A
Ehe Sioux County Journal
UAKKLSON, NEBRASKA THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1807.
NUMBER 23.
VOLUME X.
iiSP
? THE TIVERTON
J --'BANK
I'VE come, judge, to ask If you'll let
hip tell yon what n. uric on eart'i
don't know but me, 'l.oiit that bank
mystery.
Yes, tbiink you, I will oil down. A
fire feel pcxMl on a night like thia.
Taln't often such a I have a chance
at this kind of comfort an-I luxury.
What do I know nlxmr the bank mys
tery? I-and sakes, Judge, time they
(tinned the bank Hint l;iy ten yean ago
and found the bank vault broke Into
and tin- wife blowed up and not a dol
lar pone, I could have told It all. The
people or Tiverton ain't done talking
and wondering Unit it yet, and there
ain't never Ih'H no one llvhi' an could
tell what it all meant but me.
I brought some papers -here they
are, Judge-where It's all written down
and I can swear to It If yon like. I
don't want them never used, though.
unless 1 die and something comes up
an would make H liest for my family to
know, though there's this In It I'd ruth
er die thnn have 'em know. If It's all
the same to you. Judge, I'd like to tell 11
to you. Seems like I'd get rid of a load
and would ! happier and die easier
feelln I'd spoken It nil out to one livl
human.
You'll 1 Kind to listen? That's good
of yon. I knowiil you wm a kind man
tout one: t lint's why I come to
vou. No. thank you, I don't smoke; I
put all that money away for my wife
and children.
ro vou hear that storm? Outside
tun-ma like all the evil powers was let
loose. You can't Judge '1mui it here. It
comes kind of muffled like through
those thick curtains and It don't shake
this great house like It does some.
It's this kind of night that makes
men huddle together, judge, and plan
bow to get rich and have fine things
such as the likes of you. I've been
through It all; I know. I've felt as if I
had as good a right to 'em as anyone
and I was bound to lmve 'em, too. I
warn't brought up to no trade nor noth
lu' and fair means aeemln' to fail. I
took to the other.
Yes. judge, I started out In life a thief
nnd a robber. I prospers! fairly In a
small way and no one didn't catch up
with me for some time. Then 1 Joined
a gang In for everything. Iord. but It
was fascinating! It was like drink; I
couldn't give It Up and I couldn't get
enough of it, I was in prison and out
then, the old story, till I married and
begun to have little ones.
Then, Ixrcl knows what helped me
sotnethlng did-aiwl for the sake of my
wife and children, I broke loose from
everything and came here, where no
onedldn't know me, tostart over again.
I had some money and opened the res
taurant just opposite the bank.
Ixmg as I didn't read the papers I
got on well; but let me mi" them and
I'd hunt through 'em for the robberies,
nnd I'd be crazy, plumb crazy for a
while, aching to lie in it all again. See
in' 'bout my old pals gettln In trouble
didn't make no difference.
Time come, though, when I begun to
enjoy life differently, and to feel my
self more resp't&ble. The love for
the old life begun ter go till I could
read ataut It without gHtln' all tired
up. I thought then I was all right.
Then they come here, part of the gang
I'd belonged to. First I knowed of It
was seeln' em In the restaurant, I
'splcloned they warn't here for no good
nnd it most took my breath away. They
knowed me quick enough, too, and
nothin' wouldn't do but I must Join 'em.
I was the very man they wanted, I
eould help 'em and I wa bound to 'em
,'Twa the biggest thing they'd under
take!) yet; the bank. They'd come on
to examine the situation, knowing
that Mr. Durkee, the hew mill owner,
would make a big payment noon and
the money for H wouM be In the bank
here. If there weren't anything elae,
that would be a big haul, worth Darin"
ami me beln' here decided 'em.
I do think the derll brought all hla
friends and relations wHh Mm that
lrirht tn teinnt me. I forgot bow to
atom and ioat eonMn't eUy In bed. I
wowSar I wcrnt to tattof by mormln
wrtt U 4cm nca' at to did
. - w
MYSTERY. J
and Irvln' to keen me . . of the room
where my slcopiu' children lay. '
1ord, It make me creep ami perspire
all over now to think of it.
