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 THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
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 THIS 
 
 GREAT LOVEFEA^i 
 
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 HEAVEN. 
 
 BY 
 
 A METTODKT MINISTER, 
 
 AiniioRoi- "aniruio BK.STCIIE8," '*toyaoktoolobv,"bto,, f.tc. 
 
 W." 
 
 ■TWENTIETII THOrSAKIX 
 
 LONDON: 
 ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTBil ROW; 
 
 F. PITMAN, 20, FATBRiroSTBR BOMT • 
 
 O. LAMB, SiTTTOM STRBET BJtST, .-— - 
 
 JAME8 CAtiVlBKLh AND SON, TORONTO, CANADA WE9T. 
 
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THE 
 
 GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 "Anil I heafd as it we» the voice of a great multitude, and aa 
 the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thUndW. 
 «»ying. 'AUelidia; for the Lord. God omnipotent reigneth.^ 
 
 Rev.xix. 6. .,..'' 
 
 ■ ■•>■.-"■ . ■ ■ ■■ ■„ ■ • "■ 
 
 "Oh ! ye who «tfe tossed on life's tumultuous ocean, eye the 
 
 shore . ,. , , ' . 
 
 Where slumber on her downy couch shidl lull your cares to 
 
 sweet repose: 
 Yet wait awhile, and I will bear you to yon balmy climes ofrest, 
 WiU lay you by the sUver streams, crowned with elysian 
 
 bQwers, . , , ^ 
 
 Where peace extends her blooming olive, and the tempest pours 
 lis killing blast no more." 
 
 In describing the celeatial world, thouglit, lan- 
 guage, and images all faU us. It is a theme too 
 high for conception, fa)q ^and for diescription, 
 too sacred to^ admit, bf comparison. The gran- 
 deur of nature, the glory of art, the dreams of 
 fancy, and the creations- of poetry, all fade in 
 the vision. Admiration no longer hovers over 
 the elysian fields of Virgil. Homer's sparkHng 
 
 .*>.-■ -v^ 
 
2 THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 rills of nectar, streaming from the gods, woo 
 bur thirst no more. Even the paradise of Mil- 
 ton, •with its trees and rivers, its fruits and 
 flowers, its hymns and its harpS: — a living landr 
 scape crowned with vernal diadem and voiced 
 with melody, dwindles into sterility ! And until 
 we share the ripened powers of immortality, and 
 occupy the thronesi of Heaven, ^e can only say, 
 that eternal spring shall bloom uilon the scene and 
 chase away the winter of affliction by its smiles ! 
 We feel how utterly language /sinks beneath the 
 majesty of the subject ; but this infirmity is 
 eloquent of its praise ; for Who can sustain him- 
 self when every thought bends and breaks with 
 the burden of its own meaning ? We go, but 
 we cannot properly tell of ihe place to which we 
 go— the home of our Father— the residence of 
 His family — ^the central apode of perfect virtue. 
 The august vision makgs/tis tremble as we gaze, 
 and the sublimest reach of human thought can 
 only feebly point to its deep foundations of 
 precious stones— its rainboW coverings and sun- 
 light splendours— waMed with adamant and 
 paved with sapphire-f-the abode of the riedeemed, 
 and God in the midg 
 
 Earth has its beaj^ties, fent time shrouds them 
 in the gra ve- HeVe the flowers fade, the heart 
 
 -^^r 
 
THE OBBAT LOVfiFEAST IN ffEAVEN. 
 
 8 
 
 //■ 
 
 withers, man grows old and dies, the world lies 
 down in the mausoleum of ages, its honours are 
 but the sunshine of an hour, its palaces are but 
 the gilded sepulchres, its possession^ but the 
 toys of changing fortune ; but timb writes ho 
 wrinkles on the brow of eternity! Eternity! 
 stupendous thought I The ever-present, un- 
 born, and undying— the endless chain feompass- 
 ing the life of God. 'In tfid dwelling-place of 
 the Almighty come no footsteps of decay ; its 
 days know no darkening, eternal splendours for- 
 bid the approach of night. Its fountains never ' 
 fail, they flow fresh from the eternal throne. Its 
 glories never wane, for ttiere is the ever-present 
 God. "What an inheritance 1 ■ Exquisite , waa 
 the beauty of ancient Eden ; but its glories pale 
 before the^ indescribable splendour of the para- 
 dise of God. There ate" regions of dazzling 
 beauty, clear and grateful fountains, plains of 
 brightest verdure, rivers of sparkling water, and 
 glades enamelled with flowers of 6very variety, 
 pale and delicate and rich and gorgeous, yield- 
 ing delicious fragrance. All aaround are happy 
 spirits, sdme engaged in conversation, others 
 sitting on the banks of silver streams, playing on 
 instruments of music, the sounds from which 
 are wafted in bursts of inspiring harmony. 
 
 1^ 1 
 
 •'%., 
 
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4 THE OR£AT LOVEPEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 I Ueheld/says one, in the visions of the night, 
 the holy city, new Jerusalem. I saw many 
 people walking therein ; they seemed thoughtful, 
 yet cheerful, neither occupied with business nor 
 with gaiety ; but carrying about with them such 
 dignity of repose, such peace and purity, as 
 were never stamped on mortal's brow. /The 
 J^ght of the city was peculiar. It was not the 
 light of.the SU9, for there was no dazzle; or 
 the moon^ for all was as clear as noonday. It 
 was an atmosphere of light, calm, lovely, and 
 changeless. The buildings seemed like palaces, 
 but not the palaces of eafth. The pavement 
 thatjl walked upon was" bright like gold. The 
 inhabitants all appeared to be going one way.^ 
 At length I beheld them cross over to one build- 
 ing mor.e spacious and magnificent than the 
 others. I saw them ascend its massive steps, 
 which I approached out of curiosity ; but they 
 all disappeared within the porch. I saw them 
 cross the hall. It wals not marble, but light, 
 pure light consolidated into form; and within 
 was a staircase, all of light. J saw it touched 
 by the feet and the white robes of those who 
 ascended it. While I stood wrapt in glorious 
 amazement, one of the elders came and took me 
 by the hand, and led me into the. hall, and I 
 
 .:^'^ 
 
 ^ 
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 f >,- 
 
 ^^ 
 
. 
 
 THE OBEAT . L0VEPEA8T IN HEAYEK. 5 
 
 moanted the bright staircase by the side of my 
 happy guide, and he led me into a splendid 
 temple. It seemed to be built of the finest 
 alabasterj with columns of crystal, lofty, clear, 
 and substantial, and richly decorated with carved 
 work. The interior was arranged as a grand- 
 amphitheatre, and was lighted up wjth a soft 
 radiance. Banks of mighty ajigels stood in the 
 midst of it, who, with" harps and other instru- 
 ments of music, ascribed praise to God the 
 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 
 
 After they had done singing, Adam rose. His 
 voice was not loud, but so^lear and musical 
 that it could be heard by the whole assembly. 
 He said, "Dearly beloved children, as I look 
 around, upon this vast concourse of people, 
 gathered out of all nations, kmdred, people, and 
 tongues, my joy is indescribable. Once we were 
 the children of wrathj but now we are the child- 
 ren of God, and partakers of His glory. You 
 cannot conceive how grieved I WAS when through 
 my disobedience I subjected you all to death, 
 but, oh ! my soul was filled with rapture when a 
 Deliverer was given, who became the propitiation 
 for our sins, that we might receive the adoption 
 of sons. To Him who hath redeemed us to God 
 Mviih His blood, we would ascribe the praise." 
 
 t5. 
 
6 
 
 THE OEKAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 When he had sppken, there arose a multiiiide 
 ®f harpers, who sung with the most perfect har- 
 mony the song of Moses and the Lamb. 
 
 After this Abel rose and said : ** There was 
 a time when no human being stood before this 
 throne; seraphs waved their wings of fire, and 
 cherubs hbvcred in the depths of infinity. When 
 r arrived I found ^no companion, none who had 
 wept, none who had suffered, none who had 
 ^ed. I was a stranger from a strange world. 
 Here I stood a solitary redeemed spirit, pouring 
 out my sweet but lonely song unto Him that 
 loved me and washed me from my sins in His 
 own blood. Though I was the first to taste the 
 bitter fruits of sin, I was more than recompensed 
 for all I suffered when I entered this state of 
 felicity. I thought what a world is this ! Here 
 X am in the arms of my Saviour, and in the 
 presence of my Go^ I Happy change! What 
 is paradise when compared to this glorious 
 woirld?"' He paused, and they^ all lyith a loud 
 ^oice crie4 "Amen, glory and honour and bless- 
 ing to Him who sits upon the throne, and the 
 Lamb for ever.'* 
 
 After this Enoch rose and remarked : "It is 
 my unspeakable happiness to relate to you 'an 
 event of an extraordinary nature. All of you ■ 
 
 u 
 
 I 
 
. 
 
 I 
 
 / THE CHUSAT L0TEFEA8T IN. HEAVEN. 7 
 
 €xcept Elijah know what it is to die, but I was 
 translated to theae heavenly manBions without 
 seeibg death. While on earth it was my daily 
 privilege to walk with God,--——- - — - 
 
 «< One day, when alone, meditating upon the 
 goodness of God and the joys of my celestial 
 home, a chariot and hordes of fire came sweep- 
 ing through the heavehs as on the wings of a 
 whu"lwind, and I was caught up in the bumii^ 
 vehicle by an invisible hand, and away went 
 chariot and steeds,- like * an ascending glory,' 
 np the hills of eternity, and we never stopped 
 for a moment all" tlie way from the earth to the 
 gates of the new Jerusalem. I had no time to 
 bid adieu to my friends and relatives, but im- 
 mediately entered upon this state of unutterable 
 joy. In this respect I am more favoured than 
 you, but I know you will consider it as an occa- 
 sion for a song of more exalted praise." To which 
 the whole assembly responded, 'VAmenl Halle^ 
 lujah ! How real and marvellous are thy works, 
 O Lord God Almighty! How just and true 
 are thy ways, King of saints I " After Enoch 
 had .resumed his seat, Noah arose and said :— ^ 
 - «< My dear brethren, you will remember I lived 
 on the earth when the fierce anger of the I^ord 
 was kindled against the s ons of men . I was a 
 
8 
 
 TH^ OBEAT LOVEFEAST IN QEAVIN. 
 
 preacher of rigiiteonBness to a scoffing and sin- 
 ful generation, and I faithfully warned them of 
 approaching judgments, hut they regarded me i^t 
 ' until the floods came and swept them away. I 
 and my fainily were saved in the ark. I heheld 
 the clouds roll up the sky in lurid grandeur, the 
 rain descend, and the scoiSfers perched like Vol- 
 tares upon the rocks ; and chased from hill to 
 hill by the roaring surge. I heard, high above 
 the storm blast, the wail of the dying and the 
 cry of the suppliant, ' Open unto us !' but I could 
 grant no admission. Surely, I thought, if the 
 world is ever peopled again, the history of this* 
 awful event will deter men from sin, and cause 
 them to stand in awe of the great Creator; but, 
 alas ! how soon after the deluge did man become 
 corrupt, and the knowledge and- worship of God 
 almost disappeared. After I had served my 
 generation. He brought me to this glorious 
 temple that I might worship Him for ever." 
 
 As soon as Noah sat down, Abraham rose and 
 said: "The Lord called me from the land of 
 Haran, from my kindred and my father's house, 
 and made a covenant with me, saying, * In thy 
 seed ail the nations of the earth shall be blessed.' 
 He promised me the;[land of Canaan for an in- 
 heritance, and told me to arise and take posi^es- 
 
 I 
 
 ' 
 
 
 f 
 
 .«'^" 
 
 
i 
 
 ' 
 
 
 THE OREAT L0VEFEA8T IK HEAVEN. J) 
 
 sioa. I obeyed though I knew not whither I 
 was going, yet I. committed myself to the Lord, 
 and confided in Him to guide me. In my jour- 
 ney I had many enemies to encounter^ but the 
 Lord was my shield of defence. He compassed 
 me with His mercy, and renewed His promises 
 for my encouragement. I remember the time 
 when the angel of the Lord told me that Sarah 
 shduld have a son. My wife, not consi4ering 
 the divine power, laughed ; but I ETtaggered not 
 at the promise ; for I knew that nothing was im- 
 possible with God. At length the promise was 
 fulfilled, Sarah brought forth a son, and we 
 called him Isaaie. He was the ni^expected ofl- 
 spring of .our old age and the joy of our hearts ; 
 but no sooner did I begin to walk by sight than 
 the Lord was pleased to try my faith to the 
 utmost. The word of the Lord came untd me, 
 saying, 'Abraham, take now thy son, thine 
 
 only son Isaae, whom thou lovest, and get thee 
 
 ■■ i ■ 
 
 into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for 
 
 a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of 
 
 which I will tell thee.' Reasonings arose in my 
 
 mind, but faith silenced them all. Faith said, 
 
 * Well, if this is the child of promise, and the 
 
 Lord requires his death, the promise shall be 
 
 fulfilled, for He can raise him from the dead, or 
 
 i 
 
 <f S" 
 
 
10 
 
 THE onEAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 giyo mo another Isaac who shall be father of 
 many nations. I will, therefore, resign him into 
 
 . the hands of God, who will not suflfer His faith- 
 fulness to fail.' So I took the lad tb the moun- 
 tain, and nnado everything ready to execute the 
 command of the Most High ; when, to my great 
 Burprise* my hand, as it was being raised to shed 
 the blood of my beloved son, was arrested^y a 
 \j>ice from heaven, saying, * Lay not thine 
 upon the ladj neither do thou anything unto hii 
 
 /I assure you, my heart leaped fof»joy when njy 
 Isaac's life was unexpectedly spared, and the pro- 
 mise again renewed to mo and my seed. No doubt 
 you have often read this memorable incident in 
 iny history, and it has been an incentive to you 
 to trust in God for the performance of His pro- 
 mises. Moreover I had other temptations beside 
 this. When I went into the land of Canaan I 
 „ found it inhabited by a people who were enemies 
 to God, and they counted me as an alien, for 
 they knew not that God had made me heir to all 
 the land. Well, I lived among them as in a 
 strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with 
 ,c and Jacob, the heirs with me of the same, 
 omise. I did this by faith, which is t\^ evidence 
 tKiTigfl not seen ; I looked for a city which had 
 
 Is^ 
 
 
 M 
 
 foundations. This was the victory, that enabled 
 
 .V ■■■■• -; -^V; .':. 
 
THE OREAT L0VBFEA8T IN HEAVEN. 
 
 11 
 
 I 
 
 mo to overcome the world, even my faith which 
 fixed its eye on the things which are eternal." 
 
 After Abraham had resumed his seat, a ven' 
 erablo patriarch rose and said : ** I am Jacob, 
 who dwelt in the land of Canaan, and had twelve 
 sons, who were fathers of tho twelve tribes of 
 Israel ; two of these Were the idols of my heart, 
 but Joseph was the chief object of my affection. 
 This excited the hatred of my other children, 
 ^d they conspired to take away his life, and 
 vfej about to perpetrate the horrid deed, but 
 the Lord preserved him. He put it into their 
 hearts to sell him to a band of Ishmaelites, who 
 carried him into Egypt. They led me to sup- 
 pose that a wild beast had devoured him. I 
 received their account, and mourned for Joseph 
 as though he were ^ead. A little while after 
 there arose a famine i^ the land of Canaan, and 
 we could get no bread. Hearing that there was 
 corn in Egypt, I sent my sons down thither to 
 buy for us. On their arrival they were directed 
 to the governor; who spake roughly to them, and 
 inquired about their father and family, and 
 ^accused them of being spies. He asked them 
 if they had not another brother. This was 
 Benjamin, my yo nngftst chil d, whom I kept at 
 
 home lest he should come to the same end as I 
 
 ■-.1. 
 
