Year: 1876

me whether It was Imagination or
reality, so I was satisfied with my
trip.


We read that the Queen of Sheba
went to see King Solomon and to
hear his wisdom, and when she was
on her way to visit him, no doubt
she pictured out in her own mind
the appearance of the city of Jeru-
salem. the temple, and King Solo
mon in all his glory. Now this
was all Imagination; but after she
saw all these things, and heard the
wisdom OF solomon, and saw all his
glory, she then declared that It was
4 true renort that sne mad heard IN
her own country, and that the half
had not been told her. Now this
was a reality. But the infdel says
no, that was nothing but animal
magnetism, the Queen of Sheba did
not see any city, nor the temple, nor
King Soloman, &c, it was all mag
ination. Well, what difference does
it make, SO the Queen was satisfied
with her trip.


When we look around us we see
thousands of Christians, and they
all picture out in their own minds
the beauties and the glories and
the joys of Heaven, and the glorious
prospect Of happiness in that eter-
nal world of joy makes them happy,
and they long to be there. Now
this is Imagination. But suppose
that they are so unspeakably happy
as to get to Heaven, and they find
that it as far exceeds their imagi-
nation as the sun exceeds the light
of the stars, and they would thence
forward rejoice in the beauties and
the glories of that happy place to
all eternity, Now, according to the
word of God, this will be a glorious
reality; but the infdel says no, for
according to his theory, this will be
nothing but animal magnetism, it
will be all Imagination. Very well,
if we can enjoy something that
makes US happy now, and still hap
pier as we progress in a divine life,
and happy in death, and then un
speakably happy to all eternity,
what does it matter whether you
call that something a reality or an
imagination, so that it makes Us
happy, and that happiness is pure
and exhilerating, and we cannot be
as happy in any other way as we
can in that way; for happiness is
what we are all seeking. And this
reminds me of a story that I heard
about a certain darkey that was
happy and was shouting. A law
yer that was sitting by said to him
"Sambo, you need not go on and
make such a fuss and so much ado
religion will do you no good, for 9
nigger's got no soul" "I don't
care, Massa," says he, sit makes my
body happy anyhow" So if reli
gion makes us happy through life
happy in death, and happy to al
eternity, what does it matter wheth
er we call it magnetism or mesmer
ism, Imagination or reality.


Or if a man is thirsty, and h'
/ quenches his thirst with pure wa
ter, what does it matter to hin
whether you call it buttermilk, o
turpentine, or oil, or water, so tina
it quenches his thirst.


So if man has longing desir
or thirst after something that al
the wealth and all the glory of thi
world can not satisfy, and h
quenches this thirst with the pur
water of eternal life, what does
matter to him whether you call
orthodoxy or bigotry or supersti
ton or fanaticism or imaginatio
or a reality. If he is satisfied, tha
is enough.


There has been great deal {
fussing and quarreling about waite
at various times, and a great man
erroneous ideas set forth concernin
water; but the water was not t
blame, and it will quench thirs


yet. So there has been a great de-
of wrangling and fussing and pers
, cution, and a great many erroneoU


ideas about true religion, or IL


water of eternal life. Was true +


ligion to blame for this? was Il


water of eternal life to blame Fl
r this? Certainly not. And aIthoug


infidels have been hoaxing at Il
! Bible and true religion for the la


eighteen hundred years, it will st


satisfy the longings of the immo


tai mind; and as water wou


quench thirst a thousand or ty


thousand years ago, it viii quen,
: thirst now just as we'll as it d


then. So the water of life quench


the thirst of the immortal mind
man eighteen hundred years ae


and it will do it now just as well


it did then, as thousands of peoI


can now testify. What would


think OF a man that would s.


''Well, don't believe that wal
will quench thirst, 4 don't belle


that it ever did any mai any GOO
:, and there has been a great deal


wrangiing and fussing about wat


and l therefore believe that it b
! dor.e a great deal of harm, and
= sooner it is destroyed from off 1


face of the earth the betterY' Y
ask him if he ever tried it, if he e
e3,.,,,l~ .,,,,- ,,-,@o.r. -, coo rvbatha~