Yer wee them lunik people come over
to my place for lunch best part of the
time, and they all kimwed my little
people, anil the mill people knowed 'em
too. Mv oldest boy worked In the mill
and they'd Iweti a kind as could be
when he's sick, Christmas lime they'"
good to him, too, and there warn"!
bank ollicer but what had rememberei
my little people, even to the watchman
Seemed like nibbing my own people,
Homchow. 1" bound not to inform on
the gang, and they'll bound ter roll the
bunk, but 1 cursed 'em In my heart for
cotnln' just when I was get tin rid of
the old life for Eooil anil all. 'Twas
awful!
Well, judge, you know how them
room over the tank was rented to start
a new dally paper. I made 'em swear
solemn aw my name warn't to apiar
nowhere. I'd plan It all out and give
'em points and be on hand at the hint,
but I had to be en lit Ions.
They found out when the money was
to la- paid and 'greed on the niffhtJu
fore for the robls'ry. I had all mapied
out for 'em where and how they were
to loosen up the hoards of the floor in
their room above, so we could break
through and lower ourselves into the
vault, when the time came. Then you
see we'd only have the safe to get Into
and the great iron door between us and
the watchiiian.
Everything was ready, ajid we was
pretty sure the money was paid.
Do you hear that storm now, judge?
"f was like that ten yeiirs ago to-night,
dark as Kgvpt, with the rain and wind
a perfect hurricane; a terrible night;
the kind of night for any sort of crime.
The men chuckled to thenwlvis. 'TwilM
a fortune sure this time, and they'd all
te on the way to comfort and safety 1k.
fore day. I ain't never seen 'em so ex
cited. Nothin' hadn't gone wrong and
nothin' couldn't now.
We had sentinels stationed round to
give the alarm, but there wasn't much
danger on a night like that.
We had planned so as to have the
door of the safe ready to blow open
when the watchman went down cellar
to we to his fires. 1 knowed time of
night he did so, scein' him often from
my house across the way through the
window of the Iwmk, but to make sure
we stationed a man where he could give
the slgtifll at the proper time. With
the watchman downstairs and we shut
In that vault, with solid masonry below
us, 'twarn't in the range of isissiUlilles
for no human to hear us.
Twas planned that when we broke
through the celling me and one of the
others was to go down first with the
lanterns and tools and" get the door
ready for Jim (iroogan, the leader of
the gang, to come down and use the
dvuamlte and Ik- on hand to take out
the money.
Ivord, but It was Just the night for
such a piece of work, and after I had
examined to see If all was safe, know
ing the dangers better than the .others,
we broke through the floor and lowered
the ladder, and there we was right In
the vault, Twas well for me I'd lilt U
right, for my life warn't worth much
if any o' my plannln failed to work.
Tom Doolan In a hurry went down
first and when I was half way down
he started back, saying in a hoarse kind
of whisper:
"Who called me?"
"No one. you fool," said Jim,
"Then," he said, and he ran past mo
on the ledder, "someone la down there
Twlet I heard someone say: 'o lck
go back.
"We'll gag blm," said Jim, and me
ami him went down tnd turned our
lanterns round look In' everywhere, but
there warn't no one there,
"What'a the matter wRh the fooir
growled Jim, and went back and tried
to aend blm down again, but he Juet
wouldn't go, no Jim curaed blm and
come himself, and be and ma begun
to get the safe door randy to blow op.
Tkai'a a thing tiwt tafcan Oma and
care, Jadge. imt we went at It wim a
will, and ut'ver a woru. jj "
von could almost bear your heart l-at.
beu all of a sudden came a smothered
rv. loud and clear, like a woman s.
We stopix-d work and looked at each
other, Jim' face w hite and scared.
Ixird. what was thatr he said.
I often hears 'era on the street lit"
that." I said.
That warn't on the street; it sounded
lose by," said Jim. "We couldn't bear
uothin' outside In this place."
Nonsense." I aid. "don't you make
a fool of yourself, too, and upon it," and
I went to work again.
I could see his hand trembled for a
while and then got steady again.
'That must have come through the
room utwlatrs," ne hhki pn--uwj..
"Queer, though, it sounded so close."
Then we worked on and there warn t
nothing more to be heard, Best of the
gang might all have been dead men.
for all the sound they made and we
didn't ay nothin', and so the night
went on.