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12 
 
 I 
 
 THK ORIAT LOVEFBAST IN BKAVtN* 
 
 •VV *'.- 
 
 Hupposed Joseph had. Thoy told him they had 
 another brother. With the aasumption of prov* 
 ing whether they were tnjo men, the lord of the 
 land insisted on seeing their other brother, and 
 to accomplish this he detained Simeon and de- 
 Hpatched tho rest, saying: ' Yoa shall see my 
 face no more unless you bring your other brother.' 
 They came and told mo what he had said, ajg^d it 
 filled my heftvt with sorrow. I exclfj|Hkd, 
 * Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, an^^n B^- 
 Jamin be taken away, it will bring my gray hairs 
 with sorrow to tho grave.' Little did I think 
 what Providence had done for me I But, as the 
 famine was ^ore in the land« and being in want 
 of provisionlg^ was prevailed upon to part with 
 my beloved Benjamin. They again visited Egypt 
 and stood before the governor, and he inqHj|[^ed 
 if thciV' father was still olive^ and if this (point- 
 ing to BenijaQiin) was their other brother ; and 
 thiey told. him|j^^ father still lived, and this 
 
 jamio, *Now,' said ho, 
 , an^ not spies.' 
 and/j^y dte and 
 BenjaJaoSM -was treated 
 with the greatest distinction*. They were again 
 loaded tyith corn, and straightway took their de - 
 
 was their bro 
 * I know that 
 And so he made 
 drank in his presi 
 
 parture, when unexpectedly a messenger from the 
 
 ,.,_■■ J 
 
 
 
 
TRK 01 
 
 ■■jfl iffi^j^lWR' IN HEAVEN. 18 
 
 lord olthoJi|||^ ofoll|^ thorn, nnd charged them 
 withhivKiiipiKlon t^p governor's cup. Tboy all 
 dMtUd the chBrget*ii*t^iiowing that the governor 
 h|d ordered it to bo put in Boivjamin'H sack. 
 Ho told them, that ho should search their sackti, 
 nnd thal^ iKo man in whoso sack it was found 
 should be detained a prisoner. In searching, 
 the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. They 
 returned, trembling before the governor. Judah 
 stopped forward to plead for, Benjamin, and 
 oflered to remain in his place, but for Benjamin 
 to stay he could not consent. He said, ' Ben^ 
 jnmin is the chief joy of my poor father's h^art, 
 and if ho return not, my father will die.' With 
 this the govemor was greatly affected. He 
 could no longer refrain, and bursting into tears, 
 exclium«A, jUl^am Joseph, your brotber, 
 om y^Wd into Egypt.' He then kissed them 
 all, and fell on Benjamin's neck, and wept aloud. 
 What a crowd *of pleasing, yet bitter associations 
 were brought to their minds ! ' Now,' he con- 
 tinued, * be not grieved, nor angry with your- 
 selves, that ye sold me, for God sent me before 
 you to preserve life. It was not you that tent 
 me, but God, who has made me ruler over all 
 th e land of Egypt ; th e r o for o now mal^e haste 
 
 =»#fef- 
 
 i 
 
 and go to my father, and tell him of all my glory 
 
14 THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 in Egypt, and bring him hither, for I will give 
 you the good of the land.' When they returned, 
 they /called me asi^e, and said, « Father, what do 
 you think ? ' * Think ! why I wondered that 
 you stayed so long. I have been sorely grieved 
 about you, fearing some evil had come upon you, 
 and that Benjamin was l^^*' ^^^ ™y ^^^ Joseph.' . 
 
 * Well, but father, we have brought you an order 
 from the governor to go down into Egypt,' 
 
 * How can I go ? ' * Well, but, father, you must 
 go and see Joseph, for he is yet alive, and sits 
 upon the throne of Pharaoh, and is governor of 
 all the land. Lift up your eyes, aiid see yonder 
 the waggons are coming for you. It is not an 
 idle t^le, Joseph has sent them, and you must go 
 down and see him.' My joy was inexpressibie, 
 I eijed, * It is enough. Lord ; I will go down and 
 see my son before I die/ So I went down into 
 Egypt. But, oh! how astonished I w^s to see 
 the glory of my son. How I chided myself that 
 I should ever have said, * All these things are ' 
 against me!' Blessed be our God. 'Though 
 clouds and darkness are round about Him, yet 
 righteousness and judgment are thehatijfttion of 
 His throne, yea, mercy and truth go biBfoiaJt flis 
 
 tface. How unsearchable are His judgments, 
 and His ways past finding out ! ' ". 
 
. THE GREAT LOVEFEJ^T IN HEAVEN. 15 
 
 After this I beheld ajtother person rise from 
 the midst , of the enraptured throng. He said : 
 ♦*I was born in the iand.;^ of Egypt, when the 
 p(Osterity of Israel was in the most oppressed 
 and afflicted state ; for there arose another king, 
 who was an enemy ifi the children of Israel, 
 and" fearing they should become powerful, he 
 ordered the midwives to destroy all the male 
 children >as soon as they were born. At that 
 time my mother brought me forth, and seeing I 
 was a proper child, she sought to preserve my/ 
 life. She made an ark of bulrushes, andiajfl me 
 in it, by the river-side, and appointed my young- 
 est sister to watch over me. The Lord caused 
 the king's daughter to pass that way, and perv 
 ceiving the ark of bulrushes, she sent her maid 
 to fetch it; and when she opened it she said, 
 «It is one of the Hebrew children, brought here, 
 doubtless, to escape the decree of my father.* 
 As soon as she saw me she was moved to com- 
 passion, and said, * Poor child ! I wish 1 could 
 contrive some method secretly to rear thee.' 
 My sister standing close by, and l^earing whai 
 she said, ran to her and asked her if she should 
 call one of tfie Hebrew women to take care cf 
 me, fuid she said, ' Go.' So she ran and toll 
 my motlier, and brought her back with her, an* 
 
16 THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEA|pN. 
 
 the princess said unto her, « Take this child, 
 and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy 
 wages.' My mother consented, and I was hy 
 order of Pharaoh's daughter preserved. As I 
 grew tip I was taken to court, and heheld all the 
 glory of the king's house, an^, was offered the 
 possession of it all; but hy faith I looked on 
 those things with contempt, esteeming the re- 
 proach of Christ greater riches than the treasures 
 of Egypt : for 1 had respect to the recbmpence 
 of reward ; being persuaded that it infinitely 
 exceeded all which the earth could affordi 
 What was Egypt to this inheritance — the throne 
 of Pharaoh to this which I now occupy ? What 
 is a corruptible crown, jewelled with gems the 
 most precious, when compared to this incorrup- 
 tible diadem ? Are the pleasures of sin to be 
 compared with this feUcity ?" " Oh, no ! " re- 
 sponded the congregfttiftn. " Blessed be the God 
 of all our mercies, who raised our affections 
 to things above, and hast brought us into the 
 possession of them." "After I had forsaken 
 the world," he resumed, «* and cast in my lot 
 with the people of God, He appointed me to be 
 the instrument of aieliverance to His oppressed 
 people, and their conductor through the wilder- 
 nessto Canaan. — It was with great, diffidence I 
 
 1 
 
 Si 
 
 1 
 t 
 
•f 
 
 THE GREAT LOYEFEABT IN HEAVEN. 
 
 17 
 
 1 
 
 entered on my mission, but the promise of 
 divine assistance supported mo. In conse- 
 quence of many dreadful plagues brought on 
 the land of Egypt, Pharaoh consented to let the 
 people go^^ljrimt still the tyrant could not rest. 
 He ro^g|.>lin||^ant from his throne, and with a 
 mightif^|||»tlt'ollowed us to the Red Sea, intend- 
 ing to carry us back again into slavery. We 
 , were compassed about on every side, and saw no 
 "Way of escape, but the. Lord piling up on heaps 
 the waves of the sea, opened a highway through 
 the deep for His people. The king and his 
 host still pursued -us, sayihg, 'I will pursue, I 
 will overtjake, and I will utterly destroy them; ' 
 but He that sitteth on the circle of the heavens 
 had them in derision. He brought a strong east 
 wind and united the* divided sea, and they were 
 overwhelmed in the roaring surges. We stood 
 on the shore, and saw their bodies, clad in thQ 
 garb of battle, cast upon the beach, and we 
 sung the song of deliverance. While our hearts 
 were affected with the goodness of God, He 
 appeared to us in Mount Sinai, and gave us a 
 law, saying, * I am the Lord your God, who 
 brought you out of the land of Egypt, and out' 
 of the house of bondage. Thou shalthave none 
 ofher gods but me.' We listened to %i8 voice 
 
18 
 
 THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 V 
 
 and said, ' All that the Lord commands we will 
 do.' But ah! how soon 'did we forget our obli- 
 ' Ifation and our promise, and murmured against 
 Hfm; yet inall our wanderings in the wilder- 
 ness the Lord in a miraculous manner protected 
 us. By day He werit before us in a cloud like 
 linto a pillar, aM when night jcame on the cloud 
 was transformed into a column of fire. He also 
 miracurously supplied us with provisions. He 
 sent us bread from heaven, and caused it to fall 
 round our tents; yet the people murmured, 
 saying, * Cannot he give us flesh to eat ? " The 
 liord was indignant at their conduct, aad His 
 wrath worked furiously against them. I made 
 their case known unto Him, and He sent them 
 quails to isat ; but it^was in judgment, for while 
 the meat was in their mouths, the wrath of God 
 came upon them and slew the fattest of them, 
 even the chosen men of Israel; but notwith- 
 standing all that He did before our eyes, in the 
 way of mercy and judgment, the people were 
 still disobedient and impatient. They com- 
 plained at Meribah of the wiant pf water, and 
 behqld the Lord brought fortli water out .of 
 the rock, and the streams thereof followed them 
 through all the windings of the wilderness. 
 Such striking proofs did He give of His pow e r 
 
 ■■■I. 
 
 f^ 
 
THE GREAT LOVEPEAST IN HEAtilN. 
 
 19 
 
 and mercy, yet they believed not for all His 
 wondrons works. He then swore in His wrath 
 that they should not enter into the promised 
 land, and He slew them as an example to all 
 succeeding generations, that they might take 
 heed of a heart of unbelief. Such was the 
 character of the people I had to lead through 
 the wilderness — a people who tried me to the 
 utmost, and provoked mo to speak unadvisedly 
 with my Ups, for which the Lord was angry, and 
 forbade my entrance into the land of Canaan. 
 The days of my pilgrimage were cut short, and 
 I was summoned to the top of Pisgah, where 1 
 had a most enchanting view of the land of pro- 
 mise, and died on the summit of that bleak 
 mountain. There I exchanged mortality for im- 
 mortaUty ; ascended to these heavenly hills, and 
 cheerfully resigned the earthly Canaan for a better 
 and more enduring substance. To Him that sittetii 
 upon the throne I would ascribe the glory.". 
 
 After Moses sat down there was a brief, si- 
 lence, each saint being filled with holy admiration 
 of the ways of Providence and the methods of 
 grace. Then there arose a person with a more 
 than ordinary appearance.. He came from the 
 land of Uz, and was a most eminent man in his 
 day, BO that th e r e was non e lik e him in all the 
 
20 
 
 THE OBEAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 
 =^ 
 
 eani^. tAddressing the assembly, he said : " I 
 am Job. Afflictions were my lot while on earth, 
 but the days of my mourning are ended. Once 
 I cursed the day of my birth, but now I bless 
 God that I had a being. Many and grievous 
 were my trials, but I bore them with patience, 
 till through ihe false accusations of those who 
 should have been my friends, my soul was grieved 
 to the utmost; and my resentment kindled. The 
 total bereavement of my children, and the loss 
 of all my substance, with heavy affliction Of 
 body, Overwhelmed my spirits^ My friends, 
 hearing of my condition,- came to comfort me ; 
 but miserable comforters were they. When they 
 saw my heavy afflictions, they concluded they 
 had CQiQ^ upon me as a judgment from God for 
 my sins, and they heaped upon me reproaches, 
 and added affliction upon the afflicted, npt know- 
 ing that I ^as delivered for a time into the hands 
 of Satan, to prove my sincerity towards God, 
 and to silence and to put to shame the false 
 a<;^user of the brethren, as well as to sh6w to all 
 that come after me thei blessedness of the man 
 that endureth temptation. And now I ask ypu if 
 the history of my trials were not of use to you .on 
 your pilgriBoage ?;' To' which the assembly re- 
 sponded, "Yes, brother; the account we read of 
 
 >i 
 
 Vr 
 
 _,i-: X--!i-_:;,- f: 
 
THB OBEAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 21 
 
 M 
 
 Vr 
 
 thee excited pity towards thee, and indignation 
 at thy miserable comforters. It made us more 
 acquainted -with the malice of Satan, and the 
 mysterious ways of Providence, and we saw 
 the tender mercy of our God ; for after the Lord 
 had pisrmitted thy faith and patience to be tried, 
 Ho made thy latter end greater than thy begin- 
 ing ; BO that we were encouraged to exercise 
 patience under all our trials, and to live m hope." 
 «' Then," sai^ Job, " let us adore ths Lord who 
 bringeth good out of evil, and maketh the alMic- 
 tions of his people subservient to His own glory." 
 The heavenly multitude then rose and sang :— 
 
 Great God of providonce, Thy ways 
 " Ave hid from mortal sipcht, 
 • Wrapt in impenetrable shade, " 
 
 Or clothed with dazzling light ; ' 
 
 ° But in this world of love, 
 
 Where we now live and reign, . \^ 
 
 These mysteries are all removed : ; 
 
 Nor does a doubt remiwn. 
 
 The Sun of Righteousness does here 
 
 His brightest beams display, 
 Nor shall a hovering cloud obscure 
 
 This never-ending daj. 
 
 After this David, the poet-ting of Israel, took 
 up his harp, and sang most melodiously the 
 followmg psalm: "i will bless the Lord at all 
 times; His praise shall continuaHi' be in my 
 
22 
 
 THE aREAT LOVEFEASt IN HEAVEN. 
 
 mouth. Gome, mtignify the Lord with me, and 
 lou U8 exalt His name together. We will not 
 forgot His benefits, for Ho hath forgiven all our 
 iniquities, and healed all our diseases; He hath 
 followed us with mercy and goodness all the 
 days of our lives ; in the valley and the shadow 
 of death He was with us, and now He hath 
 brought us to his heavenly kingdom, and we 
 shall dwell in His house for ever." Then laying 
 aside his harp, he said, " I found human life a 
 chequered scene. A^ times I was strong in faith ; 
 at other times depressed with fear, crjring, * O 
 Lord, deliver my soul !' at other times, on the 
 Mount of Assurance, singing the Song of Salva- 
 tion, 'Blessed bo Thotf, Ood of I^ael, for 
 bringing Thy unworthy servant to these realms 
 of peace.'" 
 
 V After this Elijah the Tish^pf arose^\and said: 
 ** I was called to the prophetic office at a most 
 critical epoch of the Jewish Church. The King 
 of Israel and the people had forsaken the only 
 true and the living God, and had gone after BaaK 
 The Lord sentt me to warn Ahab. I confronted 
 the haughty monarch, and thundered in his 6'ar 
 this terrible malediction': ' As the Lord God of 
 Israel liveth, there ^shall not be dew nor rain 
 
THB OBEAT LOVEFEABT IN HEAVKN. 
 
