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 .l^alltoclmotofacjotjcdjcrt?" 
 
 ■V 
 
 Reir. J. E. (tOPPEIi, OD, 
 
 r 
 
 •T. JOHN, N. B. 
 ..raoanu*" CHCTHIC ^hintiho ahd w.lismiho orrict. 
 
 1894. 
 
[POBEF^fCDDa'if EOdDTTE. 
 
 *^l his Booklet i^ a response to a request from 
 some members of my former congrega- 
 tion to publish the substance of two or three 
 sermons which afforded them solace in bereave- 
 ment. Since the failure of my health, some 
 hours have been gained to give the material the 
 present form. The work has been done with 
 the hope that it may be a rill of comfort to some 
 who in loneliness may soitow for dear ones 
 called to the better land* Its errand is simply 
 to repeat the words of the Heavenly Father to 
 His bereaved children till they reach the land 
 of glad re-union in eternal day. 
 
 J. s. H. 
 
I 
 
 t 
 
t 
 
 C'llAI'TKIC. TAOK. 
 
 I. — Introdiu'torv 8 
 
 II. — The teaching of the ()1<1 Testament as U) 
 
 recognition of friends in Heaven 2-1 
 
 III. — The teaching of our Lonl as to recognition 
 
 of friends in Heaven 44 
 
 IV. — 'J'he teaching of the Apostles as to recog- 
 nition of friends in Heaven 63 
 
 V. — Objections to the doctrine of the recognition 
 
 of friends in Heaven 78 
 
CHffPTBR I, 
 
 Introliuctors 
 
THE HEREAFTER. 
 
 "Where no shadow shall bewilder; 
 
 Where lifers vain parade is o^er, 
 Where the sleep of sin is broken, 
 
 And the dreamer dreams no more ; 
 Where the bond is never severed — 
 
 Partings, claspings, sobs and moan, 
 Midnight wakihg, twilight weeping, 
 
 Heavy noontide — all are done ; 
 Where the child has found its mother, 
 
 Where the mother finds the child ! 
 Where dear families are gathered 
 
 That were scattered on the wild. 
 Where a blasted world shall brighten 
 
 Underneath a bluer sphere. 
 And a softer gentler sunshine 
 
 Shed its healing splendour here ; 
 Where earth's barren vales shall blossom, 
 
 Putting on their robe of green, 
 And a purer fairer Kden 
 
 Be where only wastes have been ; 
 Where a King in kingly glory 
 
 Such as earth has never known. 
 Shall assume the righteous sceptre. 
 
 Claim and wear the heavenly crown- 
 Brother, we shall meet and rest 
 
 ^Mid the holy and the blest. 
 
8 
 
 RECOGNITION OF 
 
 I • 
 
 SORROW NOT CVCN AS'OTHCRS WHICH HAVE NO 
 HOPE."— t Tnkssalomians. 4 : 13. 
 
 Death brings sorrow dark and profound to all 
 who have not the christian's light and hope. 
 The i-est of the world had some hope for the 
 spirit that it might meet and mingle with spirit 
 hereafter, but the body was given up to death. 
 Catulus said : "When once our brief day has set 
 we must sleep one everlasting night," and jEs- 
 culus said : "Of one once dead there is no 
 resurrection." Whatever gleams of hope hea- 
 then philosophers had of the existence of the 
 soul after death they had none whatever of the 
 body. Paul in this his first inspired letter would 
 teach christian mourners that the dead and the 
 living at the coming of Christ would be on 
 equal footing. The resurrection would embrace 
 all who had fallen in the ravages of death, and 
 mourning relatives were offered consolation in 
 the implied thought of the blessed mutual re- 
 cognition of saints that would follow it. 
 
 A singular interest gathens around this sub- 
 ject from the fact that all who live have laid 
 
FKieNI>8 IN IIKAVRX. 
 
 9 
 
 away in the silence of the grave some loved 
 ones. Nature and i*eason may furnish side 
 lights, but the scriptures only can give us safe 
 guidance in our enquiries. The certainty oi' 
 another world is made known to us by revela- 
 tion, and it assures us that : 'lie is not a ^lod 
 of the dead, but of the living for all live unto 
 11 im." It is only to men that the departed 
 seem dead. In the sight of God all are living, 
 and christian luHowships are perfected in the 
 better world. This is no delusion, no phantom 
 of a diseast)d imagination, no beautiful but base- 
 less speculation, it is the plain teaching of Christ 
 and inspired men. The Psidmist longed for it : 
 •'I shall be siitistied when I awake with Thy 
 likeness." The beloved John said : "We know 
 that when He shall appear we shall be like Ilim 
 for we shall see Ilim as lie is." 
 
 Here however at the outset we wish to say in 
 a general way what we shall endeavour to ex- 
 plain and enforce as we proceed. The friend- 
 ships and fellowships which are the blessed pos- 
 session of the redeemed arise not out of the tie* 
 
10 
 
 RK(OGNITU)N OF 
 
 of affinity and blood. These have no stamp of 
 immortality. Animal and instinctive atfections. 
 flesh and blood relationships have no ])lace in 
 heaven. The friendship and attection that is 
 immortal is that which is resultant from our 
 union with Christ. Out of this union arises a 
 communion, and as the subjects of it live for- 
 ev^er, so docs the resultant friendship and fellow- 
 ship. 
 
 All people in all lands and in all ages have 
 held to the belief of recognition hereufter, at 
 least in some vague form. Ancient classical 
 literature is full of it. Homer makes Achilles 
 recognize Agamemnon from whom he learns of 
 events since his death. So])hocles makes Anti- 
 gone in view of a cruel death say : 
 
 '• Oh my deep dungeon I my eturnal lumn' I 
 Whither I go to join my kindred dead : 
 But still I have great hopes [ shall not gt» 
 Unwelcome to my father, nor to th v. 
 My mother! — Dear to thee, Eteoch's, 
 Still shall I ever he." 
 
FHIKNDS IX IIKAVKN. 
 
 11 
 
 Cicero hoped lo meet the depiirtrd Cato who 
 had eheered him with the ho^ that their paH- 
 in^ would not long eontinue. The heathen of 
 more reeent days have held the name helief and 
 to it many of their eustoms ean be traced, as 
 the hiirning of Hindoo widows, who arc sup- 
 j)08ed to attend in the other world their de- 
 i>arted husband. Jew and (Jentile, Greek and 
 Harbarian, Cliristian and Heathen, poet, philo- 
 sopher and orator, the most polished and the 
 most sjivage nations, all have indulged the hope 
 of future iveognition. 
 
 A universal belief is generally accepted as a 
 truth, but there is a peculiarity about this be- 
 lief; it grows upon men as they approach "the 
 bound of life where we lav our burdens down." 
 It intensities in the Christian us he grows in 
 grace, and it solaces him as he looks down the 
 valley and shadow of death. If the belief be 
 not true then heaven is the land of 8trangei*s, 
 and the death of friends is, so far as we are 
 concerned, their annihilation. If the belief is 
 untrue then the comfort which a mourning bouI 
 
12 
 
 HKCOOXITION OK 
 
 takes from it in the sad hours of death and 
 burial is merely the solace of falsehood. It can- 
 not be ; the hope has firm anchorage in the 
 word of God that liveth and abideth forever. 
 
 1. We shall have memory in heaven. In 
 Revelation 1:5, 6, the redeemed in glory are re- 
 presented as rejoicing in the love of the Saviour 
 who washed them in His own blood and made 
 them kings and priests unto God. The themes 
 of reflection and praise in heaven are drawn 
 from transactions in this world. Memory will 
 ever retain the knowledge of the atonement 
 wi*ought on Calvary's cross. 
 
 Memory is necessjiry in this world to preserve 
 the consciousness of our identity through the 
 various stages of life. It links together youth, 
 manhood and old age. It passes through the 
 chasm of death and links together life in both 
 worlds. The story of Lazarus and the rich man 
 (Luke 16 : 25) tells us that the latter in f lades 
 is addressed by Abraham : " Son, remember that 
 thou in thy lifetime receivodst thy good things." 
 Memory" waw still present and suggested to the 
 
KHIRXhf* IN IIFAVKN, 
 
 18 
 
 Hch man that he had five brethern in this world. 
 Paul says: (Rom. 14: 12) 'Each one of us 
 shall give an account of himself to (lod." It 
 could not be done without memory. Christian 
 ministers are represented /'Hebrews 13 : 17) as 
 watching for souls as they that must give an 
 account, that they may do it with joy. Here 
 memory of others actions as well as our own is 
 necessnry to fulfil the responsibilities of life in 
 the other world. Christ came to redeem, not to 
 destroy any essential part of our humanity. 
 Mental and monil faculties clarified from the 
 stain of sin will remain and enhance the glory 
 of the redemption. 
 
 2. The friendships of earth are continued in 
 heaven. Friendship involves pi-eference, and 
 some think that the perfect in heaven will love 
 all alike Heavenly perfection, and preference 
 for kindred spirits, are not inharmonious. Jesus 
 was pei'fect, and showed us in this world some- 
 what of the life of heaven. Whilst He has love 
 for all, He has special and individual likes. He 
 had His chosen fn'endseven among the apostles. 
 
u 
 
 RKCiXiMTION OF 
 
 Peter, JamcH, and John were admitted to special 
 intimacy at the Transfignration, when Jesun for 
 once let His own inherent glory flame forth. 
 Tliey too were the on)}- ones taken with Him 
 into the inner circle of the agony in Gethscmane. 
 And they also were alone permitted to witness 
 His triumph over death when He called back to 
 life the daughter of Jairus. John in terms of 
 peculiar endearment was called "the disciple 
 whom Jesus loved." Of the Hethany family it 
 was said (John 11 :5) "Jesus loved Martha and 
 her sister and Lazarus." And when the sisters 
 sent for Jesus to come, the message bore no 
 name, but with peculiar tenderness was simply 
 "he whom Thou lovest is sick." Jesus shows us 
 that friendships are not sinful, but sinless. He 
 is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 
 When He would give His last message of revela 
 tion to men He chooses the "beloved disciple." 
 In heaven Jesus, as here upon earth, will have 
 those specially endeared to Ilim in the inner 
 circle of His love. This will be effected not by 
 absolute sovereignty, but by a peculiar affinity. 
 
FKIKXDS IN HKAVkN. 
 
 lit 
 
 ,Te8U8 has now as lie had ui^htutMi hundred 
 years ago those specially dear to Him, who by 
 lives of sincere devotion show their intimacy 
 with the Master. 
 