At last we had It all ready and were
only waiting for the signal to blow It up
and then mouey enough to make us all
rich. Taln't such as you can realize
the excitement and the strain of auurb
,n 1 , ..IT 41.
a moment. ro siraw u " """r.
ready, and then to have to wait! Its
easier walkfn' over red hot coals. It's
all right to go on and work, but to stay
still ami only breathe and listen gives
a man the shivers.
presently Jim caught my nnn.
"Say. I thought I heard voices, did
yon 7" he whispered.
The i i upstairs," I said.
"Sounded down here. Have your
pistol ready."
1 look my lantern and went round the
vault again carefully, and then held it
tip to examine the walls. Then I shook
my hiwd. There warn't no way we
could hear no one.
"It's the queerest place I ever was
in." said Jim. "and by Jove I'll In- glad
when we are out of it. Why don't that
signal come? Suppose there's any
hitch? I swear I hear voices again."
Just then came the signal and Jim
began to apply the dynamite, but his
bands trembled so and his eyes looked
so wild and excited, his own wife
wouldn't know him.
"The money, the money," he whls
ixTed. "we must have it now."
U, We Rt out of the way Just In.
and then out came the door.
"The inside door, quick," said Jim,
but the explosion had made that fall
Inside and we jiurt could lift it out.
"1 lave the bag ready," said Jim, as he
lea mil forward to haul out the great
piles of bunk notes nnd silver we could
see by the light of the lanterns.
"Hands off. or you are a dead man."
It was a voice that would mit have
waked the dead. I dropped my bug
and Jim drew back his hand and caught
hold of me with a grip like Iron, and
we liegan to go slowly back to the lad
der.
The combination ta all right; we
have them now; they can't escape us."
We were half way up the ladder when
we heard the click, click of the lock,
nnd as we drew the ladder after us we
could hear the rasping of the hinges of
the iron door.
Fly. fly for your lives; wo are dls-
COVerWl. SlUO ,1110, im m wt-iu hiuuii'i
to warn the men; and In the darkness
and the wind and the rain they went
away and I ain't never seen none of 'em
since. I heard, though, as when they
found there warn't no one there and
the bank people umn 1 Know noiuiii
Unit, it till the next morning, they Just
believed the bank wan haunted, sure.
Do I know what It was, judge? There
ain't no one else as does know, that's
sure. Jain t tuucu, aner uu.
Yer see, playln' 'round with my little
ones, I found as I could make 'em hear
all kinds of noises anywhere I wanted,
and people cryln' and laughln'. It was
fun fur them and I often done it; ven-
trilixiulssln', I believe you call it; but
that night's the last time. Yer see, none,
of the gang didn't know 'bout that, nnd
I don't keer ever to have 'em know It
now. 11 saved the hank without my in-
formlu', and that's all 1 care. for.
Oh, no, Judge, the bank don t owe
me uothin'. You'll take care of the pa
pers? Thank you. I'm obliged to you
for listening, too. It kind of makes me
feel easier.
No, no, thank you, I won't stay and
take no more of your time. Oon't get
up: I can find my way out.
What's that you say. Judge? You
honor and respect me me ? A nd the
bank-land. Judge, 'twarn't me; 'twas
my wife and children saved the bank,
and I'm proud of 'em-proud of 'em,
Judge. (lood night. Philadelphia
Times,
Artificial eyes were first made In
Kgypt. They were of gold and silver,
and aulweiiuently of copper and ivory.
Hundred of years later, In the six
teenth century, when they were made
In Europe, porcelain waa the aubstanoe
used, and the maker usually atiuiiped
hla addreaa on the white of the eye.
A lohoter'a akin when aheddlng apllta
Uu tMek and cornea off In two
mo1 part. The tall allpa otrt of tba
rwTiifc. Tfln.r ant of a rkYl
bell Uka a Anger oat of a gion.
Bwadea baUave thnt tba da VI I baa ! and Pater followad Chrtat Into tha moan
powTovarnakSinnttmHtofO"'. talk A lig hi fto fiom Wv on tto
SO U L KECUUMTlUiN.
REV, DR. TALMAGE SAYS WE
SHALL KNOW EACH OTHER.
lie Takes the Theory Ont of the
Realm of Fpecnlation, and Carrie
It Ioto the Keion of Positive Cer
talotj. A Glorious Faith.