 23 
 
 A 
 
 curse was ringing througli the royal apartments^ 
 I turned and departed. And the word of the 
 Lord came unto me, saying, ♦Get thee hence, 
 and turn thee eastward, ajid hide thyself by the 
 brook Cherith, that is before Jordan." I fled 
 in haste from the infuriated monarch, whose 
 wrath was kindled against me. So I went and 
 dwelt by the brook Cherith. In that untrodden 
 wilderness I lay down to rest, with no earthly 
 companions except the wild beasts,® who looked 
 on me with dread, while the ravens brought me 
 food. And the word of the Lord came unto me, 
 saying, * Aiise,.get thee to Zarephath, which be- 
 longeth to Zidon, and dwell there : behold I have 
 commanded a widow woman there to sustain 
 thee.' So I arose and went to Z4rephath. And 
 when I came to the gate of the/ city, behold the 
 widow was there, gathering stpks : and I called 
 to her, and said, ' Fetch me, Ppray thee, a little 
 wat6* in a vessel, that 1 may drink.'. And as 
 she was going to fetch it I called to her, and 
 said, * Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread 
 in thine hand.' And she said, * As the Lord thy 
 Ood livetb, I have not a cake, but a handful of 
 meal m a barrel,Jand a little oil in a cruse : and, 
 behold, I am gath'ering two sticks, that I may go 
 in and dress it for me aiad my son, that we may 
 
I, 
 
 2i THE OBEAT LOVEFKAST/^IN HEATBN. 
 
 eat it and die.* And I said unto her, < Foar not : 
 
 go and do as thoa Itast said, but make me 
 
 thereof a little cake first, and bring it uAto me ; 
 
 jind after make for thee and thy son. For thus 
 
 saith the Lord God of Israel, ' The barrel of 
 
 meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil 
 
 I'ail, until the day the Lord sendeth rain upon 
 
 the earth.' And she went and did as I told her, 
 
 and we did cat many days, for the barrel of 
 
 , meal wasted not, Neither did the cruse of oil 
 
 fail, a&o<|^ding to the word of the Lord. And 
 
 y 'it came tbsj)a88, after these things, that the 
 
 widow's son^was taken sick, and he died; and 
 
 the Womari came unto me, and said, ' What have 
 
 I done unto thee, thou man of God f Art thou 
 
 .• come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, 
 
 i and to slay my son?' And I said unto her, 
 
 'Give me thy son.' And I took him out of her 
 
 bosom, and carried him into the ch<unbor, and 
 
 laid him upon his own bed. Aj;id I criel unto 
 
 the Lord, ancl said, * Lord my'God, hast thou 
 
 also brought evil upon the widow witfi^hom I 
 
 I sojourn, by slaying her son ? ' AndU stretched 
 
 1 myself upon the chiH three times, aBra-Tj^jed un^ 
 
 to the Lord, and said, ' Lord my God, I^ray 
 
 thee let this child's soul come unto him again.' 
 
 ^ 
 
 \ 
 
 And the Lord heard my voice, and the child 
 
 ■ ■ "-i;fliE]^'-^'J!^ , ■. 
 

 ^ 
 
 \ 
 
 f: 
 
 THE GREAT L0\'1CFEABT IN HEAVEN. 25 
 
 bteatliod, and I delivered him to his mother, 
 paying, ' See, thy 8on liveth ; ' and the woman 
 
 vgald nnto me, * Now by this I know that thou 
 
 4^a pian of God, and that the word of the 
 
 "i^^d in thy mouth ig truth.' 
 
 '''And it came to pass, after many days, that 
 the w'ord of the Lord came unto mo in the third 
 year, saying, 'Go, show tbyielf unto Ahab, and 
 I will send rain tipon tho earth.' And I went / 
 and showed myself unto Ahab ; and there was 
 sore famine in thei laud. And Ahab called 
 Obadiah, the governor of his house, and said 
 unto him, 'Go into tho land, unto air fountains 
 of water, and unto all brooks : peradventure wo 
 may find grass to save the horses and mules 
 alive, that we may not lose the beasts.' So they 
 divided the land ^between them to pass through- 
 out it. Ahab went one way by himself, and 
 Obadiah went another way by himself. And as 
 Obadiah was in pie way, I met him, and ho 
 fell on his fuce, and said : ' Art thou my lord 
 Elijah ? ' And I said unto him, * I am ; go tell 
 thy lord, behold, Elijah is here.' So Obadiah 
 went to meet Ahab, and told him ; and Ahab 
 came to meet me. And it came to pass when 
 he saw me he said, ' Art thou ho that troubleth 
 
 Israel ?' And I answered, * I have not troubled 
 
26 THE OBXAT LUVKfKAST IN UEAVKN. 
 
 Israel ; bat thou, and thy father's houso, in that 
 yo havo forsaken the commandiueutd of the 
 liord, ttod littst foUowod Baulini. Now, thera-— 
 fore, send and gather mo ull Israel unto Mount 
 Carmel, and the prophets of Bual four hun- 
 dred and fift^, and the prophets of the groves 
 foiu: hundred, which sat at Jezebel's table.' Ho 
 Ahab assembled the people on the top of jCar- 
 meL There I stood, the solo representative of 
 God's truth, in the midst of a rebellious people 
 and their unhallowed priesthood. Behind us 
 were the beautiful plains of Palestine, and far 
 away fringing the horizon were the snow-capped 
 heights of Lebanon. Below u^ heaved the blue 
 Mediterranean, whose restless waters disappeared 
 in the distance, while the deejp solemn murmur 
 of the sea rose high above the ^hum of the multi- 
 tude. Ithen addr^SEK^ the people as follows : 
 ♦ How long halt ye between two opinions ? if 
 the Lord be God, follow Him, but if Baal, -then 
 follow him.' I paused ai^djetood for p. few mo- 
 ments, gazing on.the thousands before me. I 
 then made the following proposal, which should 
 for ever settle who was the true God. I said, *I 
 am the only prophet of the Lord left, while here 
 are four hundred and fifty of Baal: let them now 
 
 take two bollocks, and cut one in pieces, and lay 
 
 t 
 
 \c 
 
 .■' ': ' - 
 
•*-f, ■■•--^■..■^t^-- 
 
 ■ \*. 
 
 THE GREAT LOVBFEABT IH HEAVEN. 27 
 
 it on wood, without firo ; and I will droga the 
 other bullock, and lay it on wood and put no 
 firo undorj'^VnSsthft]^ shall call on their god, 
 and I will call on tho Lord, and that Ood that 
 answereth by firo lot him bo God.' ' It is well 
 spoken,' murmured/ the multitude. Tho pro- 
 phets of Baal cut /tlieir bullock in pieces, and 
 laid it on tho Wood 'under tho open gky ; and 
 began to pray. All was silent expectation and : 
 breathless anxiety, as tho strange scene com- 
 menced. Tho sun had just risen over tho Holy 
 Land, flooding Mount Cahnol with his golden 
 beams, as the prophets of Baal knelt around tho 
 altar,- and began their supplications. At first, 
 with deep solomnity and fervencj", as became 
 the dignity of the^occasion,^they besought Baal, 
 for his honour, and for tho sake of his followers, 
 to hear them, and send down fire, and for ever 
 silence the tongue of this hostile prophet, mean- 
 Mng me. But no fire came. Thus they prayed 
 ; till noon, while the people looked on. At length 
 frenzy took the place of supplication, and it was 
 one wild shout around the slain bullock. Till 
 now I had stood apart quietly surveying the 
 scene, but as the excited throng began their mad 
 
 outcr y and frantic gestures, crying, * B a al, 
 hear us t' I became impatient, and! heaped upon 
 
 'I 
 
 ■■Mrn-- 
 
 ■ I 
 u 
 
 ■ I 
 
•/-■■ 
 
 U: 
 
 28 
 
 THK GREAT LOVEFKAST.IN HEAVEN. 
 
 them a torrent of ecorQ. I told them to cry 
 louder, as their god might be busy talking, and 
 could not attend to them immediately^ or he 
 might be -pursuing a foe, or perhaps on a jour- 
 ney , or asleep. These taunts only increased 
 their frenzy, and they leaped irpbn the' altar, 
 flinging their arms aloft, crying out still more 
 frantically, *0 hear us.' They cut themselves 
 with knives and lancets, and shouted till Houiit 
 Carmel rung with their turbulent cries, and be- 
 came a scene ofjndescribable confusion, but still 
 the heavens were silent as ever : no voice answered 
 them; ho fire came down. At length the people 
 began to tire of this exciting and useless scene, 
 and the prophets theui^selves gave up in despair, 
 /rhen came my turn. The sun was stooping 
 towards the sea, and the time of the- evening 
 sacrifice approached. StaBflmg up, I called the 
 people to me ; ^aild, as'they clustered around 
 rae, I repaired the long-neglected altar of the 
 Lord, and placed upon it twelve stones for- the 
 twelve tribes of Israel, I then dug a trench 
 rtround it, and having placed the wood on the 
 altar, and the bullock thereon, told the specta- 
 tors to pour four barrels of water over them; 
 they did so. *Do it a second time,' I said ; they 
 did it the second time, and the third time, till 
 
THE GREAT LOVBFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 29 
 
 ' 
 
 tlve trench was full to the brim, and the wood 
 and the sacrifiqe flooded. I then advanced 
 towards the altar, with uncovered head. I 
 knelt down, and prayed: 'Lord God of Abra- 
 hamV Isaac, and^Jabob, let it be known this 
 day that Thou art God in Israel, and I am Thy 
 servant, and that I have done all these things 
 at Thy word. Hear me, Lord, that this peo- 
 ple may know that Thou art the Lord God, and 
 that Thou hast turned their hearts back again.' 
 I ceased; and lo I from the cloudless sky fire 
 fell like lightning, and the bullock smoked 
 amid the water that flooded it, and a swift 
 ■vapour rose from the top of Carmel— and all was 
 oyer. There lay the ashes of the sacrifice, and 
 there the dry trenches. For ai moment the si; 
 lence of the grave hung over that solitary moun- 
 tain, ai? the astounded multitude hid -their faces 
 in the earth : but the next moment there arose a 
 murmur, swelling gradually louder and louder, 
 like the roaring of a sea-tempest, till, drowning 
 every other sound, it rolled gloriously t^ards 
 heaven. 'The Lord, He is God! Jehovah, He 
 is God ! ' 'Twas done, truth Had triumphed, 
 and Israel was saved. Many of you here re- 
 member that scene." "Yes," replied many 
 voices ;" we well remember it," : 
 
 
 • 
 
 
 f 
 
 • #. - 
 
 '■v':' ■■■-::: 
 
80 
 
 THE GREAT LOVEPEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 "I commanded the prophets of .Baal to be 
 slain. I bronght them down to the brook Ki- 
 shon, and slew them there. I then walked to 
 the top of Carmel, and there I cast myself down 
 upon the earth and prayed for rain ; and it came 
 to pass that the heavens were black with clouds, 
 and the rusliing sound of a storm filled, the air, 
 and the rain fell upon the fields of Israel. And 
 Ahab weq^t to Jezebel, and when he told her 
 what had happened to the prophets of Baal, her 
 indignation was kindled against me, and 'she 
 vowed tha,t she would take my life. So I aro^e, 
 and fled into the wilderness, and sat down under 
 a juniperMjee, and prayed for death. Weary 
 with my journey, 1 fell asleep ; when I was 
 awoke by the touch of an angel, who said unto 
 me, 'Arise and eat.' I looked, and behold there 
 was a^cake baking on the coals, and a cruse of 
 water at my head ; and I did eat and drink and 
 lay me down again. And the angel of the Lord 
 came again the second time, and touched me, 
 and said, ' Arise ftiid eat, because the journey is 
 too great for thee.V And I arose, and did eat 
 uid drink, and went in the strength of that meat 
 forty days and forty nights unto "^oreb, the 
 mount of God. I then entered into a cave, and 
 lodged there ; and, as I lay stribhed on the 
 
 i 
 
 
1 
 
 
 
 
 '6 
 
 
 ■'■ \ 
 
 
 to 
 
 m ■ 
 
 
 ■ ■■ . ' ■ ' 
 le 
 
 s, 
 
 
 ^' ■/■ ■ :' 
 
 
 THE GREAT L0VEFEA8T IN HEAVEN. 
 
 ai 
 
 gronnd, I listened to the heavy plunge of preci- - 
 pices in the gulf below, and the rending of rocks, 
 and groaning of the smitten mountain as it 
 swayed and staggered before the '.storm and the 
 earthquake. In the lull I heard the still small 
 voice of God passing before mo, and I arose andj 
 wrapped my face in my mantle, and ^yent out, 
 and stood in the entering in of the cave, and 
 there came a voice unto me, and said, *What 
 doest thou here, Elijah ? ' And I said, ♦ I have 
 been very jealous for the Xiord God of hosts ; 
 because the children of Israel have forsaken Jiiy 
 covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy, 
 prophets with the sword, and I, evep I, only am 
 left, and they seek my life to take it away.' 
 
 " And the Lord said unto me, * Go, return on 
 thy way to the wilderness of Damascus, and 
 when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king 
 over Syria ; and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt 
 thou anoint to be king over Israel ; and Elisha, 
 the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou 
 anoint to be prophet in thyjtpfljpa..' So I departed 
 and came unto the plains of Palestine, where I 
 found Elisha ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen, 
 and I passed by him and cast my mantle upon 
 him. And he left the oxen anA ran after me, and^ 
 said, 'Let me. I pray thee, kissmy father and 
 
32 THE GREAT LOVEFE/IST IN HEAV^t^t < 
 
 my mother, and then I will follow thee : ' and I 
 said unto him, * Ga back again, for what' have I 
 done to thee^? ' And lie returned, and toolc a 
 yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their 
 flesh, and gave unto ^he people, and they did cat. 
 jThen he arose 'p,nd followed me, ' 
 
 "Years rolled away ,^ and Ahab, forgetting tho 
 soverQ lessons he had received- fell again into 
 his old sinful habits. A certain man had a vine- 
 yard near his, pgilace, which^ Ahab W;ished to 
 purchase, but the owner would not sell the old 
 homestead, whefe his father lived, and where he 
 himsejf 4as born-. Enraged at the refusal- Jeze- 
 bel, the/queen, by a devilish plot, caused him to 
 be slain, and th^ king then took possession of the 
 property. As he was walking over the vineyard, 
 planning the alterations he wished to niake, I met 
 hito; and when he s\iw me, he exclaimed, 'Has^ 
 thou fqiind me, mine eneiny?' And I said 
 unto him, in slow measured accents, each word' 
 ■telling like the blow of a hammer, * I have found 
 thee out, because thou hast sold thyself to do evil. 
 Behold, where the dogs have licked up the blood 
 of Naboth they shall lick up thy blood ! Thy 
 posteri|y shaU perish like thee ; .him that dieth 
 in the city the dogs shall eat ; and hiin that dieth - 
 
 the field the bi r ds of the air shall eat: thy. 
 
 ^tt 
 
 'A 
 
 
 I 
 
 ■'i 
 
 ,( 
 
 y. 
 
 / -. 
 
THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 83 
 
 wife, too, shall be thrown a "mangleii corpse 
 over the wall of the city, and the dogs shall 
 devour herl' • And it camo, to pass, when Ahab 
 heard these words he'^^ rent his clothes, and fasted, 
 and lay in sackcloth. And the word of the tiprd 
 came unto me, saying, * Seest thou how Ahab 
 humbleth himself before Me ? because he hum- 
 bleth himself before Me, I will not bring the evil 
 in his days, but in his son's days-will I bHng 
 the evil upon his house.* My eventful life, I knew', 
 was drawing rapidly to a close. I had became 
 deeply ' attached to Elisha; we hard .Wandered 
 together as friends and fugitives over the fields 
 and through the forests of Israel; but still I felt 
 as if I taust go^ jiJon^to- the place where God 
 should n/e^ttniir* Sd*I wished Elisha to tarry 
 behind while I went to Bethel ; bufc^ having a knpw- 
 ledge of my departure from the world, he wotild 
 notlesive me. So we came to Bethel, thence to 
 JericBo. . We then went on to the river Jordan. 
 For a moment We stood on the bank, gazing on 
 the swift rushing waters ; then, folding, my man* 
 tie, I' smote the water in the liame of the Lord, 
 and the rapi^ current roU^ ^f in heaps, and left 
 a dry path for us. We then jpassed onward into 
 th6 open plain.^ Pausing for a few moments, I 
 
 irimfld to Eliahft, and said nfito ^m, ' lam now 
 
/ 
 
 84 
 
 TB[E ORBAT LOVEPEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 going to lehve thee ; what shall I do. to thee be- 
 fore I go ? ' * Let,' said he, * a double portion of 
 thy spirit fall npon me.' 'Well,' I replied, *if 
 tholi'Seest me when lam taken away, it shall Ijie 
 so.' While in conversation I heard a rnshing 
 sound in the air, ^nd, looking up, I beheld 
 an object like a falling star, bright and fearful, 
 cleaving the fields of space, and a chariot and 
 horses of fire drew up between me and Elisha. 
 I ascended to heaven in the chariot. The tran- ■ 
 sition was sudden,\yet glorious. As I drew 
 near to this heavenly hoine, new joys beamed 
 upon my soul. The romantic scenery of the 
 Holy Land, in the wild pomp of mountain ma- 
 jesty, sank into littleness and distance as I rode 
 upwards. I uttered no farewells to fields and 
 fountains, but, blissfully lost in heaven's, opening 
 glory, dissolved in the atmosphere of eternity, I 
 could not cast one reluctant look' on the scene 
 fronj, which I was snatcl^ed by everlasting love.'* 
 ', Elijah had no sobner resumed his seat than 
 
 jLi^ha rose, and ,remarked : ** llfistinctly do I 
 Remember many of the incidents jtlst related by 
 
 ly honoured brother. I was unexpectedly called 
 to the prophetic office. My dwellingrplace was, 
 on the plains of Palestine, which for beauty and 
 
 
 fertility wer6 famous among the adjacent nations. 
 