 As Christ had His favi>rites it cannot be Wion^ 
 for us to have ours. It is simply idle to talk of 
 indiscriminate love, without preference. In the 
 range of human experience it has never been 
 developed, and nothing leads us to expect it 
 ever will. Death cannot destrov our sinless 
 likes for it does not change our nature, but only 
 our i>lace. Oui Loixl spoke of Lazarus when 
 dead as "our friend Lazarus." Ijove to chris- 
 tians is implanted in the heart by the Holy Spirit, 
 and the ties of grace are stronger than those of 
 natui*e. What is of the body of flesh and blood, 
 corruptible, will pass away. What is of the 
 soul in its menial and moral aspects, incorrup- 
 tible, must remain. In nature there are varilies 
 of the same species, and each individual of a 
 species has some peculiar maik. So doubtless 
 it will be in the heavenly world. The differ- 
 ences are not imperfections. They will add in- 
 
16 
 
 »K('0(iMTIOK OF 
 
 tercet to the life. Moues will have his raeukness, 
 Samuel his dcvoutneHS, Peter his robust zealous 
 piety, John his sftiritualmindedneHS, Jeremiah 
 his pluintiveness, and Paul will w^ear the appear- 
 ance of one who fought the Lord's battles on 
 many a hard won field. These in all and ever}- 
 age will not lose their sinless peculiarities of 
 mind and spirit. The possession '»f them will 
 not detract from Christ's glory, and it will en- 
 hance the interest of life in that better world to 
 meet and mingle with spints who are not essen- 
 tially new creatures, so far as we are concerned, 
 but the parlies of whom we have learned from 
 God's word, from history, and from personal 
 association. The peculiarities of character will 
 form a base for the cultivation of new individual 
 fellowships while it will not in the h ast detract 
 from love to God and love to all the redeemed. 
 It has been asserted that in heaven we shall 
 be absorbed in univei-sal charity, and preferences 
 will disappear. This we do not find to be a 
 mark of Christian growth in this world. As 
 God's most eminent saints have matured for 
 
H{IKXI>S IN IlKAVKX. 
 
 17 
 
 heaven we do not find them rehixing in strength 
 of art'eetion for the society of those who possess 
 attractions they deem peculiarly Chnstlike. 
 The ties of individual Christian friendship 
 strengthen, as love to all the household of faith 
 increases. The perfect man Jesus had strong 
 preferences, and godly n)en have them, and they 
 increase as they near the heavenly world. There 
 is then the very strong presumptive evidence 
 that heaven is the land of friends, and sundered 
 fellowshi})s sliall be renewed and ripen in all the 
 eternal age. 
 
 AVhat we have so far determined is that men 
 have a belief in future recognition, that memory 
 goes with us as an undying possession, and that 
 friendships are renewed and perpetuated in the 
 heavenly world. 
 
 We propose in subsequent chapters to ex- 
 amine the teachings of the Old Testament, of 
 Jesus Christ, and His inspired apostles Paul and 
 John. 
 
 One has well said : "Ifcaven is presented to 
 us under the idea of a banquet, and much of its 
 
IH 
 
 HKc<M»xrriox of 
 
 comfort must flow from a knowledge of the 
 guests. Imagine yoiii'sulves at a feast where 
 though you may have known many who sur- 
 rounded the table, you ai*e, by some oblivious- 
 ness of mind, ignorant of them all; the incerti- 
 tude in which you are placed robs you of much 
 of your joy; for you are alone. But suppose 
 that the mist rolls away, and that you 
 recognize in the countenances before you the 
 old familiar faces of beloved fnends; at once 
 you become conscious of a felicity of which you 
 otherwise wf»uld have been deprived. So it will 
 be in eternity. Sitting down with Abraham, 
 Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, you 
 will intuitively recognize as your companions 
 those who were the excellent of the earth, and 
 be reunited to those who divided your cares or 
 doubled your joys in this world of mingled sor- 
 rows and delights." 
 
 It is the fii-st duty of all to prepare here, and 
 now, for the world of blessed fellowships and 
 senice. Caesar Borgia dying said : *'I have 
 provided :n the couj(>eof my life for eveiything 
 
Fi<IRM»8 IN IIKAVKN. 
 
 19 
 
 except death; and now, alan ! I am to die, al- 
 though entirely unprepared." Thomas Shep- 
 hard on the day before his death said to Cotton 
 Mather : "My hopes are built on the free mercy 
 of God, and the rich merit of Chnst, and 1 do 
 believe that if 1 am taken out of the world, I 
 shall only change my place ; I shall neither 
 change my company, nor my communion." 
 Eowland Hill when walking down the chapel 
 aisle after preaching there for the last time, in 
 great exhaustion, was heard i-epeating in an 
 undertone his favorite lines : — 
 
 "And when Tni to die, 
 
 Receive me I'll cry. 
 For Jesus has loved me, I cannot tell why ; 
 
 But this I can find : 
 
 We two are so joined, 
 That he'll not be in glory and leave me behind." 
 
CHRPTER il. 
 
 iTIjc trarbing of tljc ©lH Crstamrnt as to 
 rrrognitton of frir ntis in J?fabnu 
 
r 
 
** 1 shine in the light of God, 
 
 His likeness stamps my brow ; 
 
 Though the shadows ot death my feet have trod, 
 
 And 1 reign in glory now : 
 
 No breaking heart is here, 
 
 No keen and thrilling pain, 
 
 No wasted cheek where the frequent tear 
 
 Hath rolled and left its stain. 
 
 I have found the joy of heaven, 
 
 I am one ol its saintly band ; 
 
 To my head a crown of gold is given 
 
 And a harp is in my hand. 
 
 1 have learned the song they sing, 
 
 Whom Jesus has set free, 
 
 And the glorious vaults of heaven ring 
 
 With my new-born melody. 
 
 No sin, no grief, no pain, 
 
 Safe in my happy home. 
 
 My fears are fled, my doubts all plain, 
 
 My hour of triumph come. 
 
 O friends of mortal years. 
 
 The trusted and the true. 
 
 Ye are walking still in the vale of tears. 
 
 But I wait to welcome vou ! " 
 
2-k 
 
 KKCCHiMTIOX OF 
 
 • • MAtNY SHALL COME FROM THE EAST, AND WEST, 
 AND SHALL SIT DOWN WITH ABRAHAM, AND ISAAC, 
 AND JACOB, IN THE KINUDOM OF HEAVEN. "^Matthew 
 e : 11 . 
 
 It i8 here affirmed thul the patriarchs Abra- 
 ham, Isaac and Jacob are intimately associated 
 together in the heavenl}- world, and that many 
 othei*s from all lands shall enjoy their fellow- 
 sliip. Intimacy and communion are assumed 
 and taught. 
 
 Before however examining minutely what 
 revelation says in reference to them let us see 
 what is the character and quantity of the evi- 
 dence we may expect to tind in the Bible for 
 any doctrine. If it be one almost universally 
 held, such as the existence of God, and the re- 
 cognition of saints hereafter, we may expect 
 little direct proof, but many references to it in- 
 cidentally. If however the doctrine be one held 
 by few, if any ; as the resurrection of the body ; 
 or one peculiarly humbling, as human deprav- 
 ity, or one distasteful to men, as salvation by 
 the grace of Jesus Christ ; then in these instan- 
 ces we may exi)ect very abundant and plain 
 
FItlKXDH IN IIEAVKN. 
 
 25 
 
 teaching setting it forth. In this the scripture 
 method is the one followed by judicious writers 
 now. Common beliefs, or those palatable, need 
 little or no argument in a treatise. Incidental 
 and indiiect alluHons are often quite as satisfac- 
 tory proof as plain and direct statements, for 
 the}' show that the subject was so generally re- 
 cognized as not to necessitate positive arguments 
 in its favor. The existence of God, and the 
 immortality of the soul, are doctrines of this 
 class. Atheists and sceptics have often said, 
 prove either of these from the Bible. The an- 
 swer to them is that the Bible takes these truths 
 for granted, and hence gives us no direct and 
 formal argument in their support. Of the same 
 class is the subject we are considenng, the 
 recognition of the redeemed in heaven. Com- 
 panionship after death is taught by Jesus in His 
 reference to the patriarchs, and the writers of 
 the Old Testament adverted to it in their de- 
 scriptions concerning them. 
 
 Genesis 25 : 8. " Abraham died and was gath- 
 ered to his people." What does it mean ? Not 
 
20 
 
 hKCfMJxnioN* ol' 
 
 gathered to his people in ])UiiaI, for bin aiues- 
 tor's graves were in XJr of (hadees. His fath- 
 er's grave was in Ilaran, five hundred miles dis- 
 tant. Abraham's grave was in the field of 
 Maehpelah fourhundred miles further away, lie 
 then was not buried with his ])e()])le. but was 
 gathered to them. ^Vhat reall}' constituted 
 Abraham was ushered into tlie ])le^enee of his 
 people gone before. The ] lirahc carries witli it 
 the idea of communion with the pious dead, on 
 the other side of death. Matthew Henry says 
 in a note on this text : '' iJeath gathers us to our 
 people. Those that are our jicojjle while we 
 live, whether the people of (Jod, or the children 
 of this world, are the peoj»le to whom deatli will 
 gather us." In after days, in the teaching of 
 our Lord, Abraham's bosom became the peculiar 
 resting place ot dying saints. 
 
 Genesis 35 : 29. " And It-aac gave up the ghost 
 and died, and was gathered unto his people, and 
 his sons Hsau and Jacob buried him." He was 
 gathered to his people after death, and lefoie 
 burial. 
 
KltlKNI>H IN IIKAVKN. 
 
 27 
 
 Genesis 49 : 33. "And when Jacob made an 
 end of commanding his sons, be gathered up his 
 feet into the bed and yielded up the ghost, and 
 was gathered unto his people." After yielding 
 up his sj)iiit he was gathered unto his people, 
 and his burial did not take place till after 
 seventy days of mourning in Kgypt, a journey 
 of 300 miles, and a final seven days mourning, 
 l)efore they laid him in the grave in the land of 
 Canaan. After death burial is the tii-st act per- 
 formed for the body, and gathered to his people 
 is the fir^t act recorded of the soul. It is not 
 non-existence, but existence in another sphere, 
 and associations with our people in a world not 
 iess real than that we have known here. 
 
 Deuteronomy 32 : 48-50. "The Lord said 
 unto Moses get thee up and die in the Mount 
 whither tliou goest up, and be gathered unto 
 thy people ; as Aaron thy brother died in Mount 
 Hor, and was gathered unto his people." None 
 of Aaron's people ever died or were buried in 
 Mount llor. His body only filled that lonely 
 grave. His spirit took its flight from that soli- 
 
! 1 
 I ! 
 
 i i '■ 
 
 i 
 I 
 
 28 
 
 hKCOfSNiTlOK <)K 
 
 tude profound away to the lan<i peojiled witli 
 his saintly ancestry to minglt' agaiii in holy 
 fellowships, where Jesus is the Great High 
 Priest, and welcomes all the under shepherds. 
 
