Year: 1867




NO SECT IN HEAVEN.
Talking of sects till late one eve,
Of the various doctrines the saints believe
That night stood in troubled dream,
By the side Of darkly flowing stream.
And "Churchman" down to the river came
When heard strange voice call his name.
'Good father, stop when you cross this tide,
You must leave your robes on the other side."
But the aged father did not mind.
And his long gown foated out behind
AS down to the stream his way he took,
His pale hands clasping gilt-edged book.
"I'm bound for heaven and when I'm there,
l shall want my book of Common Prayer
And though put on starry crown
| should feel quite lost without my gown
Then he fixed his eyes on the shining track
But his gown was heavy and held him back
And the poor old father tried in vain
A single step in the flood to gain. .
] saw him again on the other side,
But his silk gown foated on the tide;
And no one asked in that blissful spot
Whether he belonged to 'the Church" or not.
Then down 10 the river Quaker strayed;
His dress of a sober hue was made:
"My coat and hat must be all of gray,
cannot 60 any other way
Then he buttoned his coat straight up to his chin
And staidly, solemnly, waded in,
And his broad brimmed hat he pulled down tight
Over his forehead SO co d and white.
But strong wind carried away his hat
A moment he silently sighed over that
And then as he gazed on the farther shore,
The coat slipped Off and was seen M more.
As he entered heaven his suit of gray
Went quietly sailing away-away,
And none of the angels questioned him
About the width OF his beavers brim.
Next came DR.. Watts, with bundle of psalms
Tied nicely up in his aged arms,
And hymns as many, a very wise thing, -,
That the people in heaven "all round'' might


sing.


But thought that he heaved an anxious sigh
4lo4 ~ 0b
And looked rather surprised as, one by one
The Psalms AMI Hymns in the wave went down
And after him with his MSS,
Came Wesley, the pattern of Godliness;
But he cried, "dear me, what shall do?
The water has soaked them thro' and through
And there on the river, far and wide,
Away they went down the swollen tide,
and the saint, astonished passed through alone
without his manuscript, up to the throne.
Then gravely walking, two saints by name
Down to the stream together came;
But as they stopped at the rivers brink
saw one saint from the other shrink.
"sprinkled or plunged, may ask you, friend,
How you attained to life's great end ?''
THUS, with few drops upon my brow
Bat have been dipped as you'll see me now /;
And I really think it will hardly do,
AS I'm CLOSE communion TO cross with you !;
You're bound, know, to the realms of bliss
But you must go that way and I'll go this"
Then straightway plunging with oil his might
Away to the left-his friend TO the right.
Apart they went from this world of sin,
But at last together they entered in
And now while the river was rolling on,
A Presbyterian church went down;
I OF women there seemed an nnumerable throng
But the men | could count as they passed along
! And concerning the road they could never agre
The old or the new way, which it could be,
Nor ever a moment paused to think .
That both would lead to the rivers brink.
And sound of murmuring, long and loud
Came ever up from the moving crowds
"You' re in the old way and I'm in the new
| That is the false, and this Is the true y
Or "rm in the old way and you're in the new
That is the false, and this is the true"
But the brethren only seemed to speak;
Modest the sisters walked and meek,
| And If ever one of them chanced to say
What troubles she met with on the way,
HoySs she longed to pass to the other side'
Nor feared to cross over the swelling tide,
| voice arose from the brethren then
"Let nobody speak but the holy men
For have We not heard the words of Paul,
.oh, let the women keep silent all'7"


I watched them long in my curious dream,
Till they stood by the borders Of the stream
Then. Just as thought. the two ways met,
But all the brethren were talking yet,


And would talk on, till the heaving tide
Carried them over side by side;


Side by side, for the way was one,
The toisome journey Of life was done.


And all who in Christ the Savior died
Came out alike on the other side.
No forms, or crosses, or books had they,
No gowns of silk, or suits Of gray.


No creed to guide them. or MSS,