 
■ 
 
 ■ 
 
 :* 
 
 
 ■ :i 
 
 N- ■ "i 
 
 
 ir 
 
 'THE .OB£AT LOV£FEAST flM HEAYEN. ' 86 
 
 
 • On© day, while I was ploughing with tw|Lv.e 
 yoke of oxen, Elijah approached, and threwfids 
 mwQtle over me. I' immediately left the oxen 
 and the plough, and rah. after him, and asked' 
 permission to retjim and bid adieji to my rela- 
 tives. He granted my request, and I went back 
 and made a feast, and called together toy kins- 
 ' men ; and qi,fter we had eaten -and drank together I 
 departed, and' accompanied Elijah to'Gilgal, also 
 tt Bethel, thence to Jericho. There the sonaof 
 tlie prophets came out to meet us, and taking 
 me, aside .they said, * Enowest thou that the 
 Lord will take away thy master from thy head 
 this day ? ' and I answered, * I know it ; hold 
 your peace.' We then Wjent on to '^ordan^' and<- 
 
 THEClijah took his mantle; and smote the waters, 
 and they parted" hither and thither, ^nd we went, 
 over on dry land. And as we journeyed on our 
 way, Elijah said unto me, ' Aslf what I shall ^o 
 unto thee before i Be taken awAy from thee.*^^ 
 And t said, * I pray thee, let a double portion of 
 thy spirit be upon me.' And he said, * Thou ' 
 hasf asked a very hard thing ; nevertheless, ifv 
 thou see me when I am taken from thi^e, it shall 
 be so unto thee'; but if not, it sh^ll not be so.' 
 It came to pass, as we went on our wav, a sound. 
 
 pass. 
 
 like that of a whirlwind j was heard, and, looking <; 
 
80 
 
 THE GREAT liOVEPEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 •:-J" 
 
 up, I beheld a chariot ai^ stee^fi, of fire ; and, as 
 Elijah was being caught up by an invisible hand 
 into the flaming^ehicfo, I cri,^d, 'My fajiheri 
 my father I the chariot of Israel, and the 
 horsemciT thereof! ' As I stood gazing on the 
 ascending chariot I saw a dark object descend- 
 ing through the air : it was Elijah's .mantle, I 
 
 , took • up the maptle, and went, back, and stood 
 
 ^ upon the banks of the Jordan. I then divided 
 the waters in the name of the Lord, and passed 
 oyer. Alone I travelled to Jericho, reflecting on 
 the glorious scene I had just beheld. When the 
 
 , sons of tlie prophets, who were at Jericho, saw: 
 
 • me with the mantle of -Elijah, they said, * The 
 
 Spu-it of the Lord doth rest tipon Elisha ; ' and 
 
 ; "they camo to meet me, and bowed themselves to 
 tth^ ground. While at Jericho, the men oi the 
 
 - city besought me to heal the waters in the 
 "wells, which were putri^ and pernicious, I tool^ 
 
 new cruse, and put salt therein, and cast the 
 
 .■■.■•• '" .* ■ " ■ ■ 
 
 salt into the water ; and it was healoid. I then 
 
 departed, and Went to Bethel,' and as I was 
 
 going up there earner forth children out of 
 
 city and mocked me ; .and my soul was filled w^h 
 
 holy indignation, and 1 turned hack and cliiied 
 
 them in the name of the Lord. Thedennmcia 
 
 ■,♦■■■ 
 

 i 
 
 
 THE <OREAT 
 
 tOvriFElalLJEN HEAVEK. 87 
 
 y 
 
 rushed out of the.ibre8t,ibtt upon tho children, 
 and tora.them in pieces. I then wont up to 
 Mount Carmel, and thenco to Samaria. • ^ 
 : . ** Not long after this the King of Israel de- 
 clared war against the King of Moab, and he 
 besought the Kings of Judah 'and Edoui ■ to go 
 .up with him to battle'if^and tboV went up by the 
 Avilderness of Edom. After,, they hifd fetched 
 .a "compass of seyei days' journey, there was 
 no water, neither for man nor beast, 
 
 "The King of Israel was alarmed, and Ijo at- 
 once made known his fears to the King of 
 Judah. Jehoshfephat sent for me. 1 went, and, , 
 after I had rebuked the King of Israel for his 
 idolatry., ^ I called, for a minstrel, and as he 
 played before me th6 '^ Spirit oC the Lord: came 
 upon me[ and prophesied, saying,- ' Thus sftith 
 
 « ■ ■ ■ 
 
 the Lord, make this valley full of ditches, for ye 
 «hall not gee rain ; ypt the valley shall be filled 
 -with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and 
 your cattle, a»d your beasts j and this is but a 
 light thing in the sight of the Lord ; He will de- ^ 
 ; J^fiver' the Moabites also into your hand. The 
 >•% allied a,rmy encamped for the .night. The kingg ^ 
 Mixed fo their tents, but sleep fled their eyelids. 
 Morning cfame, light stole upon the' clouds with 
 
 
 J 1 
 
 
 ..v.- . 
 
 
 m 
 
 
 '■iV, 
 
 
 -'A: 
 
 r 
 
 ::^-«^Yt:-; 
 
\ 
 
 88 
 
 THE OBEAT LOYBFEAST tN HEAVEN. 
 
 :■■■ - /; 
 
 and leaves of dolicato blosBoms, and 4)aintod 
 flowers, and everything thaibendoth to the dew, 
 and stirroth with the daylight, lifted uj> its 
 beauty to tho breath of that sweet mor|i. And 
 it came to pass while the meat-offering was being * 
 offered, a sound was heard like the rippling of ^ 
 waves, when, lo ! and behold, like an ocean tide, 
 water was seen .coming by the way of Edom, 
 and soon the valley was full of water. The 
 day was passed in praising God, and making 
 preparations for battle. Night came down again 
 upon the wilderness. When the Moabites rose 
 in the morning, and saw what appeared to them 
 to bo a pool of blood around the camp of their 
 enemies, they thought the kings had, surely slain 
 each other. Mt once the command was given to 
 advance and take the spoil. As *tho Moabites 
 drew near, the allied army, with, a shoiit that 
 rent the air, ^ fell upon tl>emajad smote them. 
 After the war was over .J went down to Gehazi, 
 and took up my abodq-with a Shunammite family* 
 As areward fortlieir kindness t6 me, the Lord , 
 ^ave them a tfoii' in thieir old age. Ajid it came 
 ; to pass Jihfit the. child died ; . an^the woman 
 ^entiii and laid him on my cqh^, and shut the 
 ddbr. And- jshe balled one'^ the young men to 
 
 .1 
 
 
 ^n- 
 
 saddle her the ass, -thax she might cbnsu|t me 
 
 / 
 
THE OBBAT LOVEfEABt IN BJCAVSN. 
 
 80 
 
 4, 
 
 ftbout her son. I and my servant had gono up 
 .to Mount Carmol, and as wo wore sitting on that 
 part of tho mountain which overlooked Shunam, 
 I saviT the woman coming towards mo, and I said 
 unto Gohazi, * Behold, yonder is that Shunam-, 
 mite; run and mei|t her, and inquire if all bo 
 well;' and the young man ran and mot her, and 
 ftsked if all was well, and she aflbwcred hi|ii in 
 the affirmative. Then she came unto n/o ^^ 
 told mo what ^had happened. I spid unto 
 Gehazi, ' Gird up thy Wins,- and take my staff in 
 thy hand, and go, thy way, and la^lt upon the 
 face of the child.' So ho departed, and I and 
 the Shunammite followed. Gehazi then went 
 unto the house, and passed tlie staff over tho 
 face of the dead child; but the child did not 
 awake. Disappomted, he came to meet me; and 
 ho said unto me gAd the woman, 'The child is 
 not , awaked.' On reachmg the house I saw tBo 
 child was dead. I went in and shut the door, 
 aiid prayed unto the Lord. I arose, and lay 
 upon flie child, and tho flesh of, the child waxed 
 warm. Again I stretched myself upon the child-, 
 ' and the child opened his eyes ; ^d I requested . 
 ^eltazi to call the Shunammite. Sohe called her; 
 and when she came in I said, * Take up thy 
 
 #- 
 
 r sou.' And she took up her son, and went out. 
 
 
 -41^ 
 
40 
 
 THE anCAT LOVEFBAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 ,'.) 
 
 I then departed and came unto Gilgal, and took 
 up my abode with the sons of the prophets; and 
 1 requested Geha^.i to put on the great pot, and 
 make pottage for the sons of the prophets. And 
 bneoftho younger men wont into the field to 
 gather herbs, and he found a wild vine, and ho 
 gathered thereof wild gourd*, and he came and 
 put them into the pot, for ho know not what 
 they were. And it came to pass, as they wcro 
 eating of the pottage they cried out, ' thou 
 man of God, there is death in the pot ! ' And 
 I requested them to bring meia portion of meal ; 
 and I cast it into the pot, an^ they did eat, and 
 no harm came unto them. lAud there came a 
 certain man from Baal-shalisljia, and brought mo 
 of tho firstfruits, twenty loa}ves of barley, and 
 full ears of corn in the husk; and I said, * Givo 
 unto the people that they maV eat.* And Gehazi 
 said, 'What, should I set thiJi43efore an hundrocU" 
 men ?' I comj[|^ded him [to give thp people, 
 that they might e^t; for thej Lord had told me 
 that they should eat and leiive thereo^L And it 
 came to pass according to the word of Jthe Lord. ' 
 
 "After this Naaman the leper came; unto ipe, 
 that he might be restored 6f his lepr^isy. The 
 
 pioud Syrian sat in his chaiiot, surrounded by a. 
 retinue of servants, expecting that I shduld go 
 
TIIK GREAT LOVEFEASt IN HEAVKK. 
 
 41 
 
 (s^. 
 
 out unto him, and rostoro hiin to health, with- • 
 out any effort on his part. But I told hiuj 
 to • Go, wash in Jordan sovon times.' Ho v/ai 
 indignant with his reception and tho remedy 
 proscribed, and, giving Gohazi a scowling glance, 
 be departed. As ho went on his way his ser- 
 ' vants ventured to reason with him. •'IVJy father,' 
 said they, * if tho prophet had bid thee do 
 some great thing, wouldst thou not have done 
 it? How much rather then when he saith to 
 thee, wash and bo clean.' And he went ^pi^ 
 and dipped in Jordwi seveii times, m^ wa» 
 healed. 
 
 ♦♦Tiio King of Syria declared war against tho 
 liing of Israel; and, findipg that all lis plany 
 were known to tho King of Israel, ho concluded 
 that he had a traitor in the eauip, and ho said' 
 unto the captains of his host, ' Which ol' you is 
 for the. King of Israel.' And they replied, 
 * None, my lord, king, but Blisha the 'prophet 
 that is in Israel : he telleth tho King of Israel 
 the words thou spe<ikest in thy bed-chamber.' 
 The king's wrath was kindled against me, a^ 
 he sent out spies to find out my dwelling-place. 
 I and my servants had taken up -our abode in 
 
 Pothan. Therefore he sent thither hors e s ana 
 chariots ^nd a great host, and they came by 
 
 -= ^^ _- _ _ .1^ 
 
'-)< 
 
\: 
 
 .^, 
 
 42 
 
 THE OBEAT LOVEFEAST Iff -fiEAYENi 
 
 "^ 
 
 night, and compassed tho city. Wten Gehazi 
 arose in the morning and saw the Syrians 
 encamped round the city he was afraid, and 
 said onto me, ' Alas, master, what shall we do ? ^ 
 I told him to Cear not I prayed to the Lord to 
 open the yoong man's eyes, and h^ saw upon the 
 mountains, round about the city, chariots and 
 horses of fire, the standing militia and trained 
 band of Deity. As he gazed upon that resplen- 
 dent host, all equipped for battle, Waiting 
 ,a|kipatiently to charge the Syrians, his confidence 
 in the Lord waxed stronger. The Lord smote 
 the Syrians with blindness ; and, when I had led 
 them into Samaria, I allowed them to depart in 
 peace. The Syrians again invaded Judea, and 
 laid siege to Samaria. For months th^y hung 
 like a thunder- cloud around the city : so strait- 
 ened were the inhabitants for provisions that 
 women ate their own children. Strong men, 
 wl^o had faced the storm of battle unmoved, 
 were shorn of their strength, and wept bitterly 
 as they beheld then* ofispringj>erish in the iron 
 grip of the dread angel of famine. The King of 
 Israel rent his robes^ and exposed the sackcloth 
 on his flesh. But instead of, tracing the evil 
 that had come upon him and his people to his 
 own acti of rebellion against God, he attributed 
 
 
.#: 
 
 
 THE OBEAT LOVBFEAST tN HEAVEN. 43 
 
 it to me, and in a fit of rage sent a messenger to 
 slay me. I was sitting with the elders of Israel , 
 in my own house ; and, when I saw the mes- 
 senger approaching, I said unto tiiem, * See you 
 how this son of a murderer hath sent to take 
 away my head ? Look I thiere the messenger 
 cometh; shut the door, aad bold him fast: is 
 not his master's foot behind him ? " No Sooner 
 had the i^essenger arrived than the king ap- 
 peared; and I said unto him, * Thus saith the 
 Lord, To-morrow about this time shall a measure 
 of fine flour be sold for a^ shekel, and two mea- 
 sures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of 
 , Samaria.' The prediction seemed so incredible 
 to a sceptical lord, upon whose arm the king 
 leaned, that he was induced to an^er, * Behold, 
 if tliG Lord would make windows in heaven, this 
 thing might be.' To which! replied, 'Thou 
 shalt see it with thine own eyes, but shalt not 
 ej^ix thereof.' ^ 
 
 " The shades of night gathered silently over 
 
 kmi|iria, and deep sleep fell upon the Syrians, 
 
 Phe night torch of the patrol relieved with a 
 
 'lurid glare the surrounding darkness. The 
 
 Syrian sentinels were at their posts. The dying 
 
 wails of the famine-stricken groups possibly 
 
 were borne by the night breeze into the Syrian 
 
 %• 
 
 -^ 
 
44 
 
 THE OB£At LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 camp. Just as the hoary angel of Time wus 
 treading ♦the verge of midnight, 'a sound was 
 heard by the Syriahs of an army approaching 
 from the four points of the compass. The sen- 
 tinels gave th(B signal of alarm, and soon the 
 whole camp was astir. A division from the 
 southward seemed to be upon them : * The Egyp- 
 tians have been hired ^against us ! ' shrieked the 
 Syrians, and they fled in disorder towards Damas- 
 cus. In their hurry to escape they threw away 
 their arms, vessels, and garments, nor> did the 
 pursuit seem to relax, till the dawning light 
 streamed along the crest of Mount Gilead, and 
 the morning star quivered in the depth of Jordan. 
 At the gates of Samaria stood four lepers, who 
 had been thrust out of the city to die. As they 
 - recounted to each other their pitiable condition, 
 they finally concluded to throw themselves upon 
 the mercy of the besiegers. They could only 
 die, and death by sword was better than by 
 famine. After they had descended upon the 
 open plain, they crept cautiously into the Syrian 
 camp ; but to their utter astonishment they found 
 it deserted. After they had appeased their hun- 
 gry appetites, they began to plunder. They then 
 returned to the city, and published the joyful tid- 
 ings. The king, fearing that it might be a plot 
 
 # 
 
 
•■; 
 
 
 ',■"'■,.■ *■. .' 
 
