Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 January 1915 — ANOTHER LARGE REVIVAL CROWD [ARTICLE]

ANOTHER LARGE REVIVAL CROWD

Rev. G. W. Titus Preached From the Theme “Shall We Know Our Friends in Heaven?” Last night’s audience was as large and enthusiastic as any of the meetings held in the evangelistic meeting. The auditorium was again filled to its capacity and from all accounts the service was helpful and Inspiring. The singing was of the very best quality and Prof. Altheide is giving excellent satisfaction. His solo ‘Teach Me to Pray,” was a splendid rendition. The sermon theme was “Shall We Know Our Friends in Heaven?” The speaker said in part: The thought of Heaven seems to strike a sacred and sublime chord in each o-f our hearts. We have all stood and looked into the* face of our loved ones as they have been taken from our grasp. Husbands have been called upon to say goodbye to the companion of their lives: wives have had to say farewell to dear husbands; mothers have watched the dark angel of death, as he has snatched the blue-eyed darling from the arms of love to the midst of our tears and sorrows of life, from under the dark cloud we -raise our hearts and ask the question, “Will I- know mother, father, husband, wife and child in God’s better land?” I think there is enough evidence given us to dispel the gloom and cause us to feel in our hearts that death does not sever these sweet and holy relationships of life. I lay it down as my first proposition that the hear tof mankind answers the question and has answered it in all generations. The ancient Greeks held it as one of their fundamentals that their spirits would commune with the spirits of their departed ones. Socrates said: ‘Gladly do I drink this cup of hemlock, for it sends my spirit yonder to commune with the. spirits of Ajax and Palamedes.” The Hindus believed the same for behold the Hindu widow as she unwinds her braids and cries not of her sorrow. Oh, that'l might spend yonder as many years with the spirit of my departed one, as there are hairs in thiS’flowing hair. ’ The American Indian caught the same vision when he placed in the grave of his dead the bow and arrow that he might hunt in the “happy hunting grounds.” Reason teaches us that we shall

know our friends in God’s Land. _One of the powers of the mind is memory or recognition. The Bible teaches so plainly that when*a man leaves this old world there is one thing he must carry with him and that is his memory. Remember the story of Dives and Lazarus. The rich man died and was carried to his place of torment In due time Lazarus died and went to Abraham’s bosom. In torment Dives requested to have some one sent to warn his brethren. The words came to him “Son Remember.” Oh, he had no need for one to remind him for he carried that faculty with him. If Dives carried memory with him into the darkness, and if recognition is one of the attributes of memory, so one carries the same power and attribute into the light, or into Heaven. This is b logical sequence. The Bfble teaches that undoubtedly we shall know each other in Heaven by many of its passages. Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you.” “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” Often did he speak of a Heavenly home. What is a home? Is it* simply tapestries, fine pictures, a player piano and other furnishings Is it simply a place for shetler from the storms of winter? If that’s all it means, it is of small value to us. A home should be the place of noble, holy and lofty impulses. It should have the truest kind of love and feeling, and know the atmosphere of the living Ood. One of the sacred' things about the home is the sweet relations that exist. Think you, my friends, that the God who loves us, and who has loved us into being, would rob us of that which means so much to us, and is the sweetest thing in our hearts? Thje mansion or home of which Jesus speaks would be no home, and be a place of little happiness if we could not hear the sweet voice, and behold the beauty of those who have gone before us. It is said: ‘*Ehey shall come from the north and from the south, from the east and the west, and shall sit down with the.heroes of the port in the Kingdom of God." Well, that will be a sweet and holy experience, -but I cannot help but feel th§t the one •I would long' to see even before meeting Moses and the -Prophets would be the sweet and holy mother who went into the shadow for

me. After looking upon my Christ the'one I would, love to meet even before Paul, would be the companion of my joys and sorrows in this life Friends, take this happy and golden thought put of the religion of Jesus Christ, and you have robbed it of its sweetness and beauty. The sermon tonight will be on “Jesus’ Saddest Words.” There will be baptisms at the dose of. these» mon. Special music by way of a male quartette,