Ir. Talmage preached Sunday at Wash
ington, upon the subject, "Heavenly Rec
ognition," and his text waB from 11. Sam
uel, xii., 23: "I shall go to him."
There is a very sick child in the abode of
David the king. Disease, which stalks ui
the dark lane of the poor and puts its
smothering hauil on lip and nostril of the
wao and wasted, also mounts the palace
stairs sad bending over the pillow blows
Into the face of a young prince the frosts
o( pain ami death. Tears are wine to the
king of terrors. Alas for David the king,
lip run neither sleep nor eat aud lies pros
trate on his face wi-eping and wailing un
til the palace rings with the outcry of woe.
What are courtly attendants, or victori
ous armies, or conquered provinces under
sni h circunisturn-es? What to any parent
is all splendid surrounding when his child
Is sick? Seven days have passed on. There
in that great house two eyelids are gently
closed, two little hands folded, two little
feet quiet, one heart still. The servants
come to hear the tidings to the king, but
they cannot make up their minds to tell
him, and they stund at the door whisper
ing about the matter, arid David hears
them, and he looks up and says to them,
"Is the child dead?" "Yea, he is dead."
David rouses himself up, washes him
self, puts on new apparel nnd sits down
to food. What power hushed that tem
pest? What strength was It that lifted
up that king, whom grief had dethroned?
Oh. It was the thought that he would
oimie again into the possession of that
darling child. No grave-digger's spade
could hide him. The wintry blasts of
death could not put out the bright light.
There would he a forge somewhere that
with silver hammer would weld the broken
links. In a city where the hoofs of the
psle horse never strike the pavement he
would clasp his lost treasure, lie wipes
way the tears from his eyes, and he
clears the choking grief from his throat
and exclaims, "I shall go to him."
The Heavenly Throne.
Was David right or wrong? If we part
on earth, will we meet again in the next
world? "Well," says some one, "that
seems to Ire an impossibility. Heaven is
io large a place we never could find our
kindred there." (Jung into some city.
without having appointed a time nnd
tiln.ee for meeting, you might wander
around for weeks and for months, and
perhups for years, und never see each
other, and heaven is vaster than all earth
ly cities together. And how are you going
to find your departed friend in that coun
try? It is so vast a realm. John went up
on one mountain of inspiration, and he
looked off upon the multitude, and he
said. "Thousands of thousands. J hen
he come upon a greater altitude of inspir
ation and looked off upon it again, and he
said. "Ten thousand times ten thousand
And then he came to a higher mount, of
inspiration and looked off again, and he
miiil. "A hundred and forty and four
thousand and thousands of thousands.
And he came on a still greater height of
inspiration, and he looked off again and
exclaimed. "A great multitude that no
man can number.'
Now. I ask. how are you going to find
your friends in such a throng us that ? Is
not this idea we have been entertaining
after all, a falsity? Is this doctrine ol
future recognition of friends in heaven a
guess, a myth, a whim, or is it a granitic
foundation upon which the soul pierced of
all age may build a glorious hope.' In
fi-nui. iMii.minii! Kverv heart in this uudi
I dice throbs right into it. '1 here is in
j every soul here the tomb of 11 1 leiist one
dead. Tremendous question! It makes
1 the lio ouiver.'and the cheek Hush, und
the entire nature thrill. Shall we know
each other there? I get letters almost
every month asking me to discuss this
subject.. I get a letter in a bold, scholarly
hand, on gilt edged paper, asking me to
discuss this question, and 1 say, All
that is a curious man, and he wants a cu
riotis question solved!" Hut I get another
letter. It is written with a trembling
hand and on what seems to be a toru-out
leaf of a book, and there and here is the
mark of a tear, and I say, "Oh, that is a
broken heart, and it wants to be com
fortcd!"
The object of this sermon Is to take
this theory out of the region of surmise
and speculation into the region of posi
tive certainty. People my: "It would
he vcrv pleasant if that doctrine were
true. I hope it may be true. Perhaps it
is true. I wish it were true." But I he
lieve that I can bring nil accumulation
of argument to bear upon this matte
which will prove the doctrine of future
recognition as plainly us that there is
nny heaven at all. and that the kiss of
reunion at the celestial gate will be as
certain as the dying kiss at the door of th
epulcher.