 
 1. ',- : ■ ■' ■ 
 
 
 US 
 
 /#. 
 
 
 as 
 
 
 
 eg 
 
 
 
 n- 
 
 -.•■■■- 
 
 . ■ '■ • 
 
 he 
 he 
 
 T- 
 he 
 
 
 
 THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 45 
 
 to draw him out of the city, sent out a recon- 
 noitering party, but the enemy couldnot be found ; 
 and that very day, as I had predicted, a measure 
 of fine wheat Mvas sold for a shekel. The un- 
 believing lotd- who thought the miracle was im- 
 possible, havjng been despatcted to take charge 
 of the gate leading out of,^e city, the people, in 
 their i^agemess for ^ood,'raBHBd upon him, aiid 
 he was trodden under fodiPilp^^jed. His eyos 
 beheld the sudden plenty^but his lips tasted not 
 the sweets thereof. 
 
 " That was not the last calamity that fell upon 
 Israel. For seven years the land refused to 
 yield, her increase. Spring came, but brouglit 
 out no flowers, the trees bore no foliage, and no 
 grapes turned golden on the vine. Plains which 
 bad been proverbial for their fertility showed no 
 signs of vegetable- life. Ere the famine spread 
 its devastations over the land, I called upon the 
 Shunammite family, and l)ade them depart into an- 
 other country. So they arose, and sojourned in 
 the laud of the Philistines. When the famine 
 was over they returned, and the king restored to 
 them all that was theirs, and all the fruits of the 
 field from the day that the^effc the laijd. , 
 
 ^'My life had its lights and shades, t ha^ 
 my nights of weeping and momiDgs of joy . My 
 
*v 
 
 w 
 
 i 
 
 &\^^'- 
 
 46 / THE OBBAT LOVEFEAST IN SEAVEN.v 
 
 propl^etic office did ;tioi exempt me from death. 
 I> too, had to $e ; hat t^e anticipationjof these 
 -higher joys wliich awaitei ijie filled ^e v^ih 
 rpiptnre ; and^With sounds seraphic, saluting my 
 ears, I walked tiirough the jSpalley and the bhado'v^ * 
 t^ death, and joinedtiie wbrshippers in these 
 "temples, ascribi^gpifaiBe to the Triune God.'* 
 
 "V^en Elisha^ sat down, I heard as it were a' 
 great multitude' staging : "Alleluia, salvation, 
 and glory, and honour, and |ipwer unto the Lord 
 onrG^I",V . ' . , 
 
 After ;|his tnel|. arose from amongst the pro- 
 phets a person whose crowji shoiie resplen- 
 oently. '* My name," he said, ♦• is Isaiah. I 
 lived on the earth six hundred years before the 
 Messiah appeared. I prophesied of His birth, 
 life, degith, resui^ection, ascension, and the ipii- 
 versality of His • empire- I invited all the ends 
 of the earth to lodk unto Him and be sayed ; 
 but I saw that His hujjt^ appearance would 
 cause jaany to despise Him. He came to His 
 own, nut His o'wn received Him not. How 
 un^atefnlj; While archangels were casting 
 their crowns at His feet, those for Ti^om He 
 gave Himself cast Him out of the vineyard, and 
 with one voice cried, * Away with Him ; crucify * 
 Him, crucify Him \ ^ Surely, if they had known 
 
 -? ♦■ 
 
 _;-_ . , . .^ 
 
 
 ::._,^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 \» 
 
*v . 
 
 
 "\ 
 
 ^' 
 
 ^ THK aBEAt LOVERPAST IN HEAtKN. 4^ 
 
 1)(Btter, they would npt hare <!nioified the Prince 
 
 of Life and iGHqrjr 1 But His death was fixed by 
 
 .'the detei^ninate counsel tod foreknowledg-e of 
 
 ■ God, that atonement might be made for the sons 
 
 -of men/ and that God might Tje just and-the 
 
 jttstifier, of him who ibelieveth in Je»iis." The 
 
 < p,ssembly then took' up their harps and sang : — ' 
 
 • ^ ; Extol the Lamb with loftiest song, 
 
 Ascend for Hira our cheerful strain, 
 ,, N Worship and thanks to Him belon;^, 
 ; Who ceigns 'and sholHbr ever reigfh. 
 
 . 4i°iQ0g ..the pifophets was. Daniel, who pre- 
 dicted' the iime~^of the Messiah^s appearance.!' 
 He said : *^K the Messiah had. appekredi, as the 
 Jews expected He would do?* as King of Israel, 
 ' they would certainly haVe acknowledged i^imj. 
 But He came Jo be cut off, that He migh{ finish .. 
 transgression .and make g,n end 6f sin; and bripg^ 
 
 in everlasting righteousness.. \g:e was tlje Lamb 
 
 slain fropa the fpundation of the world. ' And. ' 
 
 behold!" said the enrapti^d prophet; ■" though 
 
 He. is glojified and; sits upon the throne of the 
 
 universe. He loo^s like a Lamb that has betea • 
 
 slain, and wear6 His priesthood still." Towhidh " 
 
 the heavenly choir replied by singing :— * 
 
 Thee,*hoIy Father, we ooti^ess'; 
 Thee, holy ^, adore, 
 And Thfie, the Hdy Ghost, We bleas. 
 
 And worship evermore. 
 
 
 ■'< \ ^ 
 
 '' 4 
 
 '■ ' .- ^ ■ • * ; 
 
 
 '■■---^;.-^ '■- 
 
 • 
 
 '/■' y^^"^--- 
 
 
 
 t » 
 
 ilk : ■' \<'.\ 
 
 ' 
 
 
i 
 
 48 THE GREAT LOVEFEAS^ IN HEAVEN. 
 
 Haifl^-holy, holy, holy, Lcrd, 
 Our heavenly song shall be ; «. 
 
 Supreme, essential One adored, j 
 In co-eternal Three. 
 
 After this I heard one amongst the heavenly* 
 -multitude ask the prophets if they expected to 
 see the Messiah manifested in the flesh ? To 
 which they replied : ** At times we hoped we 
 should ; but at length it was revealed to us by 
 the Holy Ghost, that not for ourselve's, but for 
 'those who should come after, was reserved the 
 glorious sight : so that we only anticipated the 
 happy period, and died in full assurance of faith ; 
 Forwe beheld the promises afar off, and embraced 
 ihem, and were satisfied that if Jesus did not 
 descend to dwell with us on earth, we should , 
 rise to dwell with- Him. * >Vhen 3ve came here, 
 we found all heaven in a state of activity — a. 
 cherubic host was preparing to accompany the 
 Prmce of Peace on His important embassy.^ We 
 heard the angels in the world below singing in 
 em-aptured strains, 'VGlory to God in the high- 
 est ; on earth peace/ good will towards men." 
 
 .At this, John, the beloved disciple, rose and 
 said: "I was one of the highly-favoured per- 
 sons who beheld the glory of -the only-begotten 
 Son of the Father. He was seen first by tho^ 
 
THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HBJSVBN. 
 
 49 
 
 A. 
 
 shepherds who went to Bethlehem, ,who found 
 Him wrapped m swaddling clothes, and lying in 
 a manger. After these came the wise men from 
 the east, guided bjr an extraordinarj' Star, which 
 -pointed with beams resplwdeot. to 3^(5 rude 
 iiin,)fihd ruder stable, where the unconscious 
 Babe lay slumbering/ 'Oyheir coming excited 
 attehtio|i among the iiihabitants of Judea, and 
 awoke suspicion and reseQ|meiit in the heart of 
 Herod the king, who, from th^t Ume, sought the 
 young Child's life ; but He was preserved by the 
 peculiar providence of God, Mo commanded 
 Him to be carried into Egypt until the death of 
 'Herod, after which He ws taken ijito Galilee, 
 and dwelt in a. city called Na?j»eth, that the pro- 
 phecies conceriiing Him mi^t be accomplished. 
 At -twelve years of age He w?is found disputing 
 ^ith thfe jewis]^ do^W*?ln the synagogue, who 
 were astonished at His wisdom. But how m^- 
 morablewas the time of His public manifestation 
 to the world, when* the Holy Ghost descended on 
 Him like a dove, accompanied by a vo;ice from hefi- 
 Tcn saying, * This is My beloved Son,i^■WhoJn I 
 am well pleased ; hear ye Him ! ' Frqm that time 
 Jesus began His public' ministry, and great mul- 
 titudes followed Him when they saw the mira- 
 
50 
 
 tHE GjteAT LOVEPISAST lis? HEAVEN. 
 
 
 us ^ attend on His ministrj*, that we might soo 
 IJis miracles perforn«fed, in eonfirmation of His 
 doctrine, and thus be enabled to testify ■what wc'*' 
 "had he^rd and s6en to the world. When v/e 
 were called to the apostleship, Ho told us wo 
 must look for no earthly honours, but expect 
 .reproach, persecution, and even death foir His 
 hake; .but in thisj He said, / Bejoice, for great is, 
 your reward in h6aven.' 
 
 ^' We found it accordag to His word. As 
 we not<f look around we bihold the fruits of ouV 
 mihistry.^ >Are 'not tHese precious soals tho 
 crowii' of' our r^'oicjng ? " "Yes," responded 
 the three thousimd who were; converted on th|e 
 day 'of Tenteeost, ***thQUgh many of our neigh|- 
 bours .thought you were filled" with n6w. wine, ' 
 we were persuaded that you %ake the words 
 of ^th .and spbetnesa; aiid while we heard we 
 wOTe pricked to the iieart, brought to.repentance, 
 ,^nd ;tiirpugh. beUeving> ixi Jesus obtained' , the 
 ^our sins* . Burely we, above all ' 
 I, havo reason to praise Him who re- • 
 Hlft bjood.' ' The. celcsUal temple 
 wa^ now filled with the most melo'dions it^ce^ents,^^ 
 for of ^ the songs sung before this was the 
 sweetest, being set to music by them' who Had 
 
 *■ •. 
 
 had d!mch forgiven, and therej^re' loved much. 
 
 ? . 
 
* * 
 
 I: 
 
 ^l' 
 
 'i^m' 
 
 THE GR£lAT LOVEFEAiST IN HBAVBN. 
 
 <yi^ 
 
 , After the chorus had ended, Peter rose and.. 
 Said : "Long after I was called to the apostle- 
 ship 1 indulgod in the vain hope that our'JjQVd 
 would erect aii ei^rthly kingdmn, and I wa9 Had' 
 bitibus to occupy a cl^ief position, and James 
 and John no doubt remember, that we contended 
 for superiority. Not being able to settle the" 
 dispute., we appealed to our Divine Master, who 
 told us that unless changed in our dishosiliioiis ' 
 we should in no wise' enter His king^m, much 
 less oc(3upy the highest^sition. He advised us* 
 •to become the ifeervants of all, if we would be' 
 exaJted. "What lessons'Of humility He taught us ! ' 
 Yet, after all, toy pride* w§is apt to rcibol, especi- 
 ally whdn He"spQkfei''of being deserted and denied 
 by us: I could never thinkthat I should do any 
 such thing. Oh, h6w insensible to n^y weakness 1 , 
 for I yfas the very firpt to forsake Him ; but oji, 
 how cheering were those words, after his regur- 
 rection, * Go and tell My disciples, and Peter, 
 that I am risen again, and go before them into 
 Galilee.' The mention of my unworthy name 
 melted my , heart. What, thought I, does He 
 still rememlber Peter ? Prompted by fervent 
 ^gratitude, and strengthened by diviae power, I' 
 opened my commission on the day of Peiltecost ; 
 
 ^ 
 
 x. 
 
 and declared toall the inha,bitants of Jerusalem, 
 
 V 
 

 62 
 
 THE OBEAT L0VEFEA8T Itt HEAVEN. 
 
 that Otod made Him Avhom they hlid cruc^«d 
 both Lord -and Christ; that I, who had once 
 -been iutimidatod throngh the Bpeech of & po€i§- 
 maid, mw then not afraid to confess Him in th6' 
 presence of • the 'elders and chief priests. Not 
 unto me, but unto Him that sitteth upon they 
 throne, I would ascribe the glory, who senji 
 down the promised Spirit, and endued me wit 
 power from on high, according to His wort 
 Then all the disciples that were present on /the 
 day of JPfefatecost cried with a loud voice, **/aal- 
 Jeliyahl^' 
 
 , After Pdter sat down, Stephen, the proto- 
 martyt, rose and' said : " Soon after the ascen- 
 sion of Christ I was ajJpointed an elder of the 
 church. To assembled crowds I 'preached 
 Christ and Him crucified. I rebuked the Jewish 
 Sanhedrim; a8sp,iled them with the thunders of 
 accusing truth ; and pointing to the hill of Cal- 
 vary., yet empurpled with the Sayioul^'s blood, I 
 told them that they had murder^ the BrinceeCii 
 Life, They looked at me, aiid then at each 
 pther, and afterwards at the/ people, inciting 
 violence. They gnashed upon 
 'Away with him I 
 I said, 
 
v. 
 
 TfiB GREAT tOVEFRAST IN HEAVEH. 
 
 68 
 
 standiDg at tho rig^t hand of God,' Tbifl thoy 
 accounted blasphemy, and 'running upon im 
 with one accord, they oast me out of the city^:- 
 and stoned me to death. But, ob, what uncreated 
 j^loriea burst upon n^y soul as I hvy bleeding on 
 the ground J Paul well remembers my martyr^ 
 ■dom.'V ■■ ■.■ ':.'■■'■:'■':■■■' >-'■'- ''['.■::--■ 
 
 At this noment there arose, from the midst, of 
 $he heavenly harpers, a person of rather diminu- 
 ,tive stature, but with a' crown on his head of 
 mor6 than ordinary "brightness, \yith a voice 
 of majesty he cried, '♦ I am Saul of Tarsus, that 
 man ^ho did many things contrary, to the name 
 of Jesus of Nazareth, compelling hirf ijpllowers 
 to, MaspBfeme and to suflfer imprisonment." 
 Tiurning to Stephen he said, "Yerf, brother 
 Stephen, I saw thee fall beneath I "fthower of 
 stones, and heard thy last utterance, faint and 
 tremulous, praying that the Almighty would not 
 avenge thy death. I often thought, when on 
 earth, of our meeting here,^ but little did I think, 
 when I held the clothes of those who stoned thee, 
 that ever I should suffer death for the Gospel. 
 Had not the Almighty arrested me, where naust 
 my soul have been ? I was the chief of sinners, , 
 and therefore must have endured the moat acute 
 
 
 torment ; but blessed be the name of Him who 
 
Si. 
 
 "-V^- ^'-Til^ 
 
 ^^'A 
 
 M 'THE GREAT LOVKFEAST IN IIRAVIJiK. 
 
 sits ia tho midst of tho throno I Ho apprehended 
 me on my way to DamasouH, and Btruck me 
 trembling to th© osrth; Expecting every moment 
 to bo conaumod by His wrath, how astonished was 
 I when Ho interrogated me, t» convince mo of 
 my sin. And when I was brought to resign my 
 rebelliqus soul to His will, Ho signed my pardon ; 
 tpok me ipto His service ; made mo a steward in 
 Jlis house ; and sent me unto the Gentiles to turn 
 them from darkness \.o light, and from the power 
 of Hatan unto God. The grace bestowed on mo 
 was so abundant that none of my brethren— not 
 evep Ananias— could bolievio that I had become 
 ^ disciple. When our blessed Lord sent him to 
 inquire for mo in the house of Judas, he began 
 to plen,d excuse, for he was afraid to como near 
 mo. Ah, my dear Ananias, I dare say you re- 
 member your fears at that nioment ! " "Yes," 
 said good Ananias, '« a,nd my joys, too, when I 
 saw what the Lord had done for thee, and for us 
 in thcc ; how he had plucked thee as a brand 
 from the burning, and his disciples from the 
 toouth of the liQU.V "True," said Paul ;*« but 
 noueof the disciples, as I said before, could 
 boli^vo it ; for when I came to Jerusalem and 
 
 ,1 
 
 offered myself as a candidate for fellowship, they 
 Objected, knowing what a persecutor I had been. 
 
H, 
 
 ..# I 
 
 'W'" 
 
 i ■ 
 
 THE OBEAT LOviuTBAST IM HEAVMH. 
 