 How was it with Moses, the great lawgiver 
 who died on Neho afar from his fathers' sepul- 
 chres. When the death message came to him, 
 although it was a grevious disajjjiointment not 
 to enter the promised land, yet he not only was 
 resigned ; but even acquiesced, and showed his 
 sublime faith in a series of grand and prophetic 
 blessings. God buried his body in the land of 
 Moab over against Beth Peor, and no man 
 knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day, but he 
 was gathered unto his people, not in the grave, 
 but in the spirit world, and long years after he 
 and Elijah came to earth in company to be 
 present at the Transfiguration of Christ. Moses 
 was gathered unto his people and he is with 
 them unto this day, and he knows Elijah, and 
 they together talked of that grandest event in 
 all the world's, or even heaven's history, the 
 sacrifice of the Son of God. Angels desire to 
 
KldKN'bM IN MKaVKN, 
 
 39 
 
 look into this subject, and saintss in /:^loiy lia\^ 
 it as the /grandest theme of their conversation. 
 Genesis ^7 : 35. "I will go down into the 
 grave unto my son mourning." The M'ord here 
 rendered, 'grave," is Sheol, and it is the first 
 lime that it occui*s in the Hible. It means the 
 unknown land beyond this, inhabited by disem- 
 bodied spirits. Jacob says as he refused to be 
 comforted : "I will go down to Sheol (or liter- 
 ally Sheolwards) to my son mourning. Joseph's 
 blood}' coat had been brought to Jacob, and he 
 supposed an evil beast had devoured him. Jle 
 supposed Joseph had no grave, but he believed 
 him to be in existence in Sheol. and he was go- 
 ing to join him. lie certainly expected to meet 
 his son again, recognize him, and enjoy his 
 societ3\ The chilling philosophy of some found 
 no lodgment in Jacob's heart. As he consid- 
 ered his son devoured by some wild beast he 
 could iret no shady comfort from the hoDe of 
 uried in the same 
 
 being 
 
 »pulc 
 
 spt^aks of "the days of the years of my pilgrim 
 
 aire 
 
 and 
 
 ii 
 
 lys lie was ''a sojourner upon 
 
 th< 
 
30 
 
 KKi'OliMTlON OF 
 
 earth U8 his fathers before him." This hiiigiiage 
 implies the existence of a home at the pilgrim- 
 age's end, in 8heol unto (rod, liis people's ''dwel- 
 ling place in all generations." In the great tide 
 of his sorrow the weeping patriarch betook him- 
 self to the highest source of consolation. He 
 looked away to the hereafter home and thought 
 of his lost son, and the blissful meeting in the 
 better world. 
 
 11 Samuel 12 : l9-2:i. 'When David saw that 
 his servants whispered, David perceived that the 
 child was dead ; therefore David said unto his 
 servants, Is the child dead? And they said he 
 is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and 
 washed, and annointed himself, and changed 
 his aj^parel, and came into the house of the 
 Lord, and worshipped : then he came to his own 
 house ; and when he required, they set bread 
 before him, and he did eat. Then said his serv- 
 ants unto him. What thing is this that thou has 
 done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, 
 while it was alive ; but when the child was dead, 
 thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, 
 
MUKNDH IN IIKAVKX. 
 
 in 
 
 While the child wjisyet alive. 1 fasted and wept : 
 for I sai<l. who can tell whether iunl will be 
 irraciouM to ine. that the child inav live ? Hut 
 now he is dc^a*!, wherefore hhould I fast ? can I 
 hrini^ him hack attain ? J shall go to hini. hut he 
 shall not return to nie.'' The acts an<l won Is of 
 David seemed vei'v strange to his friends. As 
 Hoon as the child died David no longei' sorrowe*!, 
 in fasting, lying upon the earth, vexing himself, 
 and refusing to he comforted, lie arose as oni^ 
 imto whom wondrous consolation had been 
 brought, he washed, annointed himself, changed 
 his apparel, came into the house of the liord, 
 worsljip|>e<l, went to his own house, and ate 
 brea<l. This all is the conduct of one who had 
 Huddenl3' been relieved from crushing sorrow. 
 The answer to the servants explains his conduct 
 "/ shall go to hint.'' His child, in his belief, di<l 
 not cease to be. He was only separated from 
 him by tlie brief sj)ace of the remainder of his 
 earthly life. David's comfort arose not from 
 the hope of being buried with his cliild. He 
 must have referred to going to the spirit of the 
 
32 
 
 l<KCO(iMTI<>N OK 
 
 departed little one, for the body was 3 et with 
 him. He looked forward to the day when they 
 should beasMociated together in the blitssful life. 
 David says : "The Spirit of the Lord spake by 
 me, and his word was in my tongue" Js it not 
 reasonable lo suppose that Jhese words by which 
 he comforted himself were prompted by the 
 Holy Spirit for the instruction and comfort of 
 sorrowing onep, till the day when they shall 
 mingle in the general assembly and church of 
 the firet born whoso names arc written in heaven. 
 
 It will be noted that many of the old patii- 
 archs and prophets did not deal in vague gen- 
 eralities. There was a distinct personality in 
 their yearnings and hopes. Jacob in speaking 
 of Joseph says : " / and my son." David says 
 of his child : " / shall go to hiin." It was riot 
 simply the meeting of two happy spirits, but 
 the union of father and son, and the resumjHion 
 of important earthly fellowships . 
 
 The Old Testament passages noticed teach 
 incidentally, but none the less certainly that 
 the ancient worthies believed hi a hereafter 
 
I'KIKNDS IN IIKAVKX, 
 
 S8 
 
 blessed ilwellin^ place with (iod. In the attlie- 
 tions Ihat by death befell them from time to 
 time, they looked iip through their t(ars to the 
 eongregati(m of their people with God, arul 
 solaeed themselves with the hope that they soon 
 should join them in that land of the living. 
 
 If such be the teaching of the Old Testament 
 with regard to the good, what is it concerning 
 the bad ? Do lost sinners know each other in 
 the hereafter world ? 
 
 Isaiah 14 : 0. "Hell from beneath is moved 
 for thee to meet thee at tliy coming; it stirreth 
 up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of 
 the earth; it luith raised up from their thrones 
 all the kings of the nations." Tiie word here 
 rendered, "hell"' is "sheol," meaning first, the 
 world of disembodied spirits, and subsequently 
 according to the character of the spirits their 
 place of haj)piness or misery. In this passage 
 it is well rendered, "hell." The haughty King 
 of Babylon, who went forth against the nations, 
 and ti*od them down beneath an iron heel, and 
 arrogated to himself the power of God, is repro- 
 
 h 
 
 r 
 

 :I4 
 
 |{K(-<><iMTI(»N OF 
 
 Monted ji8 ^oiiig down into hell, and making 
 thcio a profound McnHation. The chief onc8 and 
 kingH of the nations in bitter Harcanni and re- 
 pi'oael) insult the former despot, and contrast 
 his eartldy station of magnificence with the 
 wretchedness and helplessness of the common 
 lot of lost souls. One thing is taught in this 
 representation and tluit is, that the lost have the 
 ])ower of recogniti(m, and that it contributes to 
 their misery. 
 
 Kzekieiai: 1«-18. "I made the nations to 
 shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him 
 down to hell (sheol) with them that descend 
 into the pit : and all the trees of Kden, the 
 choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink 
 water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of 
 the earth. They also went down into hell with 
 him unto them that be slain with the sword- 
 and they that were his arm, that dwelt under' 
 his shadow in the midst of the heathen. * * * 
 thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised 
 with them that be slain by the sword. 
 
 The King of Assyria is here represented as 
 
KltlKNbs IN IIK.AVkX, 
 
 iib 
 
 caHt down to Hbeol, into the pit, and <dncrH ii)- 
 ferred to, jis trees of K<len and Lebanon, consort 
 with him in the nether jmrts of* the earth, eawt 
 down into hell, naniely those that were his arm, 
 his supporiers, and those that dwelt under liis 
 shadow, liis helpers and tools of his tyranny, to- 
 j^et her they lay in the midst of the uneircuni- 
 cised, that is among the unclean, rejected, and 
 sej>arated from (Jod. The arrogant, godless 
 monarch with his e(pially godless associates and 
 dependants, mingle together in tiie world of the 
 lost in gloomy an<l wretclu'd com])anionship. 
 
 Kzckiel 33 : 17-21, 31. We have here a fu- 
 neral dirge for Pharaoh. Kgypt j)ei'soniHed in 
 its political head is reju'cscnted as passing into 
 the woes of retnbution, cast into the nether 
 parts of the earth, into the pit, and laid with 
 the uncircumcised. The spirits of departed 
 tyrants are i-epresented as speaking to Pharaoh 
 out of the midst ol hell, and giving him a taunt- 
 ing welcome. On the other hand Pharaoh is 
 represented as seeing them and taking a fiendish 
 kind of comfort in .seeing those who had been 
 
 
.><> 
 
 .)(> 
 
 I{K( <)<iXITI<>X OF 
 
 sharers of his crimes partiikei's of his torments. 
 This hovvt'Vtr is a ]H)or comfort. The rich man 
 of whom (Christ taiigl t dreaded the association 
 of fellow sutterers. Tyrants care little for the 
 hatred of any in this world so Umg as I hey 
 are feared. In the lost world they will have the 
 hatred, but no fear. They will be stun«^ Avith 
 the taunt of the lowest and vilest, thou art 
 weak as we and become like unto us (Isaiah 
 U: 10). 
 
 These three passages as well as othei-s that 
 might be adduced teach the terrible truth of 
 mutual recognition and companionship in the 
 lost world 
 
 As against the full force of these passages 
 some may urge the fact that they are highly 
 Hguiative and poetical representations. That 
 however does not make them falsehoods. In 
 fact Ezekiel introduces both his terrible repre- 
 sentations with : '-The word of the Lord came 
 unto me, saying." — As a fact the Holy Spirit 
 has employed all kinds of com])osition to set 
 forth truth. Of one fact w^e may be assured 
 
 I: ' 
 
F HI ENDS IN UKAVF.X. 
 
 37 
 
 that Iho figurative ivpresontalions of uuseen 
 things fall within the truth rather than beyond 
 it. Heaven is grander than the glowing de- 
 scriptions of the A pocalypse. Hell is more fear- 
 ful than over prophet portrayed it in terrible 
 imagery, more hopeless and prolonged than the 
 figures of an un<lying worm and quenchless Hre 
 used by our Lord can adequately set forth. 
 One thing, dear reader, I entreat of you, lessen not 
 the blessedness of life with Abraham, Isaac and 
 Jacob, and the hopeless despair and misery of 
 life with the godless and vicious of all ages be- 
 cause the descriptions in some instances are 
 l)oet '. and figurative. 
 
