they
were to meet in Christ's presence
when He comes. Where is any truth
or fact taught clearer than that?
All the representation of Heaven
imply this. 1t is holy society, a
kingdom, a family, city-all of which
implies the gathering together Of their
members. Its music Is a chorus. Our
Savior pictured it in the fourteenth of
John as home, but what is home
without its unions, its greetings and
its services in common? If 1t were not
so | would have told you," said the
Master, thus legitimating the natural
differences that we draw from such fig
ures.
What an impulse to holy living,
what valuation this puts on our
earthly friendships? IF / thought"
said Richard Baxter, that | should
never know them there | should In
reason number them with temporal
things and only love them as such"
Next to the favor of God, which is
life itself, our wealth in heaven will be
measured by the friendships we have
there, the circles into which we can
move with sympathy.
Christ says in our text Make
friends with your money who will re-
ceive you when you enter the heaven
ly gates" And is this not an explicit
statement of heavenly recognition? He
is not dealing with that truth special
ly here, but in connection with his
teaching on the right stewardship of
money He says: Use 1t so that It may
bring you friends to greet you in your
everlasting home"
Every soul made better Of helped
by your sacrifice will be waiting to
welcome you up yonder. That poor
child that you helped out of poverty
and shame will be there to give you
greeting and add to your happiness in
heaven. Dusky faces from China, India
and Africa will press forward to meet
those who sent them the hospitals
which brought them their sight and
their knowledge of the Son Of God.
But above all our own dear ones are
TO be restored to US. l believe that
where families are distinctively Chris
tian they will have closer association
together there. The family is the very
type of heaven. God Himself has be-
loved Son. That cannot be abandoned
which exists so essentially in human
life. believe that Abraham the father
ofthe faithful and Sarah the mother of
the faithful will be especially dear to
Zach other there.
There the child has found its mother
There the mother finds her child,
There dear friends are gathered
That were scattered in the void"
Let us look forward then with de-
light to this manifestation of the sons
of God, and let us labor and pray that
we may help to increase the blessed
ness of the redeemed, and that none
that are most dear to us may be miss
ing in that great day of rejoicing in
the presence Of God and Of the holy