Facta for Proof,
What does my text imply? "1 shall go
to him." What consolation would it be
to David to go to his child if he would
not know him? Would David have been
allowed to record this anticipation for
the inspection of all nges if It were
eroundless anticipation? We read in the
first book of the Bible: Abraham died
and was gathered to his people. Jacob
died and was gathered to his people
Moses died and was gathered to his peo
ple. What people? Why, their friends,
their comrades, their old companion. Of
course It means that. ' It cannot moan
anything else. 80 in the very beginning
of the Bible four times that la taken for
(ranted
The whole INew Testament Is
an arbor over which this doctrine creeps
I Hke luxuriant Vina full of the purple
ronaolation. James, John
mountain and lifts k Into the glories of
the celestial. Christ's garmt-iiis glow and
liis lues shineK like the sun. The disr
of heaven swings open. Two spirits come
down and alight ou that mountain, lue
disciples look at them and recognize them
as Moses and Elias. Now. if those dis
ciples standing on the earth could recog
nize these two spirits who had been for
years in heaveu, do you tell me that we,
with our heavenly eyesight, will not be
able to recognize those who have gone
out from among us only five, ten, twenty,
thirty years ago?
The Bible indicates over and over again
that the angels know each other, and
then the Bible says that we are to tie
higher than the angels, and if the ungeis
have the power of recognition, shall not
we. who are to be higher than they in the
next realm, have as good eyesight and
as gisid capacity? What did Christ mean
in his conversation with Mary and Mar
tha when he said, "Thy brother shall
rise again?" It was as much as to say:
"Don't cry. Don't wear yourselves out
again. Thy brother shall rise again."
The Bible describes heaveu as a great
home circle. Well, now, that would he
a very queer home circle where the mem
bers did not know each other. The Bible
describes death as a sleep. If we know
each other before we go to sleep, shall we
not know each other after we wake up
Ob. ves. We will know each other a
L'reflt deal better then than now, "For
now," snys the apostle, "we see through
a glass darkly," but then face to face. It
will be ni.v purified, enthroned and glori
fied body gazing on your purified, en
throned and glorified body.
Hrnioni for Belief.
Now. I demand, if you believe thi
Bible, that you take this theory of fu
ture recognition out of the realm of spec
ulation and surmise into the region of pos
itive certainty, and no more keep say
ing: 1 nope it is so. 1 nave an juea 11
is so. I guess it is so." Be able to say.
it h all the concentrated energy of body.
mind and soul, "I know it is so!
There are in addition to these Bible
arguments other reasons why I accept
this theory. In the first place, because
the rejection of it implies the entire ob
literation of our memory, ("an it be pos
sible that we shall forget forever those
with whose walk, look, manner we have
been so long familiar? Will death come
and with a sharp, keen blade hew away
this faculty of memory? Abraham said
to Dives, "Son, remember." If the ex
iled and the lost remember, will not the
enthroned remember?
When John Evans, the Scotch minister.
was seated in his study bis wife came in
and said to him, "My dear, do you think
we will know each other in heaven?" lie
turned to her and said, "My dear, do you
think we will be bigger fooJs in heaven
than we are here?" 1
Again, I accept this doctrine of future
recognition because the world's expectan
cy affirms it. Iu all lands and ages this
theory is received. What form of re
ligion planted it'&No form of religion, for
it is received tidier all forma of religion.
riien, I argue, a sentiment, a feeling, an
anticipation, universally planted, must
have been (iisl implanted, and if Jod im
planted it is rightfully lmplunted. Socra
tes writes: " ho would not part witn a
great deal to purchase ft meeting with Or
pheus ami Homer? If it be true that this
to be the consequence ol Ueatn, I coum
even be able to die often."
The Norwegian believes it. The Indian
believes it. The (ireenlander believes it.
The Swiss believe it. The Turks believe
it. I'nder every sky. by every river, m
every zone, the theory is adopted, and so
I say a principle universally linpiameu
must be Hod implanted, and hence a right
belief. The argument is irresistilge.
. Honl Features.