 Does anyone have a desire to escape from the 
 avenger of blood, and the lost world to which 
 he impels ? There is still a city of refuge. The 
 Lord is a strong tower into which the righteous 
 flee and are safe. Is anyone attracted by the 
 home life and social joy of heaven ? You can 
 have it for the asking. Jesus grants the neces- 
 sary fitness. He can give you a heart to enjoy 
 Christian society here on earth, an indispensibl6 
 
FV 
 
 an 
 
 ItKCOGNltlOK OF 
 
 I 
 
 condition, and then you are sure to have and 
 enjoy it in the heavenly world. Abraham will 
 love to welcome you, and ask about the trials of 
 your faith in these latter days. To you, Jacob 
 will delight to unfold the wonderful story of 
 his prevalence with God in prayer. The Pro- 
 phets too, will tell of the days of trial when 
 they stood as divine mes8eMgoi*8 to set forth 
 the warnings and promises of God. The ends 
 of the earth meet in the world whei-e the 
 many come from the east and the west and 
 the north and the south, and the old, old story 
 in all its varied settings is told in the experience 
 of the great multitude whom no man can 
 number. 
 
 " Come let lis join our friends above 
 
 That have obtained the prize, 
 And on the eagle wings of love 
 
 To joys celestial rise : 
 Let all the saints terrestrial sing, 
 
 With those to glory gone ; 
 For all the servants of our King 
 
 In earth and heaven are one. 
 
KHIKXDS IN IIKAVKN. 
 
 Our old companions in distress 
 
 We haste again to see, 
 And eager long for our release 
 
 And full felicity ; 
 Kven now by faith we join our hands 
 
 With those that went before ; 
 And greet the blood besprinkhMl bands 
 
 On the eternal shore." 
 
 39 
 
 ■^-^'(Hx-'^^^&^.'iy-o 
 

 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Cfje teacljing of our lorlr as to 
 recognition of fricnlis in firaben. 
 
 I;i 
 
m 
 
 m 
 
*' Ilvaven is nearer than mortals think, 
 
 When they look, with a trembling dread. 
 At the misty future that stretches on 
 From the silent home of the dead. 
 
 "Tis no lone isle on a boundless main. 
 
 No brilliant but distant shore, 
 Where the lovt;ly ones who are called away 
 
 Must go to return no more. 
 
 No — heav<>n is near us ; the mighty veil 
 
 Of mortality blinds the eye, 
 I'hat we cannot see the angel bands 
 
 On the shore of eternity. 
 
 The eye that shuts in a dying hour 
 
 Will open the next in bliss ; 
 The welcome will sound in the heavenly world 
 
 Ere the farewell is hushed in this. 
 
 We pass from the clasp of mourning friends, 
 To the arms of the loved and lost ; 
 
 And those smiling faces will greet us there 
 Which on earth we have valued most. 
 
 I know when the silver cord is loosed, 
 
 When the veil is rent away. 
 Not long and dark shall the passage be 
 
 To the realms of endless day." 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 I 
 
44 
 
 UKOO«»X1TI<»\ OK 
 
 • t 
 
 EVERY O C THAT HATH FORSAKEN HOUSES, OR 
 BRETHREN. OR SISTERS. OR FATHER. OR MOTHER, OR 
 WIFE. OR CHILDREN. OR LANDS FOR MY NAME SAKE. 
 SHALL RECEIVE A HUNDRED FOLD. AND SHALL INHERIT 
 EVERLASTING LIFE.—Mattmkw 19 : 29. 
 
 Our Lord had just lold the apostles that they 
 should have a distinguished place in the new 
 heavens and the new earth and they in 
 company with Him should have important 
 duties to perforin. In the text the promise 
 is enlarged and takes in everyone who 
 has fulfilled the conditions of entrance into 
 the kingdom. Whatever has been sacnficed 
 shall be restored in a higher and more abundant 
 manner, even an hundred fold with life ever- 
 lasting. We know what life has been in this 
 world. It is the same in the world to come, 
 with certain subtractions and additions. The 
 purel}' earthly or animal properties and re- 
 lations cease, but those arising from our union 
 to Christ, and each other as his servants, are 
 not only retained but inttnsified and increased. 
 Heaven is the world of purer life, of added 
 knowledge, and multiplied pleasure. To be 
 
 i 
 jji 
 
KltlKNl>8 IN IIKAVK.V. 
 
 4o 
 
 tlioro will be to enjoy life in the highest forms 
 possible to glofiried huinunity. 
 
 At the creation God Haw thut it was not good 
 for man to be alone. A hermit's life must of 
 necessity be of a very low type. A monastic 
 life is a parody upon Christianity, an«i a mon- 
 strocity. The social element is one of the most 
 pleasing features of earthly life, and all the 
 figures setting forth heaven include the social 
 .idea Heaven is called a kingdom ; it has tub- 
 ects — a city; it has inhabitants closely associ- 
 ated — a temple ; it has worshippers commingling 
 their pi*aises and their prayers — a family ; it has 
 sons and daughters united in lovii g fellowship. 
 In the end Christ sends His angels to "gather 
 together His elect," and then they sit down with 
 Hihi, and each other, and 'all the prophets.' 
 Heaven is a father's house of many mansions, a 
 place suited in capacity and adjustment to the 
 tastes of its redeemed occuj)ants. 
 
 Our Lord in His representations concerning 
 the final judgment makes very distinct our in- 
 dividuality It descends to one of ''the least of 
 
 
 fi 
 
 ^ 
 
 
u\ 
 
 HKClHiSiriOS OF 
 
 thcMc my brethren." (Matthew 25: 40. 45.) 
 "Kvery idle word that men shall 8i)eak they 
 sliall give an acconnt thereof in the day of 
 judgment." (Matthew 12 : 36.) The unjust 
 steward is ordered : '-give an account of thy 
 stewardship " Luke 16 : 2.) In a tribunal 
 where individuals are arraigned, and the minut- 
 est points of their past historj^ pass in review, 
 there must be recognition of the parties be- 
 cause much of one's life has refei-enco to othei's. 
 Very often our associates are partakere of our 
 crimes, and as christians our fellow laborers 
 are share i*8 of our joys. A judgment such as 
 Christ tells us is coming necessitates knowledge 
 and recognition of each other. In fact our 
 Lord plainly asserts this. (Matthew 12: 41, 
 42.) The men of Ninevah retain their identity, 
 and knowledge of Jonah, and of the reforma- 
 tion under his preaching. They know also and 
 recognize the sinners of Christ's day, and are 
 cognizant of their guilt and condemnation ; for 
 they rejected a greater than Jonas, even Christ. 
 There* are degrees of guilt, and conse quent de- 
 
1 
 
 KltlKNI>S IN IIKaVKN. 4< 
 
 }f\'Qki6 of punishment in the future world ; but 
 the crowning sin of all is the rejection of Christ. 
 A refusal to accept help out of sin is niore fatal 
 than any form of immorality however grievious. 
 The Queen of the South appears as an indivi^lual 
 beanng witness to the wisdom of Solomon, and 
 the greater wisdom of i'hrist. 
 
 In the parabhs of our Lord much light is 
 thrown on the subject we are considering. It 
 is hardly necessary ]>erhaps to premise the re- 
 mark that parabolic teaching is quite as certain 
 and definite as any other, and yet it may bt^ 
 well b' add a word or two on this point because 
 the tendency to set aside scriptui*e teaching be- 
 cause of its figurative chaiacter is so common. 
 The parable is something more than a mere 
 illustration, ft is made by our Lord on the 
 recognition of a resemblance or analogy between 
 the natural and spiritual worlds. The earthly 
 tabernacle was made after the jmttern seen in 
 the mount. John Milton s^ays : 
 
 "What if earth 
 Be but the shadow of* heaven and thin<rs therein 
 Kach to other like, more than on earth is thonj^lit." 
 
 I { 
 
: 
 
 
 Ij- 
 
 48 
 
 KK('04iMT10K OK 
 
 Then^ is doiib(lei>>8 this likcnet^B which requirod 
 only the master hand of Jesus to portray. 
 
 In this light parables ait) arguments for, and 
 witnesses to the truth. The ty|je and the thing 
 typified are linked together by an inward neces- 
 sity, u kind of scci*et affinit}'. The parable of 
 the sower shows this clearly. He who scatters 
 the seed on different kinds of ground st'oking 
 for a harvest aptly sets forth the work of the 
 gospel messenger who tells his message to all 
 kinds of people who ivceivo it as wayside, ston", 
 t horny, or good ground hearers. 
 
 The parable of the talents, Matthew 25 : l4- 
 liO, shows us that in some important respects 
 the next life will take complexion from the 
 manner of the life here. I refer not to the 
 character of the present life simply, for that 
 culminates with those who had five and two 
 talents in "the joy of the Lord" and with him who 
 had one in " outer darkness " where is " weep- 
 ing and gnashing of teeth ; " but I refer to the 
 differences of life in heaven which the ten and 
 four measures indicate, as well as the one in the 
 
F|{|KM>S IX IIKAVKX. 
 
 41) 
 
 ]«)Ht world. In heaven all arc not alike, and 
 llie ditt'erenees there are tho result, not of arbi- 
 trar}' decree siniply. hut oi' unfolding life begun 
 and practiced here. In the lost world, too, the 
 Lord would teach um that non-use is u sin as 
 much as misuse, neglect is a sin as great as dis- 
 ol»ediencc. and that it shrivels up the soul's 
 ])owers and leaves it to the grossest forms of 
 evil. 
 
 The parable of the pounds in Luke 10 : 12- 
 27 sets forth a similar truth. One pound is 
 increased by its possessor in use, till it amounts 
 to ten, and in tic final reckoning gets also tho 
 pound unused by the other. Multiplied ability, 
 possessiorjs, and eidarged sphere comes to one 
 who is '• faithful in <i eery little.'' If the grand 
 acquisitions of some saints here are a very little 
 what must tho fulness of future glory be ! 
 
 The parable of the unjust steward is emphatic 
 in its utterance as to the friendships of earth 
 being extended to the heavenly wM)rld, and grati- 
 tude having a ])lace in redeemed souls, not only 
 for the Saviour, but for earthly benefactors. 
 

 F 
 
 ! 
 
 ! It 
 
 
 
 
 
 if, 
 
 1 ;!■ 
 
 i \i 
 
 1 
 
 M 
 
 I > \ 
 
 i i 
 
 I' 
 
 ..•v 
 
 TjO 
 
 ItKCOOMTlo.V OF 
 
 Thotje whom one has served on earth constitute 
 a company to give an abundant entrance or 
 welcome to the societj'of the redeemed in glory. 
 (Luke 16 : 9.) A siinihir teaching our Lord 
 gives without a parable when he says the one 
 giving a cup of cold water only in the name of 
 a disciple shall in no wise lose his reward. 
 
