Newspaper Page Text
4
THE ATLANTA UNIVEESALIST.
JULY 8, 1882.
D B. CLAYTON. : : : : : Editor.
Specimen Copies.
We shall from time to time send nut specimen
copies to our friends in various parts of the
country, in the hope that they will subscribe them
selves, and hand them around among their ae-
■quaintances, in order to induce them also to sub
scribe.
If any who receive specimens are not able to
give $1.00 a year to spread the faith abroad, they
can easily signify the same by returning a copy to
D. B. Clayton marked refused, or by dropping us
a postal card. We do riot wish to drive any one to
patronize this paper; but intend to persuade all we
can to go $1.00 on it. Try it.
HOME AGAIN, AND OFF AGAIN.
We reached home, toil-worn and travel-
stained, Wednesday night, June 21st, from
our trip to West Tennessee. We preached
the second Sunday and day before, ac
cording to appointment, at Centre Point,
in Henderson county. At that place our
appointment came in conjunction with that
of a Baptist brother, of the Primitive
faith, as it is denominated. But this fact,
as it turned out, rather augmented than
diminished the interest of the meeting, as
he proved to be liberal in spirit insomuch
that we shared the pulpit in common, he
preaching first, as his appointment prece
ded ours, and we preaching after a short
intermission subsequent to his services.
Everything connected with both services
passed off most pleasantly, the congrega
tion of all shades of thought present
uniting heartily in both services.
On the third Sunday we preached at
Glympville, in Lauderdale county, where
we had a very good audience at 11 o’clock
a.m., but a better one at 4T o’clock p.m.
The forenoon attendance was diminished
some by the circulation of a report that
we would not be there. But the fact of
our presence being made known during
the time interfiling between the two ser
vices, brought out to the afternoon service
a goodly number who were not present in
the forenoon.
We preached Thursday and Friday
nights before the third Sunday, at Ripley,
county site of Lauderdale county. At
Ripley tl le “still hunt’’ is employed against
us whenever we visit that place, so that it
is only a few liberal and independent spir
its who will venture out to hear us. A
railroad is about completed to that place,
which will put the people there in contact
with the outside world. The result will
probably be that some of the ancient order
of crustaceans, who have been shut up t.o
the developments of the progressive age in
which they live, will, on opening their
shells and looking about them, perceive
that they are behind the spirit of the age,
and thus be induced to step up and move
with the procession. But if not, they will
be succeeded by a live generation, who will
refuse to be led around with rings in their
noses, for the gratification of their spirit
ual guides. The world is moving, and
men must move with it or be left as use
less hulks on the beach.
Spending only two days with our family,
we bade them adieu and again started out
on our weary rounds, which will keep us
on the run for six weeks, of which, more
anon.
IS HEAVEN A PLACE, OR IS IT
A CONDITION?
The above questions are frequently pro
pounded to us by our IJniverbalist breth
ren, and also by members of other denom
inations. The Gospel Banner has recent
ly had something in its columns on the
subject, from correspondents, and also from
the editor. We should say that the true
answer to the questions propounded de
pends mainly upon the true meaning of
the word. It is certain that we have the
word Heaven in some places in the New
Testament, in which it signifies the visible
universe above and around us; and in
other places in which it signifies either a
place or condition of happiness. Now,
as to place, or locality, it seems to be in
disputable that in order to the enjoyment
of happiness there must be a subject capa
ble of enjoying happiness. If so, that
subject must be a real entity. We cannot
imagine a nonentity as capable of either
enjoying or suffering. But a real entity
cannot exist without occupying space some
where. If, therefore, we exist after death,
as subjects of either happiness or misery,
we must occupy space while enjoying the
former or while suffering the latter. But
must we necessarily occupy space circum
scribed by any particular boundary lines,
either of larger or smaller dimensions?
To us it appears not. We know that in
this state of being, our happiness or misery
is not graduated by, and proportioned to,
the amount of space we occupy, nor by
the particular locality in which we happen
to dwell. A locality may be by circum
stances made a place of exquisite happi
ness to us, while a change of circumstances
may transform that same legality into a
place of intense agony. In such case, it is
evident that it is not the place, but the
condition of body or mind, wrought out
by the circumstances, that causes the hap
piness or misery by us enjoyed or suffered.
Now, as to the dwelling place of God
and of immortal spirits. The Bible teach
ing seems to be to the effect that God fills
immensity with his presence. “Whither
shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither
shall I flee from thy presence? If I as
cend up into Heaven Thou art there; if I
make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art
there$ If I take the wings of the morn
ing, and dwell in the uttermost parts of
the sea, even there shall Thy hand lead
me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If
I say, surely the darkness shall cover me;
even the night shall be light about me.
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee;
but the night shineth as the day : the
darkness and the light are both alike to
thee.”—Ps. cxxxix; 7,12.
For our part, we cannot imagine a
place in the vast universe where God is
not. Neither can we imagine any' one
spot where an infinite Creator is not, or
would not be, just as visible to beings so
constituted as to behold his glory, as in
any other spot. “In thy presence is full
ness of joy.”—Ps. xvi, 2. When we arise
to a condition in which we can properly
appreciate God’s presence, we “shall see
the king in his beauty.” But see him
how? -With these poor, weak, visual
organs that cannot now behold the daz
zling splendors of the king of day, though
at a distance of ninety-five millions of
miles? No, verily. But with percep-
tives of some kind, or character, that
shall convey to our immortal nature con
ceptions of beauty and glory so grand as
to dwarf into comparative insignificance
the highest conceptions ever attained to
bv the most exalted of earth. “ It doth
•>
not yet appear what we shall be : but we
know that when he shall appear, we shall
be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”
—John iii, 2. We conclude, therefore,
that we shall occupy space, in the spirit
ual realm ; but that we shall be bound to
any particular locality, hemmed in by
metes and bounds, we cannot conceive
for a moment. We cannot but believe,
that when freed from “this cumbrous
clay,” we shall rise into a higher life;
and that, not one of continuous repose, in
some prescribed locality in infinite space;
but one of unceasing activity, in which
we “shall mount up with wings as eagles,”
to use a bit of beautiful scripture rhetoric,
and in which we “ shall run and not be
weary, and walk and not faint.’’ In this
condition we expect to meet and mingle
with the “loved and lost of earth,” and
share with them in the enjoyment of fe
licities which, in this earthly life, “ eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath
entered into the heart of man.” That
felicity will be uninterrupted, and con
tinually augmenting, we imagine, and we
shall take little cognizance .of the flight
of time, or the extent of space.
But to talk of heaven, meaning there-