Again. I think thnt one reason why we
ougtit to accept nils uocmue is urauw
we never iu tins world Have an opportn
nil v to give thanks to those to whom we
are spiritually indebted. I ho Joy ot b-oav-
n, we are told, is to tie inaugurated tiy
11 reVleW 01 UK'S Wirit. I ncne uiiliximu
men and women who have been toiling
for Christ, have they seen the full result
of their work? Oh, no!
In the church at Somerville, N. J.. John
Vredenburgh preached for a great many
vears. He H'lt mill 111s mmmirj vvn
failure, although he was a faithful minis- :
ter preaching the gospel all the time. He
died, and died amid discouragements, aim
went home to (Sod, for no one ever doubt
ed that John Vredenburgh was a good
Christian minister. A little while after
his death there came a great awakening
in Somerville, and one Sabbath 200 souls
stood tin at the Christian altar espousing
the cause of Christ, among them my own
father and mother. And what was pe
culiar in regard to nearly all of those 200
souls was that they dated their religious
Impression from the ministry of John
Vredenburgh. Will tluit gooti Liirmiian
man before the throne of (Jod never meet
those souls brought to Christ through ins
instrumentality? Oh. of course he will
know them. 1 remember one Sabbath aft
ernoon, borne down with the sense of my
sins and knowing not Hod, I took up Dod
dridge's "llise and Progress." Oh, what
a dark afternoon it was, and I read the
chapters, and 1 read the prayers, and I
tried to make the prayers my own. Oh, I
must see Philip Doddridge. A glorious
old book he wrote! . Jit is out of fashion
now.
There Is another before the throne of
Hod. You nny her joy ia full. Is it? You
say there Can be. no augmentation of It.
Cannot there be? Her son was a wan
derer and a vagabond on the eurth when
that good mother died. He broke her old
heart. She died leaving him Iu the wilder
Dess of sin. She is before the throne of
i,i rmw Years iiass. and that son re
pents "of his crimes and gives hla heart
' 1 ...J l - ...f..l mol.tlnn
and dies and enters the gates of heaven.
You tell me that that mother's Joy cannot
h anamented? Let them comfort each
other, the son and the mother. "Oh,
she says to the angels of Ood, "rejoice
with me! The dead is alive again, and
tba Ioat la found. Halleluiah! I never
metMl to aaa thta lott oaa come back."
Tba BIWe sari nations are to b born in
a day. When China comas to uoa, wiu n
j not know Dr. A. boat? Whoa India cornea,
j b ill it not know Dr. John Scudder? When
I the Indians come to Cod, will they not
! 1-,,....- It.,i.''iH Hi,ir,l'
t-oul Modesty.
I see a soul entering heaven at last.
with covered face at the idea that it has
done so little lor Christ and feeling borno
down with iiiiworthiness. and it says to
itself. "I have no right to lie here." A
voice from a throne says: "Oh, you forget
that Sunday school class you invited to
Christ! 1 was one of them. And another
voice says: "You forget that poor man to
whom vou gave a loaf of bread and told
of the heavenly bread. 1 was that man."
And another says: "ou forget that sick
one to whom you gave medicine for the
mmI.v and the soul. 1 was that one. Ana
u Christ, from a throne overtopping
all the rest, will say. "Inasmuch as ye
did it to one of the least of these, you did
it to me." And then the seraphs will take
their harps from the side of the throne
and cry, "What song shall it be: Ana
Christ, liending over the harpers, anttii
say, "it shall ne tne Harvest noun-.
Oh, have you never sat by such a aeain
bed? In that hour you hear the departing
soul cry, "Hark! Look!" You hearkened
and you looked. A little child, pining
away bec ause of the death of its mother,
getting weaker and weaker every day,
was taken into the room where hung the
picture of her mother. She seemed to en
joy Usiking at it, a-nd then she was taken
away, and after a while died. In the last
moment that wan and wasted little one
lifted her hands, while her face lighted
up with the glory of the next world and
cried out, "Mother!" Io you tell me sh
did not see her mother? She did. So in
mv first settlement at Belleville a plain
mini said to me: "Wrhat do you think I
heard lust night? I was in the room where
One of my neighbors was dying. He was
a good man, and he said he heard the an
gels of God singing before the throne. 1
haven't much poetry about hip, but I list
ened and I heard them, too." Said I, "I
have no doubt of it." Why, we are to be
taken up to heaven at last by ministering
spirits. Who are they to be? Souls tliat
went up from Madras, or Antioch, or ,ler-
uiisaleni? Oh. no; our giorinen kiuuicu
are goiung to troop around us.