 One other of the parables, so called, must be 
 mentioned not only because its teaching is so ex- 
 plicit, but because thosc^ who seek to evade its 
 common and literal meaning have endeavored in- 
 geniously to explain it awaj*. I refer to that of 
 the rich man and Lazarus Luke 10 : 19-31. 
 An allegorical interj)retation has been suggest- 
 ed and urged by. which the rich man is made 
 to represent the Jew, and L:»zarus the Gentile. 
 As opposed to this it may be stated that it is 
 vor}' doubtful whether the discourse is a parable. 
 In fact the burden of evidence seems against 
 the supposition. It is nowhere called a parable 
 and our Lord's usual custom was to mdicate 
 parables thus : "Hear ye the parable ot the 
 sower," or " He spake a parable unto them." 
 
KKIKNDS IN UKAVKV. 
 
 51 
 
 Om* Lord introduces thin discoui'se in the man- 
 ner of veritable history : " There was a certain 
 rich man, an<l there was a certain beggar." It 
 does not appear in the dress of allegory. It is 
 a chapter out of real life. Trench says : " If 
 the ordinary interpretation be the right one, it 
 is certainly not, in the strictest sense of the word 
 a parable.' Calvin believed it to be a historical 
 narrative, and says to opponents : " Let thom 
 ])roduce even one passage from Scripture whoi'e 
 anyone is called by name in a parable." Many 
 others hold the same view. 
 
 This parable or narrative, whatever we may 
 call it, has an obvious meaning. It brings im- 
 mortality to light. It lifts the veil between this 
 and the other worlds. It runs one life thi-ough 
 to its happy abode, and another to its place of 
 torment. It certifies that we shall retain our 
 memory, and thus know oui-selves, that we shall 
 recognize those known on earth, and that saints 
 shall have intimate fellowship with saints. It 
 seems also to teach there shall be recognition 
 between saved and lost, but no fellowship. 
 
A2 
 
 UKCCMJXITION Ol" 
 
 lit 
 
 In fino all these panibles teach tliat eaeh olio 
 is reckoned with hereafter on the pi'inciplew of 
 individual responsihility. and an no life is abso- 
 lutely dissevered from all others, there must be 
 others considered in the reckonini;', atul we 
 must know Ihem. an<l thev us, that ail unw see 
 the award made in riiifhteousness. 
 
 Tlie miracles of our Lord also shed some lii^ht 
 on the subject we are discussing. Mirack^^ are 
 siii'ns. as well as wonders, and mii^hty woiks, 
 Jesus' miracles attest not oidv the divinity of 
 ills mission, but they indicate the jawjioac for 
 which I[e came. Tliey are lud sim.ply exhibi- 
 tions of power, they bear a moral teacl»in«i,*, 
 No one questions the moral teaching of the 
 healing of the leper. It showed (Mirist's power 
 and willingness to take away sin. Almost all 
 the miracles teach restoration an<l salvation. 
 Only two set forth destruction. The three 
 inirjicles of resurrection teach that .lesus will de 
 stroy sin, and him who has tlie power of death, 
 that is the devil. AVhen Jesus raised the daughter 
 t)f Jair.is (Mark "> : 22-24, :J5-4:j) lie di<l n(»t 
 
MtiKXbS IN iikaVkS. .*>;) 
 
 rloinaiKl that sIjo become u trMvelliiii^ eompanion 
 of the a|)()Stles. lie left Iht with lier j)aivnts. 
 In tiu' case of the son of the widow of Xain 
 (LuUeT: ll-IOj we have an exhihition of the 
 sympathy and power of .lesus, not toward one 
 Just <leud as in the former instance, hut to one 
 as home aWay to burial. lie touched the bier 
 and sjioke the life ^ivin<^ \v»)rd so tliat he who 
 was dead sat up. and began to speak. Then 
 the .Master might have pressed hint into His 
 service, as an attendant on His Jourrieys, but we 
 read that lie delivered him to his mother. On 
 other occa.sions He told the woi'idling. the covet- 
 ous, an<l the voluptuary, there could be no com- 
 promise between (iod and Mannnon. 'if any 
 man will l)e my disciple let him deny himself 
 and take up his cross and follow me." •He 
 that forsakv'tli not all thai he hatii camiot be 
 my disci]>le." In these cases, however, as well 
 us in that of Lazarus left with his sisters, there 
 is a recognition of the sanctity of home, and a 
 high estimati^ put upon its social joy. in each 
 case of resurrection, it was acc(nnpanied with 
 
r>4 
 
 nvA'oa^iiruiS ov 
 
 roHtonition. The raised ones were left in their 
 families, and tears were turned into joy. Is 
 not this prophetic of what we shall witness 
 in the redeemed family after the resurrection, 
 namely that they will be restored to each other, 
 and to Chiist who has redeemed them out of 
 every kindred, and tongue, and people and 
 nation. The christian friendships of this world 
 shall pass through death and resurrection to 
 be followed with restoration in the tearless land. 
 One point more in the life of Christ must be 
 referred to, although incidental allusion has 
 been made to it in treating the Old Testament 
 evidences. I refer to the transfiguration . We 
 have here a scene typical of heaven. Christ 
 was then glorified in His dual nature. Pllijah 
 was there representing a saint glorified in body 
 and soul. Moses was there representing a glori- 
 fied spirit whose body still slept in an earthly 
 grave. Here were the first fruits of all that are 
 in their graves, and those who shall be living 
 upon the earth when Jesus comes a second time. 
 Moses and Elijah knew each other, talked to 
 
I'HiKNhs IX IiK.vVKS. 
 
 
 gcther as intimate friends, and knew .lesus and 
 Jlis great work to be aceomplislied on Calvary. 
 These saints had not known eaoh other here on 
 earth. Elijah lived some six hundred 3'eai*s 
 after the time of iMoses. They had been in the 
 heavenly world together some nine hundred 
 yeai-s and in this time they had become ai- 
 quainted, and extended their knowledge in refer- 
 ence to redemption and its glorious results. 
 
 The apostles knew Moses and Klias, and were 
 enraptui-ed with their conversation. They too 
 have now gone to heaven, and renewed their 
 old acquaintance, for certainly heaven is not a 
 world of less knowledge than this, and though 
 their bodies yet sleep in the tomb, they are 
 similarly situated to Moses, for his is in a valley 
 in the land of Moab, and he. as a glorified spirit, 
 talked with Christ and Elijah, and was tilled 
 with joy to the full. 
 
 We have now seen that our Lord repi'csents 
 heaven as a home, assures us that as individuals 
 we shall appear in the judgment and recognize 
 each otlier. Jn His parables He sets forth that 
 
 11 
 
oG 
 
 l{K< <KJMTH)N <»K 
 
 wc appear hefore (rod in the relatiorifs of* this 
 life and recognize the justne.ss of God'n dealing 
 with ns. The miracles also fors!ia<lovv the same 
 truth, and show the honor (Mnnst attaches to 
 >he social relation ; while the transfiguration 
 gives us a glimj)se of the glorified life, and as 
 we look we are filled with desire for place in 
 that comi)any who have washed theii* rohes and 
 made them white in the blood of the Lanih. 
 
 One |)art of Christ's teaching I have omitted, 
 and that refers to the miserable life of the lost 
 soul in the hereafter worl<l. Mark 1> : 48,45, 
 47. Matthew 25: 4(1. S: 12, 24: 51. -The 
 fire that never shall be quenched," "everlasting 
 punishment," "outer darkness." "weeping and 
 gnashing of teeth." These are terrible descrip- 
 tions of misery involving consciousness and per- 
 sonality and retribution. 1 know of no way of 
 escape from punishment save through the sal- 
 vati«)n of Jesus, and then personal consciousness 
 adds blessedness to our life. "There is none 
 other name under heaven given among men, 
 wherebv we must be saved." This name has 
 
FI{|KN1»S IN IIKAVKN. 
 
 o7 
 
 magic i)()Wt*r. it iiiake?* uh fit for heaven, and 
 then gives it. 
 
 Much of the sorrow of this world arises from 
 the separations made by sin. J>eath is tlie 
 wages of sin. (.^hrist came to take away sin, 
 and the day draws on when "mortality shall 
 he swallowed up of life." (II. Corinthians 5 : 4.) 
 Death has been devouring all, but it shall go 
 <lown in the whirlpool of life. Its separations 
 shall come to an end. Heaven is a home where 
 the whole family gathers, a home not less than 
 the one we have Ijad in this world. There will 
 be the heavenly Father, the Elder Brother, 
 the saints and martyrs of all the ages, and 
 chi'istian friends whom we have known, and 
 whose names are in the book of life. It is to 
 this general assembly and church of the first 
 born that John on Patmos was invited : "Come 
 up hither." 
 
 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. 
 
 And let him that heareth say, Corae. 
 
 And let him that is athirst, Come. 
 
 And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.* 
 
;'■ 
 
 58 RKCOONITIOX OV 
 
 " 'Tis not for irtan to trifle! Time Is sliort. 
 
 And sin is here. 
 ( )ur life is but the falling of a leaf, 
 
 A dropping tear 
 We have no time to sport away the hour: 
 All must be earnest in a world like ours. 
 
 Not 
 
 ha^ 
 
 ij 
 
 many lives but only one nave we, — 
 
 One, only one ; — 
 How sacred should that one life over be ! — 
 
 That narrow span I — 
 Day after day filled up with blessed toil. 
 Hour after hour still bringing in new spoil. 
 
 () life below, — how brief, and poor, and sa«l ! 
 
 One heavy sigh. 
 () life above, — how long, how fair, and glad I 
 
 An endless joy. 
 Oh, to be done with daily dying here I 
 Oh, to begin the living in yon sphere I 
 
 O day of time, how dark I O sky and earth, 
 
 How dull your hue ! 
 O day of Christ, how bright! O sky and earth, 
 
 Each fair and new ! 
 C'Ome, better Eden, with thy fresher green, 
 Come, brighter Salem, gladden all the scene." 
 
CHHPTER IV 
 
 E\)t Emhins of ijjr gpostirs a« to rf= 
 rognitton of frirnHa in Utabtn. 
 
p 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 i 
 1 
 
 ii 
 
 V' 
 
 i 
 
 fl 
 
•* We wept — 'twas Nature wept; hut Faith 
 Can pierce hoyoiul tlio {jhrnin of (h-ath. 
 And in yon woHd, so fair and hrif^ht, 
 Hehohl thee in refulgent lij^ht ! 
 We miss thee here, vet Faith would rathiT 
 Know thou art with thy Heavenly Father. 
 
