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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-