 I. >6f^ 
 
 Thoy could not boUovo that I was a disciple, 
 and therefore closed the door of tho chn 
 ftgwiit me ; and but for my brother Ba 
 1 could not have gained admittance." 
 flaid'Barnabaa ; " humanly speaking, thou cou 
 not. I romombcr their pr^udicos wore strong 
 jigMnst thee a^ first, but when I told them what 
 tho L6rd had dond^for thee, and how thou hadtit 
 preached in tho synagogue at Damascus, they 
 received thee with joy." "Yes," said Paul; 
 ♦A)§ldfrom that time I was treated as a brother 
 by those whom I had sought to destroy ; whilst 
 ke avthorities, whose malicious purposes I had 
 been furiously executing, all turned against me. 
 But He who called mo inter His service always 
 ptood by me, and delivered me out of the hands 
 of my enemies. He showed what great things I 
 must suffer for His sake ; but He said, * Be of 
 ^ood cheer ; there is a crown of righteousness 
 laid up for thee ; ' and, through the influence of 
 His gra^o, I.could say that \ none of these things 
 move me, neithet count I my life dear unt<i me, 
 . so that I might finish my course with joy." 
 Paul now took off his crown, and held it u]() be- 
 fore the vast congregation and said, **Loeji at 
 
 -'^ 
 
 this diadem, which the Lord, the right p ouu 
 Judge, has given me. The gems that decbrator 
 
66 THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 •t will retain their brilliancy for ever. I was the 
 highly favoured man who was caught up to the 
 third heaven, and heard the harps of angels, and 
 the voices of the redeemed, in joyful concert, 
 ar|d I had such a taste of their, exquisite happi- 
 ness, tl^at ever after I had a desire to depart, 
 afad .be for ever with the Lord. After this I 
 could speak by way of contrast of the sufferings 
 of time and these eternal pleasures, in tjhe most 
 emphatic language. The former appeared no- 
 thing to me, and the latter too great for the human ^ 
 imind to comprehend, or the power of the most 
 exalted language to describe ; and now we know 
 what it is by happy experience." While the 
 apostle was speaking I saw the assembly pre- 
 paring their harps for a song of praise, and as 
 he resumed his seat they sang in a most melo- 
 dious manner :-^ 
 
 ,, Worrfiip, honour, power, and blessing', 
 
 ;, . ' Thou' art worthy to -receive, "?** 
 
 ■-Ldudest praises without ceasing', 
 Meet it is fin* us to give. 
 
 Help, ye bright angelic spirits. 
 Bring your sweetest, noblest lays J ' 
 . Help to sing our Saviour's merits , 
 ' Help to chant Immanucl's praise. 
 
 ; After this I beheld a person rise, on whose 
 brow a circling c^own was sparkling, who said : 
 
 
 
 ....^^ 
 
tHE OBEAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 m 
 
 / 
 
 "I was born and brought up amongst a band 
 of Jewish thieves, and all my life was spent in 
 theft and robbery, and for my crimes I was cru- 
 cified. But there hung the sinless One beside 
 me ; and, as my life was faist ebbing i)ut, I turned 
 to Him and said, ' Bemember me when Thou 
 comest to Thy Kingdom,' and as He smiled 
 upon me through His mortal pain. He cried, . 
 'To-day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.' And 
 ever since the words escaped His lips I have been 
 Berving Him day and night in His temple ; here 
 hymning His high and worthy praise in swelling 
 chorus with His other ransomed children; here 
 wearing the robes in which He clothed me, and 
 the crown with which He crowned me ; here 
 singing, as I always shall sing, * Now Uiito Him 
 who hath loved me, and washed me from my sins 
 in His blood, to Him be glory and dominion for 
 ever and ever." 
 
 He; had no sooner sat down than the whole' 
 congregation cried with a loud voice, " Halle- 
 Ityahl for the Lord God omnipotent reignethl " 
 Deeper and deeper still rolled the mighty chorti* 
 from the millions assembled beneath the sapphire 
 lighted dome. Ere the Wbes and the sound o£ 
 the instruments died away, there rose a person 
 of a somewhat striking appearance. H^ said: 
 
 
 ■ ■ .v'* 
 
 
 •-f, 
 
 
 ., ...-;-^^; 
 
 -' ^ fv . 
 
 
.■* ■ 
 
 ^ 
 
 f 
 
 58 
 
 THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 *'I am Lazarus, once the beggar at the .fioh 
 man's gate. On a,ccount of physical infirmity, I 
 was necessitated to sit by the wayside, and at the 
 gates of the affluent, asking almg. I saw the rich 
 arrayed in purple and fine linen, and faring sump- 
 tuously every, day, whilst l^vthe servant of the 
 
 , M(^st High God, was dependent on the charity of. 
 
 , qtliers. I often tried to recon^le these things, but . 
 found them inexplicable ; nevertheless in the midst ' 
 of all my poverty I felt a joy to which many who 
 moved in the higher^ircles of .life were strangers. 
 The Lord was pleased to cut short my earthly 
 pilgrimage. I remember the last of iny begging 
 days. The night shades were cree J)ing over the 
 plains of Jordan as I with difficulty reached my 
 home. I crept beneath the toj;n canvas of my 
 tent, and lay me down to rest, being conscious 
 that my last appeal for the bread that perisheth 
 had gone forth. Though thig^jpyesence of no 
 earthly friend cheered me as t struggled alone 
 through death's dark shadow, I felt the rod and 
 staflf of God's peace and power sustain me, so 
 that I was enabled to exclaim, *I will fea^r no 
 evil,' As I expired I felt the heaveid^ breezes 
 fan my throlbbing. brow, and heavenly raptures 
 thrill my s6ui ; then lo ! and behold, there ap- 
 peared a host of shining ones, who with wings 
 
 u 
 
 X 
 
u 
 
 THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 50 
 
 of fire boro down towards me, and taking mo in 
 their arms brought me here, where those ingre-' 
 dients •which luadc my earthly cup so bitter are 
 unknown." 
 
 "^ After Lazarus had resumed his seat, Polyoabp 
 rose and gave a description of the times in which 
 he lived, and the sufferings ho endured for the 
 testimony of a good conscience, and, pointing to 
 a host of martyrfl who were seated on thrones 
 tho most resplendent, said : "Your deaths were 
 as potent as your lives were, in convincing your 
 enemies of the trtithfjilness of the great doctrines 
 . you tattght. In the midst of the fires you stood 
 unmoved. ^Noble army ! no longer the victims 
 of persecations, but conquerors, crowned with 
 immortal honoitrs, which will femain untarnished 
 when the smok6 of the last great funeral pile shall 
 Wrap^the heaveiis in the pall of night. It is \vith - 
 joy unspeakable I gr^et you." To which the 
 martyrs responded, "Unto the Lord we ascribe 
 the glory. His great name hath gotten us the vie- 
 tory." Then WiCKLiFFE rose, and gave a de- 
 scription of the age in which he lived, the prevd/*" 
 leneo of superstition— men trembling before 
 priosteraft— -and how he was supported by divine 
 power under Uie most severe trials. " The Lord 
 of hosts/' said he, "was with me,. and the Go^ 
 
 ^. 
 
60 
 
 THB GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAtENj 
 
 *■ ' 
 
 of Jacoy was my refuge. Though I was per- 
 . mitted ^^ietly to die in my bed, yet irfter iiiy 
 body had reposed for years in the gravoj my 
 bones were dug up by my enemies and burnt to 
 ashes/ thinking by so doing they Would cast re- 
 proach upon my memory. My ashes were then 
 thfo^ into an adjoining brook nanied Uie Swift, 
 and /were, convoyed hp it into the Avon, and 
 thence into the Sfevern, and from thiSevem into 
 the I narrow "seas, and tiien into the main ocean. 
 Butj my Folther wiU trace every atom, and whe^ 
 the/ archangel shall send forth his Emmons for 
 the! dead to ar||B,ev6ry, particle of that body 
 whicb my enemies tried to de^roy shall be re- 
 united, and formed after the similitude of the 
 second Adam, and I shdl stknd acquitted in the 
 pipsence^ the Judge^of all the'eHrrth." ^ 
 
 IWickliffeNtaving sai dp wn, Luther rose arid 
 said : "Beloved brethre^ it is with tiilspefikj' 
 able- joy that I rise to beo^ my testimony to ithe" 
 power of divine g^ace^^ Oh ! how enraptijufei I 
 have been' while-'listening to the experience of 
 my ^eat predecessor, to the recital of his heroic 
 struggles in the cause of truth, counting not his 
 life dear, that he might finish his cause with joy, " 
 md h4ar, from his Master's lips, the plaudit, 
 * Well done ! thou good and faithful servant/ " 
 
,1 w 
 
 THE GREAT LOVEFEAJJT IN HEAVEN. 61 
 
 •Turning to Wickliflfe^ lie . said, " CoiSe bjrot^r, 
 lot me shake /thy hand/' \WickUffo rose, and 
 Luther, .taking his hand, -said, "My brother, 
 , niy brother, it is with joy 1 greet thee. Thou ^ ^ 
 wroughtest i work in thy day*which that arch-. {^ 
 angel would have deemed it an honour to have" 
 pcrfojffifi^- Some attrib^td the |l6ry of the 
 Hcformation to mo and my coadjutors, but it is 
 v,a palm we cannot wave alone. Thou and thy | 
 . contemporaries are' entitled^ a reward as great 
 aft we, who were permitted to see thq grand 
 issue of tky purposes. It was thine to sow the 
 seed, antf ours to reap the. harvest. When I 
 entered *oi\ my public career, Le<J the Tenth sat 
 on the papal throne, and, having a desire to 
 make St. Peter's the most magnificent «hurcK in * . 
 the world, sent indulgences foir sin to Germany 
 • for sale. I said none but God could ^<^iye * 
 sins. Then th^attle opened. The first slfot 
 had been fired, the sound ^hich sliook the founda- ^ 
 tion of despotic Bpme,- and' reverberated through 
 the hall of priestly tyranny, iftrousing thousands* 
 from the slumber of jtge&. After thfr*rst wave . 
 - of ^3xclS)?ment had passed , over Europe, there 
 ^was a sudden calm. In some minds a reaction 
 to6k pla<!e. Many distinguished philosophers 
 and eminent divines, upon Whose support I had 
 
J^ 
 
 ■iH5 = 
 
 ^w:j'*' 
 
 I: 
 
 \lepen4< 
 liiy course 
 4^ected* 
 ^^ trenajbli 
 i\jnthority 
 
 ^6i 
 
 
 '^eri^i 
 
 M 
 
 
 1^ rJsHnXaM* coiile l)ut ""iti jopen 
 
 ^^,'i^?^'^"''ji#f ''T 
 
 "-'■■^■i'ii^"N^:^.^ K'feason' against^ 
 
 heal^lk' ??I pdiisfed in. deipT) tneditation'', bu'Usobta 
 !^^1 i lightibjTiipika M aad* my resolution* 
 
 : k "My fitt^, isiiidliBa^i^ trust- 
 
 I '/ing jtn Gioo^wiis 4eteruniied €o advance, thougb 
 t^;\ 4 ,i^; path before me "v^ras so obscure and ilitri- 
 ^;|, ca^(^» ; G^ aJbused by my writHags 
 
 ^^ l5mid*&iscourses J >^he Vatican w^jjlarmcd. The 
 • ;! I^pe attempted to silence mo, ^/Bj^e taak was^- 
 not so' easily performed. A papal decree "<\ras 
 issued that my wrtHigfl should bo burnt, and I 
 
 tl 
 
 si 
 ai 
 t\ 
 
 a! 
 d 
 
 It 
 
 
 .^Hi: 
 
 n 
 ^ 
 
 :'ft. 
 
 

 It lovefeast.in heaven.. 
 
 6S 
 
 
 f ^. 
 
 ^ t 
 
 ftnd sent to Borne, probably 
 rpOsc. 'l}ut pQpisli ^rea and 
 J/^^ALj^^ddenly k)^. tlicir icfficaey. Th« 
 MtxslflShfeAlp, but the priBciplc they embodied 
 would 'hot burn! Soon th^. papal bull came 
 thunaoring <|vcr the Alps to annihilate mp at a 
 single- blow.' But I had. no disposition to :bo 
 aiinihilatcd, nor even excoinmunieated. Taking 
 the document, I returned to the Pope the com- 
 pliment paid to my own writings, kindled a fird, 
 abd in the presence of crowds of professors, stu- 
 dents, ana, citizens of Wittemburg, committed it 
 to the flames. That' fire wAs as a beacon-light 
 kindled upon a mountam summit, to guide the 
 t ;. natioifs to liberty, to knowledge, and to happi- 
 [1 ness. ■ Iwas then summoned^be^e^ Diet at 
 jl; Wortas.. IVhat a |nagrife^nt scofte was^ere I 
 t|* pnnces/di^cs^^ archbishops, barons^ 'anflords 
 n^'ofthe^pSJ. ■ I commcineed my journey, not; 
 i withstanding, the remonstrances o^ my,_^ds:; 
 ^very^here the- people ^-^''"'^ """'* "^ 
 
 "''tt-^ 
 
 
 power- and tno ^oriom ine wmrxu. j4pe ' ■. ^^ 
 IIRiCDursg. of #Jple gave .^ ^^ 
 
 
 
 -^ 
 
 f 
 
 ■ J •' 
 
 
 f 
 
 
 ' ' •' ■-:'%■ 
 
 ■■ "■'^,' 
 
 
 
 ■ :■. * 
 
 
 
 a sighf 'of the ^^^^^^^^^m^T^^ 
 %e^owet^ a^d' tlpj*oi^#r^ ww«ld. 
 
 gates^ of th^ city a vasi MiCDurs^. of #c ^ 
 
 me ar most e^iftstic receptioii^thou^^* ^ 
 .followed me tSligh^a^^eiMii^ tkodsandy 
 
 m^ye rn« V^. toHheir doors. . T^e cMieys 
 
 
 ■■7 .. 
 
 
 
 9k 
 
 -J^"^v 
 
 .m - 
 
64 
 
 THE OBEAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 «•- 
 
 the Pope Were in a panic of excitement. Charles 
 the Fifth turning to his coijifidential advi'sers, 
 whose fears were aroused, whispered: * Luther 
 has come ; what must we do? ' One person re- 
 commended that I should share the fate of my 
 brothers, Huss and Jeromo, But they perceived 
 that such an act would neither suit the time, nor 
 the place, nor the occasion. It would, perhaps, 
 Ibe difficult to put out the fire when it was kindled, 
 so they agreed to give me a hearing, and accord- 
 ingly I was commanded to appear before the 
 council. As I approached the hall, the masses 
 of people blocked up the streets, and it was only 
 by the greatest effort the soldiers were able to 
 open a way to the council chamber. When I 
 entered, a solemn silence reigned over the vast 
 and imposiEig assembly. Every eye was fixed 
 upon me. But cahu and fearless I stopd^ the 
 sole representative of Crod's truth, and standing 
 on that rock, I was mightier than them all. 
 The archbishop's chancellor arose, and put tho, 
 two following questions to me : * Dost thou 
 admit that these books (holding my writings in 
 his hand) were written by thee ? Wilt thou re- 
 tracts these Works and their contents, or dost 
 tjiou persist in the things thou hast advanced ? ' 
 The questions were repeated and varied, but I 
 
 hi 
 
■,' 
 
 v\ 
 
 j™^s^ "h *f»ts 
 
 ^ 
 
 i ■ ■■:• ■' 
 
 ' ' ■ .'■■ . ■■■.- -A 
 
 U 
 
 THE OBBAT LOVEFEASt IN HEAVEN. ' 06 
 
 was immovable. Day after day wab thns coii:\ ; 
 sumea, and when they could by no possible \. 
 mebis remove me from the grotmd Which I had 
 tak^, the* proceedijigs were bronght to a close 
 witii a repetition of' the question, * WUt thou, or 
 wUt thou. not, retract?' ^To^rhich I instantly 
 replied: /Since you cannot convince me /I am 
 wrong, I can and will retrAct nothing. Here I 
 am J I can do no otherwise, God help me ! 
 4men ! ' i^or several minutes silence reigned 
 throughout the assembly. . Thinking the time 
 . of my departure; had come, I bowed to the 
 Xflsembly, ^d^ left the council chamber, amid 
 jJlie applause of the multitude. I lived on earth 
 '^til I sa^ evangeUcal truth divide Europe with 
 Popery, Here I stand, a monument of sove- 
 -'■ reign grace. Some who were, through ighprance, 
 my enemies on earth, are now the children of my 
 V i'ather, and tie partakers of His glci|r. Sweet 
 ks now our feUowship, and abiding we our joys. 
 Wo Him who sits upo^the throne we will as- 
 t^ribethepraise." "^, ■ 
 iiiiuther sat down. WhxiAmJawtre (once ] 
 tfelh priest of St. Osithes,|dpM) ^^o^e and - 
 V |iad; '* I lived ^the earth in i^time of great 
 "Hericution, ancHvas the first martyr of ih^. 
 Jtefbrmation in Englan d , bec| U fle I would not • 
 
 tcyifl 
 
 0'.\ 
 
 ■ "'^:i 
 
 .. ;-...■-;-', ^ ..;.w . ^-vjT 
 ■■■<- » ■ ■■ • •' 
 