 Nature sees the body dead — 
 Faith beholds the spirit fled ; 
 Nature stops at Jordan's tidi^ — 
 Faith beholds the other side ; 
 That but hears farewells and si«;hs — 
 Tfhis thy welcome in the skies ; 
 Nature mounrs a cniel blow — 
 Faith assures us it is not so ; 
 Nature never sees thee more — 
 Faith but sees thee jj^onu before ; 
 Nature tells a dismal storv — 
 Faith has visions full of glory ; 
 Nature views the change with sadness — 
 Fa'.th contemplates it with gladness ; 
 Nature murmurs — Faith gives meekness. 
 " Strength is perfected in weakness ;" 
 Nature writhes and hates the rod — 
 Faith looks up and blesses God ; 
 Sense looks downward — Faith above ; 
 That sees harshness — this sees love. 
 
 ii 
 
I' 
 
 t , 
 
 02 
 
 KKCU<iNlTU)N OK 
 
 i 
 
 Oh ! let Faith victorious he 
 Let it reign triumphantly ! 
 
 But thuu art gone ! not lost, but Hown ! 
 
 Shall I ask thee back, my own? 
 
 hack — and leave thy spirit^s brightnesn ? 
 
 Back — and leave thine angel mould f 
 
 hack — and leave those streets of gold ? 
 
 hack — and leave the Lamb who feeds thee ? 
 
 hack — from founts to which he leads thee ? 
 
 hack — and leave thy Heavenly Father ; 
 
 hack — to earth and sin ? — Nay ; rather 
 
 Would I live in solitude ! 
 
 I would not ask thee if I could ; 
 
 hut patient wait the high decree. 
 
 That calls my spirit home to thee I " 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
KM1KM»K IN IIKAVKN. 
 
 !••> 
 I».l 
 
 3*. IB 
 
 ThC whole family in heaven."— CFHcar 
 
 The upoMtle Paul probably know mofe of t\\v 
 heavenly world than any other writer of ti»e 
 Xew TeHtainent ; lor he vva8 cau^^ht up to thr 
 third heaven, even into paradi.se. HiH is the 
 statement of an eyewitness, of a nuin who had 
 experience of that which he taught, lie was 
 not permitted to disclose much, but what h** 
 does give is instructive and consolatory. Like 
 our blessed Lord he lays much stress upon the 
 family relaticm, and home life of the better 
 world, lie speaks of the redeemed as constitut- 
 ing one family, and as being. " no more strangeiN 
 and foreignei*s but fellowcitizens with the saints 
 and of the household of God." The blessed 
 hereafter is a home made up of, " the whole 
 family in heaven." Oh what a wealth of dear 
 association clusters around these two terms, 
 home and family ! They involve recognition, 
 relationship, and most intimate and abiding as- 
 soc'ation. These are not accidents but es-ential 
 elements, and home and family cease to be such 
 when divested of them. One has well said : 
 
(It kk('0(;mtu>x of 
 
 •' My eountrv, sir, is not a sinj^le spot 
 ( )t' such a mould, or fixed to such a oliine ; 
 No, His tlie social circle of my friends, 
 Tiic loved community in which Pm linked, 
 And in whose welfare all my wishes centre."" 
 
 '' Home is the one i)]acein s>ll this world whci'c 
 hearts are sure of each other. Jt is the place 
 of conridence, the place where we tear off the 
 mask of guarded and suspicious coldness which 
 \\\e world foi'ces us to wear in self defence, and 
 wliere we i)our out the unreserved communica- 
 tions of full and confiding hearts. It is the 
 >jK)t wliere expressions of tenderness gush out 
 without any sensations of ackwardness, an<l 
 without any dread of ridicule." 
 
 That the life of the heavenly world includes 
 association Paul had no doubt, for he speaks of 
 our gathering together unto Jesus Christ (IF. 
 Thessalonians 2 : 1), and again of our being- 
 raised up and presented unto Crod by Jesus 
 Christ (11. Corinthians 4: 14). There in the 
 l>etter world we sit together in heavenly places 
 in Chi-ist Jesus (Ephesians 2 : 6). And in writ- 
 
KKlKNbiS IN IIKAVKN. 
 
 (t.t 
 
 ii)g to the ThesHaloiiians (II. 1 : 7*10) he en- 
 courages those who were suftering tribulation 
 with the hope that they should have rest with 
 himself, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed 
 from heaven, to be gloritied in His saints, and to 
 ))e admired in all them that believe. 
 
 A remarkable passage occurs in PuuTs first 
 epistle to the Thessalonians 4: 13-18. ^'But I 
 would not have you to be ignorant, brethran, 
 concerning them that are asleep, that ye sorrow 
 not, even as others which have no hope For if 
 we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even 
 80 them also which sleep in Jesus will (jod bring 
 with Him. For this we say unto you by the 
 woixi of the Lord that we which are alive and 
 remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not 
 prevent (go before) them which are asleep. 
 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven 
 with a shout, with the voice of the archangi 1, 
 |ind with the trump of God : and the dead in 
 Christ shall rise first ; then we whiili are alive 
 find remain shall be caught up together with 
 them in the clouds, to meet the LoiyI in the 
 
!:S. 
 
 ()<; 
 
 KhXOUMTION (>(•' 
 
 air : and w) shall wo ever be with the Lord. 
 Wherefore comfort one another with these 
 words." 
 
 These precious words were given to comfort 
 christians. They are not to sorrow as heathen 
 who have no hope. The bodies of their dead 
 wei-o sleeping in their burial. A cemetery is 
 literally a sleeping place of bodies; and for them 
 there is to be a bringing home to God with 
 Jesus when He comes ; that they and their souls 
 reunited shall be ever with the Lord glorified, 
 in company with those living on the earth 
 when Jesus comes. There is no comfort in 
 these Words for mourners unless the friends 
 lost through death are gained through resur- 
 rection, add bliasful association, and recognition 
 in the world to come. No comfort in the hour 
 of bereave luoHt can flow from the thought of 
 eternal separation, or everlasting non-iecog- 
 nition. Paul would lead christians into comfort- 
 through the hope that : "VVhen Christ who is 
 our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear 
 with Him in iflorv." He also afHrms that chris- 
 
I'lUKMl.s IN HKWKX, 
 
 «•< 
 
 
 tians 'being many are one body in ('lirist. and 
 everyone members one of anoihor." We aiv 
 helpful to each other here, and we shall not In* 
 less BO in the land to which we journe}'. In a 
 dvrcper sense we shall then see and know that 
 we are '' members one of another." in Jiomans 
 8: 17 we are termed "joint hcii-s " that is as- 
 sociate possesscM's. copartnei'S. with (^'hrist. The 
 same word is used in Ephesians 8 : (j, where, 
 speaking of the Gentiles coming into the posses- 
 sion of gospel priveleges, they are termed " fel- 
 low heirs," or copartners. Christians inherit 
 heaven, and are said to be joint heirs with 
 Christ ; whether the figure refers to Jewish or 
 Roman notions of heirship it matters not ; they 
 are copartners in the enjoyment of His glory. 
 The term implies not only knowledge of each 
 other, but endeared participation in the glorious 
 inheritance. 
 
 Paul says further he labored to present be 
 lievers to Christ as their spiritual father. Colos 
 sians 1 : 28. " "Whom we preach, warning every 
 man, and teaching every man in all wis^iom ; 
 
68 
 
 HKCUUMI'lUN OF 
 
 that we may present every man perfect in 
 Christ." And in Philippians 2 : 16 he exhorts 
 them to remain holy and faithful in order that 
 he may rejoice in the day of Christ that he has 
 not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Paul ex- 
 pected to recognize Lydia, and the jailer, and the 
 brethren whom he met at Lydias house and com- 
 forted, during his memorable visit at Philippi. 
 He says also in I. Thessalonians 2 : 19-20 : " For 
 what is our hope, or joy. or crown of rejpicing ? 
 Are not even } e in the presence of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ at His coming ? For ye are our gloiy 
 and joy." Now this recognition is mutual for 
 in II. Corinthians 1 : 14 Paul says : " Wo are 
 your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the 
 day of the Loixi Jesus." Eeciproeal recognition, 
 between the pastor and his flock, is assured as a 
 fact, an inspiration, and a joy. What a stimulus 
 this is for work for Christ. Souls saved are 
 jewels added to the crown. Believers built up 
 in holiness are jewels polished to shine more re- 
 splendantly in the Redeemei i diadem. Oh how 
 careful we should be lest by wrong teaching, 
 
FKIKM»S IX HKAVKX. 
 
 69 
 
 and misguided effort souls bo lost, or shine with 
 diminished lustre. Oh ! for more heralds of 
 salvation like him who was " a burning and shin- 
 ing light," radiating tho truth because of the 
 inward burning. Oh ! for more hojn*ers like 
 those vvho "received the word with all readi- 
 ness of mind, examining the scriptures daily." 
 Many such servants in the pulpit, and the pew 
 there have been in every age, and together they 
 shall enjoy followship in all the eternal ago. 
 
 The aptKstle John in the Revelation makes a 
 number of incidental references to the charac- 
 ter of the life of the rodeomed in heaven. 
 Prophets, martyrs and saints, as well as the 
 small and the f/reat. stand before God. Men 
 are not considered in the mass but as individuals, 
 and they remember the scenes of this life, and 
 praise the Lamb for their triumph. The Beast, 
 and the False Prophoi. and the persecuting 
 Babylon, are referred to ; and all the imagery 
 both of the saved and the lost world is extremely 
 
 « 
 
 realistic, and evidently is intended to (;onvey t he 
 lesson that the hereafter states are but com pie- 
 
70 
 
 l<Kr«MJM I'lON Ol 
 
 ineiits of t\m. Men lemaiii in endowment 
 e8«entiallv the same, their elniracter rleterniin- 
 inj^ their phiee and life. 
 
 In all the Biblieal reterenevs we liave made, 
 identity, remembnm.'e. reeoi^nition and associ- 
 ation are e.Kpliciily tan/L;))t or implied. There 
 is no contrary teaciiin^ in the Bible; but the 
 book abotnids in ])assaii:es incidentally setting- 
 forth these truths. ati<l foi'tifviuju^ our Ix'lief 
 that : "We shall know as we are known." 
 
 In heaven \vc may (^xpect to meet our God 
 and SaA'iouj". the holy ones of the patriarchal 
 days, the ^odly «)nes of the prophetic age, the 
 coiifessoi's and martyrs, all who in every age 
 have believed (Jod and trusted in Jesus Christ, 
 and all who have Ix^en called hence before the 
 days of r«'spon.><ible transgression. These we 
 liave iM'Msoti to briieve we shall know, and be 
 ki own unto them. We shall be bound to- 
 gether l»\ a common faith, and have a common 
 theme for comniunion. As the earthly body is 
 left behind, and as in the resurrection it comes 
 forth a gloritied one. we shall leave the assoeia- 
 
VKIKNUN IN IIKAVKN. 
 