An Idea of Heaven.
Heaven is not a stately, formal place,
as 1 sometimes near 11 w-. -
frigidity of splendor, where people suiuu
., , it.; ...1 ,rf. tn'viiml about
on coll lonuuout-s auu e." .
,;h heovv crowns ot gold on men
heads. No, that is not my idea of heaven.
My idea of heaven is more nan uo.
are seated in the evening tide by the fire
place vonr whole family there, or near
Iv all of them there. While you are seat
ed talking and enjoying the evening hour
there is a knock at the door and the door
opens, and there comes in a brother that
has been long absent. He has been ab
sent for years you have not seen him,
and no sooner do you make up your mind
that it is certainly he than you leap up,
and the question is who shall give him
the first embrace. That is my idea of
heavena great home circle where they
are waiting for us.
Before the Thro-ie.
How much you have been through
since you saw them last. On the shin
ing shore you will talk it all over. The
heartaches, the loneliness, the sleepless
nights, the weeping until you had no
more power to weep, because the heart
was withered and dried up. Story of
vacant chair and empty cradle and little
shoe onlv half worn out, never to be worn
again, just the shape, of the foot that
once pressed it. And, dreams when you
thought that the departed had come back
again, and the room seemed bright with
their faces, and you started up to greet
them, and in the effort the dream broke
mid you found yourself standing amid
room'in the midnight alone. Talking it
nil over, and then, hand in hand, walk- .
ing up and down in the light. No sor
row, no tears, no dealh. O heaven! beau
tiful heaven heaven where our friends
nre! Heaven where we expect to be! In
the east they take a cage of birds and
bring It to the tomb of the. dead, and
then they open the door of the cage, and
the birds, Hying out, sing. : And I would
to-day bring a cage of. Christian consola
tion to the grave of your loved ones, and
1 would open the. door nnd let them fill
till the air with the music of their voices.
Oh how they hound in. these spirits
before the throne! Some shout with glad-
licss. Pionie ureuii loriu imo uii.vui,v".vj..
weeping for joy. Some stand speechless
in their shock of delight. They sing.
They quiver with excessive gladness.
Thev gaze in the temples, ou the pal-
.. . -v. .k.. 1.,,
aces, on tne warers.ou.cucu wnn-i.
weave their joy hi to garlands, they
spring it into triumphal arches, they
strike on timbrels, and then all the'loved
ones gather iu a greiir Circle around the
throne of Godfathers, mothe.-s, broth
ers, sisters, sons and daughters, lovers
and friends, hand to hand around about
the throne the circle, hand to hand, joy
to joy, jubilee to jubilee, victory to vic
tory. '"until the day break an." the shad
dows flee away. Turn, my beloved, and
be like a roe or a young hart upon the
mountains of Bether.", ,
Oh, how different It is on earth from
the way it is in heaven when a Chris
tian dies! We say, "Close his eyes." in
heaven they say, "Give him - a palm."
On earth we say. "Lef him down in the
ground." In heaven they say, "Hoist
him ou a throne." Ou earth it is, "Fare
well, farewell,' And so I see a Chris
tian soul coming down to the river of
death, and he steps into the river, and
Ibe water conies up to the ankle. He
says, "Lord Jesus, is this death?" "No,"
says Christ, "this is not death," And ha
wades still deeper down into the waters
until the flood conies to the knee, and ha
says, "Lord Jesus, tell me. tell me, ia thia
death?" And Christ says, "No, no; this la
not death.' And he wades still farther
down until the wave conies to the glrdla,
and the soul aays, "I-ord Jeaua, la tkla
death?" "No." ssya Christ, "this ia not"
And deeper in wades the soul till tha bil
low strikes the lip, and the departing OM
cries, "Lord Jeaus, ia this denthr "Mo,"
u.i Christ, "thla la not" Bnt whoa
Christ had lifted thii aonl on a throaa of
lory, and all tha pomp and Joy of baa von
cam aarglng to Ha feet, waa Ofcrlat antd.
I "Tata, o transport aonl, thin la tmtttt
if