 ^,. ■■■\. ' >:■:'::-:■:- ' 
 
 
60 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ■■% 
 
 tHE ORKAT LOVKfKABT IN RXAVEK. 
 
 worship the cracifixfaad teach and believe the '^ • 
 doctrine of tran8aha|antiatioo. I was branded 
 as a hereticVand^bi&^ht before the primate an d* 
 six other bishopi in<5»e cathedral of St. PotI's; 
 and after being^i&graded, as they thought, by 
 depriving me ajrmy priestly orders, A^ndel, 
 Archbishop ol Ganterbuiljt, then delivered me 
 over to the secular coqrk and I was tried ai|l 
 condemned to die. After which Ijfr&s conveyed 
 to Smithfield, ajad ther«,:|jii the presence of an 
 infuriated peoj^, my jt)Qdytj|as consumed by 
 fire ; but while the earthly tabernade was being 
 dissolved, the inner m^an became stronffer^tod I 
 passed the fiery ordeal unimpaired. To ihll^> O 
 Lord, I would ascribe the praifi^ -^ ''M 
 
 After Sawtre sat down, JohnIR 
 cestcr, »S9 and remarkedV * 
 
 *-v 
 
 .1^^ 
 
 I 
 
 ' ,'i 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 lADBY, of OloUi- 
 
 led 00 th 
 
 earth when broiler' Sawtre sealeySo truth wi 
 
 M^ 
 
 »-" 
 
 .y^^^ 
 
 '^^ 
 
 •«^ 
 
 his blood ;^^ was, like him, co^eraned for what^l^ 
 our^emies' ^called heresy,- by the Bia^^ o^ 
 Worduter, I' asserted that it was imnnlo^ 
 that any priesf^ coulS make thcP b&dyi of ^irist 
 sacrament^Plfor which I was b'rtraght before tho 
 
 1 ArehbishoijB^of Canterbui^, and being "firm in my 
 convictions, I was condemned ^o die. Prince 
 
 t Henry, afterwards Eing^ Henry the Fifth, was 
 
 
 
 J 
 
 "i 
 
 present at my execution, who urged me to save 
 
 'm ■ ■ 
 
 'f 
 
 ,A* 
 
 »'?, 
 
«. *' ' . 
 
 *\ 
 
 
 the" < . 
 
 .^' 
 
 • * 
 
 
 •*i\ 
 
 4^ 
 
 v^'-'- 
 
 THE GREAT LOVEfEAST IN HEAVfK. 67 
 
 my life by submitting to the judgment of the . 
 Church. The 1^% of the sacrament was then 
 brought forth by the Prior of St. Bartholomew'8j^i_ ^ 
 twelve torches being carried before it; but yvhei^ 
 it was presented tc^me, as I stood in an empty 
 cask, chained to til* stake, with faggots piled 
 around me, I still called it hallowed bread, and 
 not Christ's Body. Then the fatal fire was kin- 
 mtd\ My cries i^ mercy t«whe^ the heart of 
 the prince, whp <n^«d *^o me to be quenched, 
 hoping to prevail on %M to l^ecant, offering me 
 atihe same time a fffllion for life; but i^con- 
 tinu^d firm in my convi^ri respecting the 
 popish dogma. I was re^ed in the cask, ' 
 the fire was rekindled, and I expired, calling on 
 
 (hrist to receive my spirit."^! 
 
 As Badby sat down, there arose the* sweetest 
 hiymony from the heavenly minstrelsy. The, 
 
 fusic had scarcely ceased to reverberate along 
 th^ corridors of the celestial temple, when 
 another person rose, whosel^untenance seemed 
 familiar to me. As he surve^ the mighty host 
 around him, he cried, " My name is John Bunyan, 
 a sinner saved by grace." On hearing this, th^^ 
 whole corigregation rose and sung:— 
 
 How cau it b e . Thou h e av e nly King, 
 
 V 
 
 can ki. i«i. 
 That Thou shouWst p to plory hnng 1 
 
 
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 08 THE ORKAT LOVKf^EAST IN UEAVEN. 
 
 Make rtnveii tlie partncn of T!iy throne, 
 . , Deck'd with a ncvcr-fttding crown? 
 
 -^-Ai As to my earthly lincago," continued Banyan, ^: 
 *' it is Boon related^ I camo from the' common 
 highways of li£o^ About my crimes there was 
 no polish ; I was a stranger to God, and with- 
 out hope in the wofld. I was wont to spend the 
 holy Sabbath in unhallowed recreation. One 
 Sabbath day, while making preparations for a 
 match at football on the village green, I was 
 ^rionsly impressed by a circumstA^ce that hap- 
 pened. The time for commencement was an- ' 
 uounced by the ringing of the church bellt. * 
 Whilst this was being dOnc, both the ringel^ 
 were lulled by a flash of ligjitning, which en- 
 tered the belfry. This, with other incidents, 
 contributed to impress my mind with the jincer- 
 tainty of life, and the necessity of being prepared _ 
 for death. I was haunted hourly with terrible 
 thoughts. I could hardly have had a more vivid 
 idea of hell,, without being in it. The Bible at 
 every point appeared against mc ; it was pre-\^^ 
 sented to my mind in detached and somewhat 
 terrible fragments broken off from burning pas- 
 sages, such as—* rejected '— * h&th no forgiveness' 
 ■ — * no place of repentance.' At one time I felt 
 
 as if impelled by a subtle hidden.^geucy, in- 
 
 'V _ 
 
 ^ 
 
W- 
 
 TOE OUEAT LOVBFEASt IN HBAVW. 
 
 60 
 
 flucinced U impugn the Divino sovereignty, to 
 offer to my God only blasphemy ; at anpther I 
 wprild conclude I had certainly committed tte sin 
 against the Holy Ghost ; then, from the region of 
 retribution, I would suppose that I heard the 
 voices of such outcasts as Judas calling out to 
 me, and in affrighted emphasis asserting, ' Thou 
 art one of us I* The conflict,' however, at length 
 ceased. The truth which, under such circum- 
 Btances, can alone give peace, I believed. The 
 contrast was almost overwhelming— I could not 
 have thought that there had been in reversion for 
 me such treasures of assurance anjl p'eace. The 
 aspect of everything was altered, the night of 
 liiy spiritual ignorance had departed, and the 
 cloudless mom of Gospel day broke upon my 
 spirit. I threw off the grave-clothes of moral 
 death, and having felt the power of His resurrec- 
 tion, I w^nt forth testifying of the thmgs which 
 I had seen and heard. In a plain and unassum 
 ing way I discoursed to the villagers upo^' 
 principles which had become so endeared^o 
 This, however, could not be tolerirted: Doin 
 good— unless in ono way, and that prescribed 
 by the powers that be— was made punishable. 
 For preaching to" a few people in a small village 
 
 ,, called Elstow, I was taktn into custody, and 
 
 ^tv- 
 
■^ .> 
 
 70 
 
 THK aBEAT JiOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 brbn^t before a magistrate. .The sentence 
 passed ttpon me by Jostice Keeling (who in bis 
 extreme simpUcity, as well as high veneration 
 for established usages, had asserted that the 
 Book of Common Prayer had been in use ever 
 since the apostles' times) was: 'Hear your 
 judgment ; you must be had back again to prison, 
 and there lie for three jnonths ; and then, if you 
 do not submit to go to church, to hear divine 
 service, and l6ave your preaching, you must be 
 banished the realm ; and after thai^J if you .should 
 ^ be found in the realm, without special- licence 
 from the king, you will be hanged, by the neck 
 for it. I tell you plainly.' On hearing, this, in^ 
 lieu of quailing, the Lord being my helper, I 
 replied: 'I am at a point with you; if I was 
 out of prison to-day, I wotdd preach the gospel 
 again to-morrow, by the help»of God.' Back I 
 « was taken to' the gaol, which was said to b^e the 
 jnost damt> and unwholesome in the. king's 
 dominions, "li I had stood in the world alone, 
 I would' have heeded little ; but despotism took 
 me from my wife and four little ones,^ one of 
 Whom was blind. This was -one of the bitterest 
 ^ingredients in my cup ; it "s^as like pulling off 
 the flesh from my bones. Howevei', the Lord: 
 gave me 'favour in the eyes of the g&oler, antl-ho 
 
 i« • 
 
 a 
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 *♦ 
 
 / 
 
THK OREAt L0^^BM:A8T IN HEAVEJC. 
 
 71 
 
 i 
 
 *♦ 
 
 ftUowcd my poor blind child to visit me daily. 
 Towards evening, the appearance of the turnkey 
 was the signal for our separation. I then, as I ^ 
 was wont, commended to the God of the inno- 
 cent my unprotected one ; iissedher; then gave 
 her to the gaoler, who closed the interview by 
 leading her away, and lotoking me up for the 
 night. Shut, out from human intercourse, I 
 r sought inspiration and solace from a couple of « , 
 ^*oks, which became my beloved companions, ' 
 My prison library, though not large, was yfery 
 .select. I reftd alternately the Bible and Fox6's 
 Book of Itfart^s. These not only incre^se^my „, ,,,. 
 store of information in relation to the hoHest.; 
 truths, biit evidently addecl to my>rd^|Pff M^ 
 all the better prepared* me, if cii'cumat^n(5es"h^a 
 determined it, to have passed from-'the soUtMe : 
 of a cell to the publicitj^ of a «caff61d. I ^asV, 
 however, spared mkrtyrdom, which manyof yon 
 arcmnd me Vrere c^led to suflfer ; but I was ,cJo|i- 
 fined as a prisoner upwards of twelve 3r«wrs, 
 Durmg the latter part of my imprisonment tiie. , 
 gaoler treated me with great leniency, allowing ^ 
 me frequently to leave fot the day 0t tlie night, 
 Und return. This, however, having bee» reported 
 by some of my 6nemies ta the prelates, an pfficer 
 was sent down by the government to detect both 
 
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 1^*- 
 
 '?,i 
 
?^7^ IcftB GBBAT LOVEPEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 
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 turnkey and prisoner. The oflScer was to gd to 
 tibie gaol unexpectedly ; to go during the night/ 
 On that yefy night 1 had le^ave of absence. I 
 was at home, but I could not sleep;. no, not 
 
 ' at all I I heard a voice repeat, over and ovef^ 
 again : * The gaol, the gaol ; you must go nt)j7.' 
 I listened ; I obeyed ; walked rapidly down the 
 quiet streets of the city, reached the prison — 
 
 jp awoke the gaoler (who having no liking for being 
 disturbed in his sleep at so late an hour, blamed 
 me for coming at all). . I, however, knew what I 
 
 • was about^ and hurried to my cell. Shortly after- 
 wards the government officer came. Addressing ' 
 the turnkey, he inquired : * Are all the' prisoners^ 
 
 .safe ? ' i Yes.' * Is John Buny^n safe ? '"*»_ 
 .' Y^s.' 'Let ma se6 him.' I was brought; the 
 officer was satisfied, and returning, reported all • 
 was right. On his retiring, th^ turnkey said to 
 mef, *You may go out again when you think 
 proper; for you know when to return better ^ 
 
 . than I can tell you.' Truly the angel of the 
 Ljdtrd enc^fleth around-* them that fear Him. 
 Fro^ prison, ho^jvfivey, JUw at length released. 
 
 V Forth I canle'fro4r(iy ^Kude, only. to spread . 
 'more -vyidely |fch§ principles for the promulgation 
 -df which I had beep imprisoned. I became the" 
 pastor of th€! Baptist c^rtrch at Bedford, where 
 
 
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 IHEOREAT lidVEFBAST IN HEAVBN. 73 
 
 I pcoclftiiil^^ the unsejurchable riches of Christ to 
 inyfeltew-men,. The last act of my public life 
 was to reconcile an offended father to hia son. 
 Baring the joumej; I was drencjied ; fever ensued, 
 d then dee^th. 'I was called to pass through 
 [e rivpr over which there is no bridge. On 
 rjaching the g^s of this gloriotis city,' the trum- 
 announeed loudly, my 'i^rival, and as I 
 onfcered, I was • transfomied— was clothed with . 
 raiment |White as snow— and heard a multitude 
 of voices"' saying :/ Snter, thou into the joy of 
 thy Lord.' T^en, as witti the sound of many 
 waters, and ^s the voice of maiiy thunderings, 
 ascended : ♦Blessing, and hon^r, and glory, 
 and power, be unto Him that 'sitteth upon the ■ 
 throne; and unto tiie Lamb for ever and ever.' 
 After these' things, I beheld a glofious company, . 
 all bright in -their own kwffable felicity. I said 
 unto one of the elders : * Who are thos? arrayed 
 in 'white robes by the side of Knox and Latiini^jr?' 
 And he said unto me, • Bir, these are the Pilgrim^ 
 Fathers.' " Scarcely had tjie words passed from 
 his lips, when John Bbadfobd rose, who said :— t 
 / *♦ Most \oi ypu-wiii ttave heard of the trial of 
 ^our faith.* How I and' forty-ohe of my brethren, ^ 
 with our families, were necessitated ta leave th^ 
 land of our birth, and seek an asylum beyond 
 
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 7^4#Tri| OKEAT LOVEI^EAST IN IIBAVKX. 
 
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 tHp aea8/b^au5ti^^^0 could not conscientiously 
 coniform to tjlf© festfeblished religion of the State. 
 We foun^ it difficult at all times to reconcile the 
 : io^e of dpSl with^ihe dispensations of His pro- 
 ^idteaco ;*)but what then appeared intricate and 
 ^mysteriouk has beota revealed. Our migration 
 ; was/by t^e effectual working of the Holy Spirit, 
 tio mean«()^oJ turning many from darkness to light, 
 - and feomj the power of Satan to God. To Thee, 
 Lord, We would give thp glory." ^ 
 
 After Bradford had spoken, the mighty con- 
 course r#e, and cast their crowns at the feet of 
 Jesus, i^dAvith harp and voice sung the ado- 
 ral^on hymn, which increased in. inajesty and , 
 j^wer, till Mount Zion shook to the surges of 
 (the heavenly minstrelsy. Long after the celes- 
 tial choristers had laid aside their instruments, I 
 could hear the strains of sacred harmony rever- 
 ' berating. like the distant murmur of an ocean 
 
 tempest among the everlasting hills. 
 