 I 
 
 tions peculiar to the earthly body, but wo shall 
 cany with us our intellectual and spiritual 
 nature, and to this will be added a glorjfietl 
 body in which we shall have an additional 
 association, as the angels of God in heaven. 
 The laws that shall govern our gloriried bodies 
 lire not made known to us. As we ai-e to be 
 ourselves the intellectual and spiritual associa- 
 tion will be the same in principle, and kind^ 
 modified by the better influences of that better 
 world. The modifications are however all on 
 the side of increased intellectual and spintual 
 association, for the hedges which mortal bodies 
 have thrown round us are to be forever broken 
 down, :»nd we shall walk in the light of (rod 
 with natures all harmonious and adjusted to tlu* 
 praise of Him who sits upon the throne. 
 
 The silence of the passages quoted in reference 
 to the renewal of merely earthly and sensual 
 relations, as well as the denial of the marriage 
 relation by Christ, as something foreign to the 
 iheavenly world, is sufficient to authorize ii.s t«> 
 Affirm that only the intellectual and irclii^ious 
 
72 
 
 KKroCMTIO.N <»r 
 
 Ml 
 
 asHOciutiims, and tho8e kindred to thcni, shall 
 prevail in the glorified state. If this be so then 
 our main effort should be to cultivate our intel- 
 lectual and religious life. The matenal world 
 as at present organized shall l)e changed. These 
 material bodies shall be trtinsformed in resur- 
 n^ction, into glorified bodies ; and pure souls 
 shall then inhabit them to begin life there, where 
 they ended here, and grow up into Christ in all' 
 things. An earthly sensual heaven finds no 
 place in the Hible. If you look for that you 
 must go to the Koran. The Bible gives mo^t 
 prominence to christian association hereafter. 
 We ought then to make it pre-fcminent in our 
 life work, teaching, and aspiration. We shall 
 soon be where Christ and His gospel shall form 
 the burden of ever}^ song. 
 
 *' Love, and unsevercd union 
 Of soul with those we lovo. 
 Xcarnes.s and glad i*omniunion. 
 Shall b«* our joy abovo. 
 
 \o <lealh our homes o'ershading. 
 
 Shall e'er our harps unstring ; 
 For all is lift; unfading 
 
 In the pirsenee ol our King." 
 
ntlKNUS IN IIK\Vi:.\, 
 
 4i: 
 
 li 
 
 John the revcltttDF heard u great voice from 
 heaven saying : "Come up hither." For aught 
 wo know more voicc8 than one may mingle to form 
 that, " great voice/' The Saviour's invitation 
 still holds, the angels, our ministering spirits, 
 may join with our sainted loved ones gone be- 
 fore to swell the volunje of the voice. May not 
 a mother who praye«l on earth for her way ward 
 child, unite with a father whose heart yearned 
 for the rescue of his boy, now add their voice to 
 the entreaty, which still sounds for all who have 
 eai-s to hear : " Come up hither." In glory 
 meihinks they have not forgotten us. Who 
 will give the response at the end of the earthly 
 pilgrimage — 
 
 •* Let me go ! let me go ! for the purple dawning 
 Is mantling the dull, dark tomb of time ; 
 And there steaT^th the rays of a blissful morning, 
 That blushes and burns in a deathless clime ! 
 
 I have done with sin, I have done with sorrow ; 
 
 I fly to the realms of spotless light, 
 Where the day that is breaking shall have no morrow, 
 
 And the sun that is rising shall have no night.^^ 
 
 \ 
 
' '..'. -V 
 
 :l 
 
CHAPTER y. 
 
 ©bjrrtions to tfje troctrine of tfje rrcogni: 
 tion of frienlis in f^cabrn. 
 
"ll 
 
 When we hear the music ringing 
 
 In the clear celestial dome. 
 When the sweet angels^ voices singing, 
 
 (iladlv bid us welcome home 
 To the 1 ind of ancient story, 
 
 A'^here the bpirit knows no care, 
 In that land of life and glory — 
 
 Shall we know each other there ? 
 
 When the holy angels meet us, 
 
 As we go to join their band. 
 Shall we know the friends that greet us 
 
 In that glorious spirit land ? 
 Shall we see the same eyes shining 
 
 On us as in days of yore ? 
 Shall we feel the dear arms twining 
 
 Fondly round us as before ? 
 
 Yes my earth worn soul rejoices. 
 
 And my weary heart grows light, 
 For the thrillmg angel voices. 
 
 And the angel faces bright. 
 That shall welcome us in heaven, 
 
 Are the loved ones long ago ; 
 And to them ^tis kindly given 
 
 Thus their mortal friends to know. 
 
.7« 
 
 KKCUUMTION «>F 
 
 i 
 
 .ri 
 
 1 
 
 ] 
 
 ye weary, sad and tossed ones, 
 
 Droop not, I'iiint not by the way ; 
 Ye shall join the loved and just ones 
 
 In that land v)f'p rf'eet day. 
 Harp-string;; touched by angel fingers; 
 
 Munnured in my rapturous ear; 
 Evermore theii "weet song lingers : 
 
 ' We shall know each other there.' " ' 
 
 " Prove all things, hold fast that which is 
 
 GOOD." — I. rHcasALONiANS s: 21- 
 
 It is an easy matter to raise ohjoctionri. 
 Against almost every truth ; they have been 
 raised in the past, and can be urged nou*. We 
 are not to consider whether a statement is absjo- 
 lutely without objections, but simply whether 
 they are subversive of the positive evidence urged 
 in its favor. The obje(5tions made against the 
 recognition of saints do not invalidate any of the 
 arguments presented in its favor, nor are th(\y 
 contradictory to them. Ignorance of llie Bible 
 imaginary notions of the hereafter life, anJ 
 crude conceptions of its heavenly relationships 
 have combined to originate and foster tl»e ob- 
 jections we are now about to consider. 
 
 ii 
 
FK1K>D» IK UEAVK>'. 
 
 7« 
 
 1. An extravagant and unscriptural idea of the 
 change wrought in us in the resurrection, is the 
 difficulty many feel in the vvay of recognition 
 in the ether life. However great that change 
 may be it must be remeuibei*ed that it is not of 
 such a character as substitutes one class of being 
 or life for another. Men are not transformed 
 into angels, however much in youth they may 
 have sung about it. Man remafns man in both 
 worlds. The change he suffers in resurrection 
 is simply that of perfect development. Paul 
 taught in illustration of his subject thai grain 
 sown in the earth died and reproduced itself in 
 new grain of the same variety. The natural 
 and spiritual body are the same, the change be- 
 ing one in which the animal instincts are sub- 
 ordinated by the spiiitual, the change of place 
 necessitating this. Or to use a figure from 
 animated life, the larvae of the mosquito is de- 
 veloped in water, but after the chrysalis slate it 
 lives in the air. It is the same creature. Once 
 it lived in the water and was adapted to that 
 element. Afterwards its adaptation was 
 
 U:^rM^■M■i^My^i^ 
 
80 
 
 KUCOGMTION OF 
 
 1^ 
 
 I 
 i 
 
 11: 
 
 changed for the air. Man grovels here lipon 
 the earth but he w destined to live in the skies. 
 He shall forever remain a human being with 
 changed adaptation. Christ became a son of 
 roan to save, and as such He was raised and 
 glorified. He is our pattern. No easential 
 chango of nature or essence shall we experience 
 in resurrection, but one of condition and grand 
 development. All representations agree in this. 
 The Kings of Babylon, Assyria and Egypt, as 
 well as the rich man of the New Testament, were 
 themselves in hell. Moses, Elijah, Christ, and 
 the martyrs of Revelation, are themselves in 
 heaven. 
 
 As Christ is our great pattern let us examine 
 the character of His resurrection. "When He 
 shall appear we shall be like Him." (T John 3 : 
 2) in our raised bodies as well as in character. 
 He " shall change our vile body that it may 
 be fashioned like unto His glorious body." 
 (Philippiuns 3 : 21) or He shall transfigure the 
 body of our humiliation that it may be con- 
 formed unto the body of His glory. Our hu- 
 
J IllKNDS IN m:\VK\, 
 
 Hi 
 
 niiliation occuiTcd in this earthly body, His gloiy 
 will he manifested in our raised body. We all 
 shall be changed into the Lord's image from 
 glory to glory (IF. Corinthians 3 : 18) 
 
 The doctrine of tlie resurrection of Christ is 
 vital to the plan «>f salvation. r?aul siaked 
 overj^thing ujxm it saying 
 then is our t>rea(h 
 
 ' if Christ l)e not 
 
 risen tnen is our jo'eaclnng vain 
 
 and 
 
 your 
 
 faith is also vain." If this fact be proven 
 fiilse then the faith built u})on it is false 
 also. Christ was recognized after thu resur- 
 rection as the same person. The Apostles 
 ha«l man3' evidences of the fact. They recog- 
 nized his voice: "Peace be unto you.' They 
 «a\v his ])ierced liands, feet and side, and Thomns 
 <.^xamined thorn with his hands. He asked tlu m 
 then to satisfy themselves that He was u») nu'iv 
 spirit but had flesh and bones, and He ate with 
 them as before. Some have said that the two 
 ■disciples journeying to Emmaus did not know 
 Jesus, but the record gives the reaNon in lids 
 <*ase : " Their eves were holden that thev shouM 
 not know him." Christ did liot c hoose to be r«'- 
 
 ^^m^mMi 
 
u 
 
 sl> 
 
 i{ix'(n;.viTio\ or 
 
 cognized by theui till biter on. The fact that 
 Mary Magdelene did not at tiist recognize 
 Christ after hiw resurrection is ciaiined by some 
 as indicating such a change as made him diffi- 
 cult of recognition. To which we reply that it 
 was very early in the morning, or as John says : 
 'Ml was yet dark." She was not looking fair 
 at llim, for when seeing Him fully she had to 
 turn herself, .lohn 20; UI. She I'ecognized Him 
 first by His voice, and then by his person and 
 conversation. Among other difficulties urged 
 aiciunst the recoi-'uition of Christ's resurrection 
 body is its assumed imnuiteriality, as seemingly 
 set foi'th in John 20 : 10. " When the doors 
 were shut . . . Jesus came and stood in the 
 midst." It is assumed that Christ's body wdH 
 so etherial that it ])assed through solid walls, 
 and made no rent. But why this assumption. 
 It is not said that Jesus entered through the 
 closed door. When Peter was in prison the 
 city gate opened for him and the angel as they 
 a[>proached. Why may it not bo so in this case, 
 "^riie stone was rolled a way for Christ to come 
 
11MI:M>S in IIK.WKN, 
 
 ^3 
 
 out of the so])ulchre. Wliy should not tlie 
 closed door open at His u])j)roach ? Tins only 
 is of a piece with the niij^hty works of Ili.s 
 wondrous life, and tliey defy explaiuition, while 
 the facts are open and abundantly proven. 
 
 Some misunderstanding has also arisen in je- 
 lation to the terms ''natui-al and spiritual'" body 
 used in I. Corinthians 15 : 44. The raised 
 spiritual l)ody is not an immatei'ial one. A 
 better renderini^ of the term "natural"' would 
 be "animal" body. A body under the control 
 of the animal soul which inhabits it we have 
 now, and such a body is sown in death, and 
 raised a "spiritual" body; a body under the 
 control of the spirit, not necessarily immaterial ; 
 but moulded and organized for the reign of the 
 higher and spiritual life. In resurrection there 
 is both loss and gain — loss of the animal domi- 
 nation, and gain of the spiritual rule. The gain 
 is higher and gi-eater than the loss. liegenera- 
 tion and resurrection are greater than mere 
 reanimation would be. " Flesh and blood can- 
 not inherit the kingdom of God." Carnality 
 
M4 
 
 l!KtO(JMTH)N <H' 
 
 iiiid corrui>tion go down in death. Tho Greeks 
 believed tlie blood to be the seat of tho corrupt 
 principle, and they called their gods animones, 
 bloodless. Christ said after the resurrection 
 not that he had flesh and blood, but flesh and 
 hones. The blood is the life of the animal and 
 corruptible body, which cannot inherit the 
 kingdom of God. But with all the change in 
 Christ His identity was preserved and His 
 friends knew Him as before. He is now a 
 glorifled son of man, and those who are the 
 j)urchase of His death will be glorified human 
 beings, each radiant in his own individuality. 
 
 2. The answer of our Lord to the Sadducees 
 in Matthew 22 : 29, 30, is thought to be inhar- 
 monious with a belief in the recognition of 
 friends in heaven. Christ does not deny re- 
 cognitioji and fellowship in heaven, He simply 
 says marriage does not obtain there. He clear- 
 ly refers to an order of association and com- 
 panionship when he says : " They are as the 
 angels of God in heaveR." The associations of 
 human beings as a class are similar to tho 
 
1 IMKNDS IN 1II;aVK>. 
 
 85 
 
 \ 
 
 associations of anijjels as a class. lie also gives 
 a reason for marriai'c here : "Neither can thev 
 die any more." (Luive 20 : 35, 36.) The sue- 
 cessiun and renewal of life, made necessary by 
 the ravages of death, is the main object of mar- 
 riage. Tn heaven, the land of no death, there 
 will be no marriage, but the friendshi})s and 
 l^artnerships of this life will be remembered and 
 enjoyed in the service of our Lord in our glori- 
 fied bodies. Marriage, relationship of blood, or 
 any other earthly tie is not necessary for re- 
 cognition and fellowship in heaven. The union 
 and communion of Christ is not conditioned by 
 those here on earth, nor will it i>e in heaven. 
 The all important union is union with Christ. 
 That is indispensible. 
 
 The remembrance of earthly unions doubtless 
 will remain. We see no reason why it shouM 
 be obliterated, and revelation has not stated 
 that it shall be. God has made use of earthly 
 unions, instincts and al^cctions to further the 
 interests of His kingdoms. Through the mar- 
 riage relation Ruth was reclaimed from the 
 
 II 
 
■■■I 
 
 86 
 
 «Kr()(iMTi<)\ nr 
 
 AiIho woi'sliip of Mojib. By lln^ ties oi' Idood 
 Andrew wuh projiiptcd to seek and In'inm; Ins 
 brother Peter to Clirist. In tlie l)ondH oi' fViend- 
 slii]) und nationality, Philip renu'nihors his 
 friend and oonntryman Nathaniel, and intro- 
 duces liini to Christ. Many throui^h similar 
 relationship have heen brought to walk in the 
 wa}' of the Lord, and certainly this they will 
 remember in the eteriud age. When a beauti- 
 ful building has been erected, and i'.s top stone 
 placed in jjosition, the scatt'olding and whatever 
 would mar its fair proj)ortions are ])ulled down. 
 So it will be with our sjnritual house when per- 
 fected, the instinctive and purely animal att'ec- 
 tions will disap])ear. Christ in the end will be 
 Lord supreme to all, and all association with 
 one another will tind its insjiiration in Him. 
 In Windsor Castle there is a room set apart for 
 the paintings of Van Dyke. As one examines 
 these noble creations of genius he gains some 
 new insight into the character and ability of 
 Van Dyke, more perhaps than he could merely 
 Ity looking into his face. So Paul seems to [)Ut 
 
 I 
 
 J, 
 
I IMl.Nhs IN IIKWKN 
 
 «7 
 
 tills inatli'i" wIk'M Ik; says: (II. Thessiiloniiins 
 1 : 1(1.) •■.Icsus sliall eoino to he ijjloritiod in 
 Jlis saints and to 1)0 admired in all them that 
 helieve." One can study Christ in the ]»er8on8 
 of Jlis saints, and i>"ain new insiudu and adniii'a- 
 tion hy examiniiii;* the |)erf'ected results of His 
 redeennni^ woi'U. 
 
 .*J. Some sav reeonMution of the saved will 
 imply a knowledge that those not seen are lost, 
 and tliis will be a souree of grief and sorrow. 
 It may bo remarked if the contrary suppoeition 
 be true we shall always be left in the painful 
 doubt as to the salvation of any of our friends. 
 The ditficulties attending any theory, beside the 
 one which we think the scriptures hold forth 
 are attended with serious objections. The theory 
 that requires the abolition of a place of punish- 
 ment is attended with insuperable difficulties. 
 It arises from mistaken notions of sin, and con- 
 tused views of justice. The theory if put in 
 practice in this world would make a revolution. 
 It is sufficient for a godly man to know that the 
 scri])tures assert the existence of a place of pui^- 
 
8b 
 
 WKOtMiMTlOX OK 
 
 ishment, and that incarceration of the bad has 
 been proved to be necessary by our earthly ex- 
 perience. Christ knows who the lost are, and 
 sees them (Revelation 14: : 10), and yet it does 
 not make Ilim miseral)le. We are to be like 
 Him, and our knowledge whatever it be will 
 not militate against our happiness. Holy 
 angels used to love the now lost angels, but 
 they are not overwhelmed with sorrow because 
 of the punishment their now wicked, but old 
 associates, suffer. They approve of it as " true 
 and righteous." No affection can be so strong 
 in a redeemed soul as that which binds it to 
 the Redeemer. 
 
 •'Fear not the prospect of the place of woe, 
 
 It will not mar thy bliss, nor thence shall thoughts arise 
 
 To blunt thy sense of heavenly ecstasies ; 
 
 For ill that prison house of torment 
 
 There is none but is of God the foe, 
 
 An alien thus from thee. The ties of blood 
 
 And earth's mosi sacred bonds are but a twine 
 
 Of gossamer, compared with that which binds 
 
 To Christ and all who love Him." 
 
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 l•"|{l^:^l^^s in iikavkx. 
 
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 Ai'cl»)»ish()p Wlijiti'Iy, wlio was a stroni^ Ik'- 
 lii'ver in tlie doctrine of the recojj^nition of 
 friends in heaven u«ed to tsay that .sooner tiian 
 disheiieve it, he would assume tliat those in tht; 
 heavenly wjrld had among otIuM' a(hle<l en- 
 <lo\vmentH the ))()wer tn draw oti at will tiieir 
 thoughts fi'om uni)leasanl subjeetc LuUe tells 
 us that our Lord after the resurreetion had the 
 power to vanish out of sight of the diseiples. 
 We cannot tell how many or liow great will be 
 the new gifts, or the inci'ease of our old j)owers 
 after we liave gained our spiritual body. We 
 know little of the other life, but tiie little re- 
 vealed all shows an enlarged equipment, and 
 ministers to a grander hope, and glorious 
 realization. 
 
 AV^e must die, and be I'aised to walk the 
 golden streets, to know the grandeur and blessed- 
 ness of heaven. It is far beyond our loftiest 
 conce|>tions. We talk of the wonders of this 
 world in mighty achievements in every depart- 
 ment of knowledge, but they are only as the 
 faintest reflection of the land, ' Eye hath not 
 
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 Ht'cii, nor ear liearcl, ncithor have entered into 
 the heart of man, tlio. tliihj^^s which (rod liath 
 j>repared for them that love him." 
 
 Dr. Jam«8 Hamilton savB, to ail who have 
 friends that have slept in Jesus is it not blissfni 
 to know their whereabouts and service. Y^ou 
 and tliey once journeyed together ; hut a sudden 
 door O'jencd, and your father, or brother, or 
 ch'id. was snatched from your side ; and ere 
 yoi! could follow, or even glance in, the door 
 closed again. But the Lord has opened a crevice 
 in the enclosing wall, and bids you look and sch^ 
 See where they are — see what they are doing 
 now. You are in great tribulation — it is even 
 your tribulation to l)e deprived of them ; l>ut 
 thev have come out of all tribulatitin. You 
 often tind it hard work to tight the battles of 
 the world. There are few white days in youi- 
 history — few days when you see the lustre of 
 that robe with which God has already clothed 
 vou, and tind vour soul drawn forth in full- 
 toned gratitude and praise. Their palm never 
 withers. Their hallelujahs never cease. Their 
 
 m 
 
 i 
 
KKIKXHM IX III.AVI.X. 
 
 91 
 
 
 eongregution never breaks up; their Saljl>ath 
 knows iio end. "Wherefore comfort one anotlier 
 with these words.' 
 
 **()ft wt'('|>iij«^ iiicinorv sits aloiif 
 Heside soim* j^rave at vwn 
 And rall>< upon sonic spirit flown. 
 (> say, shall those on earth our own 
 lie ours a^rain in iu-avon? 
 
 Sliall frii'uds wlio o'er m v; ti- oj" lifV 
 Hv the sanu' stonns art' drMc.:. 
 Sliall tiu'v recount, in rcahns ot'hii;.>«, 
 I lie fortunes and thi* tears of tiiis, 
 And hive :igain, in heaven? 
 
 Wlien liearts which iiave on earth Ueen oiu*. 
 
 liy ruthh'ss <leath are riven. 
 
 Why (h>es the one which death has rett 
 
 Drair olfin j^riel'the one that's U'f't, 
 
 W i\o\ to meet in heaven? 
 
 Tlu' wannest love on earth is still 
 Imperfect when 'tis j^iven ; 
 Itut there's a [)urer clime above, 
 Whei-e perfect hearts in perfect love 
 I'nite ; and thi^ is heaven. 
 
 1 
 
U'J l{K*'«MiMTION OI- TKIKMlS IX IIKAVKX. 
 
 It lov»* (Ml eartli Ih hut "in imrt," 
 As li;r|it and shade at cvi'ii, — 
 It' sill <h>th plant a thorn h<'twt>(m 
 Tlie truest hearts — theiv is, I ween, 
 A ]»erl'eet love in heaven. 
 
 <) happy world ! O ^l«»rious plaee! 
 
 AViiere all who unt forjjjiven 
 
 Sjiall tind their hned and lost helow. 
 
 And hearts like iiieltiii<^ streams, shall lUiw. 
 
 Forevei" one, in heaven." 
 
 /'». 
 
 
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V.