 "' MaHgabet Wilson, the maiden mwrtyr of 
 
 Scotland, next rose, and aaid: ''When I lived 
 
 i upon the earth, it was a dark period of suffering 
 
 2^io the saints in Scotland. You have heard of 
 
 the holy covenanters, many of whom perwhed 
 
 /at the stake for their principles. We used to 
 
 meet fpr •divine, worship in the caves of the 
 
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 THJ^ (JREAT LOVKFEAST IN HSAVEK. .75 
 
 mountains, and upon the seashore; and there, 
 amid mountam and ocean-solitude, we poured 
 out our souls to God. Being zealous for the 
 Lord of hosts, and not being ashamed to 45on- 
 fess Him before men, I was arrested and haldd 
 to prison, and was afterwards tried and con- 
 demned to death for my fwth. Many of you 
 here have a vivid srecollection of the closing 
 \ scene of my life." At this moment one? of the^ 
 covenanters rose, and asked to be allowed to de- 
 scribe the last moments of this glorious heroine. 
 •' Imagine," said he, ** you stand upoii the shore 
 I of the Solway Forth; the tide is flowiug rapidly 
 * in, the shore is crowded with groups of weepi»g 
 spectators; their' eyes are fixed on two objects 
 out on the wet sands; -there, two wompn are 
 tied fltst. by their arms and legs to a stake,- 
 Many -a prayer is now going up to heaven to 
 ' Christ, for Hito to help them in this dreadful 
 hour of need. The elder of the two is staked 
 fdrthest out. Margaret, the young mwrtyr, stands 
 bound a fair sacrifice near the shore. The big 
 billows now come rolling on, hissing to' tlieu* 
 naked feet, death riding on the mountain'surgc ! 
 The waters rise higher and higher, till, amid a 
 scream and cry of horror from the shore, the 
 lessening form of her that had death first to 
 
 :-\i 
 
 •V 
 
 *v / 
 

 76 
 
 THE OlfiEAT LOVEPEAST IN HEAVK». 
 
 face, is lost i^yjlS fo«m of tte surging wave I 
 It recedes, b^^nly to returft/agaiiii and now 
 the sufferer i|a|tep)ing fidr breafli ; the next wave 
 dashes i||^^Sg prayer irdm^ier lips, and all is 
 over. ^E«ror, Margaret's trial, «.nd her noble 
 
 'ansv^er. ^ner iife|derers approach, and ask, 'What 
 see you yonderT' pointing her att^entipn to her 
 companiop in the agonies of -death/ ^ Oh ! ' she 
 ^said, wittl a sniile, -' I gee Christ suffering in orir 
 pf His membexa. * Noble answer ! The Uam^^ 
 rase higher an4 higher, and' soon tiie spirit of 
 Margaret left its sea-washed tenetnent to join her 
 coihpanion before the throne." The martyrs 
 now rose, and cried with a loud voieo, **Unto 
 
 • Thee, Lord, unto Thee, we would ascribe the 
 
 glory." : • , ' 
 
 After ,the martyrs sat down, John Wesley, ■ 
 the father of Methodism, rose ; on either si^e of 
 ^fln sat an arrt^ of worthies, as glorioas as 
 mortal eye ever beh,eld. Mr. and Mr^ Wesley, 
 Charles "Wesley, the Countess of IfttiitiB^on, 
 John Fletcher and Mrs. Fletcher, Sdmnel D^is, 
 'Edward Payson, Jonaihan Edwards, M&Cjs.^'Fry, 
 Mrs. 'Sherman, George Whitfield, Hervey, Coke, 
 John Nelson, Oliver, Clarke^ Watson, Benson, 
 Smith,, Stoner, Bramwell, NiBwton, and Shaw 
 the martyr of Pgi, besides a great number more; 
 
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 THE OBKAT .LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 77 
 
 Wesley^ turning to Whitfieu), said: "I am 
 glad to Bee theo here! How can it be that I, 
 who was an heir of death, and a slave to sin, 
 should find favour in the eyes of the Lord?" 
 My brother," replied Whitfield, ^' it is all of 
 '•grace." "True," said Wesley, " it is by grace 
 we are saved. As I look around, and see so 
 many here who Tfreie once my companions in 
 the vale of tears, my joy is mdescribable. I 
 must acknowledge the result of our labours has 
 far exceeded . my most sanguine expeot^ions. 
 ^ As most of you know, it was at a most critical 
 epoch of the -British nation when Mefliodism 
 took its rise, as a seed from the celestial para- 
 dise, planted by the infinitely wise Husbandman 
 in the garden of Europe, watered by the enrich- 
 ing streams that flow from under the threshold 
 ofthesS^tuary. It grew and spread its branches 
 as the me that yielded her fruit every month, 
 and. whose leaves w^e for the healing of the 
 nations; it rose as a luminous mountain, to« 
 dignify the era' of its commencement, and the 
 place where it appeared. It extended its base 
 until it became commensurate with the shores 
 of 'the British isles. Not restrained to these 
 limits, it spread oyer sea and land, it rose higher 
 and higher, until its' summits reache^d the alti- 
 
I/-. ■ <•> 
 
 78 THE ORBAT L0VEFBA8T IN HEAVEN. 
 
 tude of the skies, and was crowned with tho 
 stars of heaven — not stars created for a limited 
 duration, but such as shall shine without end f 
 for they who turn many to righteousness, shall 
 shine as the siars f<?r ever and ever. Its light 
 diverged to the east and to the west, to the north ' 
 
 a nnd to' the south ; its resplendent beams stretched 
 over the empires of the world, to, enlighten the 
 remotest regions of ignorance, superstition, and 
 idolatry, ahd to spread the knowledge of the 
 everlasting gospel amongst those who knew not 
 God. What a grand and elevating thought, that 
 the church that we organised is hourly contribut- 
 ing worshippers to this temple!" «« Yes," said 
 Shaw, "they are coming from Fiji to Zion w^th 
 songs of everlasting joy upon their heads ;" " and 
 from India," shouted Carey ; " andfrom China," , 
 responded Mormon ; " and from America," cried 
 .Mftwry; "and from London," Huxd. Boidand 
 Hill; * ' and from Yorkshire," exclaimed Dawson . I 
 believe it," responded Sammy Hick. " Yes, my 
 beloved brethren," continued Wesley ; "they are 
 coming from all nations, kindreds, people, and 
 tongues; and ere long the iidiabitants of the 
 
 ;^rocks, and those of the moun^ns, together with 
 Ihe islands of the seas, shail break forth into, 
 singing, • ' The kingdoms of this world are be- - 
 
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 , THE OKBAt L0VHFBA8T IN H»AVEN. " 70. 
 
 como the skingdoms' b( our God> and of His 
 Christ.'" 
 
 Wesley took off his crown, and cast it At the 
 feet of Jestw, and the whole assembly cried with ' • 
 a loud voices '* Thou art worthy, Lord, to. re- 
 ceive glory, aiid honcjdr, and power ; for Tljou 
 i hast redeemed us wi^ Thy blood 1 " , • 
 
 After this, Hugh Bourne, the founder of the 
 1»rimUive Methodist Chur<?h, rose, and recited 
 many of the scenes in his earthly history, in 
 which several of thoise around him 'had taken 
 an important part. As ho proceeded, a, deep 
 Tcsponse of approval^ . ■ /. 
 
 Rgse Hkc a stream of rich di^Hed perfume, 
 
 And Btolc upon the air, -/' • - 
 
 • >■•■•«. 
 
 • ■ ' ■ n -^ 
 
 e 1 ■ 
 
 As he spake of the triumplis of the cross wit- 
 nessed by himself, the effect wfls iudescribable ; 
 wave after, wave of sacred emotion passed over 
 t^e vast col^gregation, till it seamed to move and 
 sway to arid fro, as the trees of the forest arc , 
 moved by the -^nd. He also gave a graphic 
 description of the liist stage jn his earthly jour- 
 ney ; how by divine grace he was enabled to * 
 triumph over the lasl; enemy. "It was blessed 
 dying," said he. "As I crftssed the river I saw 
 •the compai&ons of my early days,-- in shining 
 
 
 ^ 
 
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 '•1 
 
 •V 
 
 ^> 
 
 80 
 
 TOE OB£AT LOVBFKABX IN HKAVEM. 
 
 raiment, on tho opposite shore, beckoning me to 
 tho abiding scopes o^ their joy; and leaving a 
 testimony behind me that all waH well, I passed 
 through deathi triumphant home. * 
 
 
 More than conqucron at last, 
 H«nj we And our troubles o'er ; 
 
 Wo have all our aufierings pant, 
 Hunger now and thlnt no more. " 
 
 V 
 
 ^Yes?' said the^l&^rtal^owfi87 "^in S 
 m^der clime we 'l^oU— regi^^fliornal day ! '" 
 
 Vhen Hugh Bourne ^^i^mHUh ^^ ^^^^' ^® 
 Pr^cb CoNsoBt r08e^am2Sii|padornod Great 
 Britilin more .Uian Great Britain adomod him^ 
 After! gazing for a moment at the ineflfiible splen- 
 dour around him, he said : '^What are the king- 
 doms of ^^Jie earth, with all their proud magnifi- 
 oencei when compared with the glory of this 
 temple? At my demise the nations*^ wept. T||b 
 heralds that night had called aloud to ihe watch- 
 man, as he paced the lonely tower of Zion, 
 * Watchman, what of the night ? ' his enigmati- 
 cal response was, < The morning come^h, and also 
 the night,'' The^Jshad&ws of the grave folded^ 
 theu" wings and fled, , and the mommg, over 
 Whose radiant brow a cloud never passes, came. 
 But the 9ight came also ; the night of Weeping 
 to my beloved consdrt and children, as they 
 
 ■': ^i 
 
 ; 
 
'^m 
 
 TITE ORKAT LOVWTEABT IN IIEAVB^f . 04 
 
 stood over my wasted form in himontation and 
 wo«. Coujd they have bohold the scenes of sur- 
 passing grandeur that passed bojforo me — the 
 strange glories which struggled through the 
 «louds of humanity — they would have rejoiced 
 rather than wept at my decease ; for their loss is 
 my infinite ^ain. Yes, to die wJ^s gain— on in- 
 ostimablo gain. There is one thought over pre- 
 sent, that is, the ipeeting of my beloved Victoria 
 and dear children in this glorious teoiple, where 
 we shall part no more : . ifi '^ 
 
 Hnfl! HaU! hapi»ydny!'» '^ 
 
 The illustrious speaker sat down amid the sweet- 
 est harmony. 
 ^ The gates of the temple now opened, and a 
 • band of pilgrims entered, and joined in the wor- 
 ship of the saints. 
 
 / 
 
 I a»ked them whence their victory came ; 
 
 Tliey, with united breath, 
 Ascribed th^fa* cottquest ^o the Lamb ; 
 
 They triumph in His death. 
 
 In the tnidstof the heavenly raptures, Jesus 
 rose, and said : " I told My disciples, when as- 
 sembled in Jerusalem, that I was going to pre- 
 pare a place for them ; and you. see, beloved, 
 what I have done.. Behold the elegance of 
 
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 i •IPPLIED IMXOE Ine 
 
 1953 East Mgin Streat ~~^ 
 
 Rochattar. H«w York 14609 USA 
 (716) 482 -0300- Phona 
 (716) 2a«-S989-Fax 
 
82 
 
 THE GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 your mansions, the splendonr of yonr ^thrones, 
 and the dignity of your crowns! The very 
 Btroots of this glorious city are paved with gold. 
 Your companions' are the angels of My Father ,' 
 , in whose presence is fulness of joy, a&d at whoso 
 right hand are pleasures for evermore. 
 
 " Yon may form some idea of the greaHfiess of 
 my Jove, Which calise^Me to quit, these glorious 
 realms, and the adoration of the angelic hosts. 
 It was for /^ybur sakes that I endured the cross ; 
 and now I see the trhvail of My soul, and -anjji 
 satisfied; Follow Me, and I will lead you to liv-. 
 Ing fountains o/ water. Your enemies are all 
 destroyed, death is abolished, and the grave is 
 swallowed up in victory. You shall live in per- 
 fect peace, and eiijoy perpetual bliss; for the 
 ingredients which made your, earthly cup ^o 
 bitter are here unknown." 
 
 As Jesus sat down at the right of His Father , 
 
 Rank upon rank from heaven's high steep, 
 
 : The seraph-legions gorgeous sweep ; * - 
 
 , Still more and more their pomp revealing, 
 
 The golden trumpets Icud are pealing ; 
 
 . V And in the centre blazed the throne ■ . 
 
 ° On \rttich was sat the First Great One. 
 
 What a glorious thought, that when a few 
 more years are gone, we shall join those who 
 formed the greater portion of our happiness in 
 
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M 
 
 the; obbat lovefeast in heaven. 
 
 83 
 
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 timo ! Wo know they cannot como ta as — indeed^ 
 WO' do not dosire their return, however desirous 
 df their society ; bat, if faithful, wo shall bo 
 united to them in that world where no imperfcsc^ . 
 tions or infirmities can'fever again interrupt our 
 joy qr diminish our pleasure. In heaven our 
 associations will be pure, ecstatic, and porma- 
 nent. Do you not feel a longing desire to join 
 that WeSsod society— a society whose eiyoyment 
 is not interrupted or impaired by discordant sen- 
 timents, jarring interests, or by angry feelings ? 
 Horo we are the subjects of sorrow ; we dwell, 
 in houses of clay ; wo are travelling through a 
 region oyer the pathways of which brood the 
 shadows of death, the dread^^parition chilling 
 our very blood,; and at times wo Inro ready to 
 exclaim^ " that I had the wings of a dove ! 
 then I would % awayj^and be at rest." But wo 
 wait patiently till the warfare is past, thecKshall 
 wo join our friends we loved below, in %^ world 
 of incorruptibility and splendour. 
 
 Now, dear reader, what think, you, wheihdr 
 would you live ifor oyer on those heavenly hills, 
 or in the unfathomable deptii^ of darkness and 
 despair? Aro your chosen /companions angels 
 /and saints in glory, or devus in hell ? Quo or 
 the other place must bo /vx)ur home ! Which 
 
 J 
 
■> ■:'■' 
 
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 84 TUB QREAT LOVEKEAST IN IIKAVKN. 
 
 would yott prefer ? Do you «ay, '♦ I would pre- 
 fer heaven "? "Why, aro those whom you 
 love there, and the ciyoymonts and employment? 
 jof that world suited to your taste ? If not, 
 how could you be happy ? think, if you have 
 Jno love to God, how could you with pleasure 
 worship and adore Him ? and if you cannot do 
 this, what portion of His house would suit you ? 
 lEither heaven must bo made to suit your dispo- 
 ifeition, dr your disposition mtfsi be made to sujt 
 #> I iheaven: but heaven is a kingdom that cannot 
 be moved, therefore the change paust be in you. 
 •♦ Except a man be born again, he cannot see the 
 kingdom of God ;" he must have his natural 
 enmity against God removed, or he can .never 
 enjoy happiness in His presence, and join '^ the 
 celebration of His praise. 
 
 If you aro meet for the inheritance of ihe 
 saints in light, go on your way rejoicing, keep- 
 ing the good land in view ; then amid acclama- 
 tions of joy you will pass the gates of the 
 celestial city, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, 
 and Jacob, and all SiQ, prophets and apostles, in 
 the kingdom of God. V 
 
 I'm waiting for the summons that oidls my soul to Tlice: 
 I 'm w)iiting for the summons which sets the captive fi-ec : 
 And I long, O how I'm longing, tor that blissful shore, 
 Where the spirit folds its wings m rest for evermore. 
 
 i 
 
TIIU .GREAT LOVEFEAST IN HEAVEN. 
 
 I would not borter Uopca like those for nlj the worldling's joys, 
 S<»klnK lifter earthly idciwuren, lu chlldn u nftr r toys— ^ 
 Who has no hlffhor thoiighto and.alniH thuW;^thfa_po«t world 
 
 affords, 
 Xo w»iilratk)n» of the wml, which thrill its liner conlx. 
 
 Oft in my drennis at night I see the happy lim^l. - 
 
 ^Vhcrc the silviry Htreains arc flowing o'er the Hhiniutc sand, 
 And uufildihg flowen'ts bloom, so b(;autilhl and fair, 
 For no breatli of cjirtli or sin can come to talut them there. 
 
 I SCO the Wowed angels round the Saviour st^id, 
 With all tlic bright jcdeenied from every climt' au<l land ; 
 And the precious " little ones " are nearest to the throne ; 
 < )n them He , bQwdH His loving oyos, and claims ti»tin a-* His 
 own.- * * • 
 
 Sometimes hi my waking hours supb virfoai will arise, 
 And my llstenhig soul can hear the chunes qf Paradise ; 
 'Htc " Celestial City," bright and fair, from " Beulah's Laud* 
 
 is'se^n, •'■*'. 
 
 Hut ah! the river is uncrossed, dark Jonbn roUil^ptweeu. 
 
 Yet I knowihat I should wait w ith patience for ''the tokea" 
 Which bids " the silver cord bo loosed, the ^golden bowl be 
 
 broken," . „ ■ , , '^ 
 
 That sets the Weaiy i^Lsoner free, that calls the wanderer 
 
 home, ,• > 
 
 Then opens wide the i)carly gates. Qh, blessed Lord, say, 
 
 7 "Come!" 
 
 '■^. 
 
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 THE END* 
 
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