Occupations in Heaven.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 196, 26 July 1883, Page 3

Occupations m Heaven.

Few ministers m any land are more distinguished for uttering strong and startling words than the Rev. T. Dewitt Taimage, D.D., of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. In a recent issue of the New York Tribune we find the following re» I port of a sermon, which we think will i interest some of our readers : — " What are our departed Christian | friends doing now?" This question is more easily answered than one would suppose, said the preacher. From inference we can decide what is the occupation of our transferred kinsfolk. By the inevitable law of common sense : we must conclude that m heaven we j shall be as different as on earth, and there will be as many different employments. All those departed ChrisHans who have found great joy m fine arts on this earth are now indulging m their taste m this direction, bat with a keener appreciation of beauty. Raphael could improve on his masterpiece, l( Michael the Angel," now that he has seen him. We have exquisite colour here, but the grander studies and galleries are higher up, and are reached by the marble staircase of the sepal** chre. All the departed friends fall of music are still gratifying their taste. The Bible is fall of references to the songs of heaven. What if the ear fails m death ? Do you not suppose the soul can hear? And if the soul can hear, it can hear music. Departed friends who formerly had a strong military spirit are now m the. armies Celestial, and are engaged m bloodless battles. There are plenty of volunteers for the Heavenly campaigns. There are grand parade days when the king reviews his troop*. There are escort* to bring up from earth these more than conquerors. But what are mathematical friends to do inHaaveni They are busy with figures yet. There is no i place like Heaven for figures. What fields of space to be surveyed j what distances to be measured! Even didactic Dr Dix Baid that time m Heaven would be spent m studying higher mathematics, The metaphysician there ia studying the mind, but m better conditions than when here, for there the mind is free from the body. Have you any doubt as to what Sir Wm. Hamilton is doing, or what Dugald Stewart is doing ? They are still studying the glorious metaphysics. Those who are explorers here tire explorers there, comprehending at a glance a world and m a minute a system of planets. . Christian T)e Long is no longer trying to free the Jeanette from the ice fields, bat with one look; m the twinkling of an eje, beholds what was unapproachable, on earth. What is the physician doing, for there is no sick* ness m Heaven? No sickness m Heaven, bnt plenty here on earth. You cannot understand why the man, given up by the most prominent physi" cians of New York and Brooklyn suddenly rallies and is restored to health. Some are very fond of sociality and conversation. What a place to visit when. your neighbours are kings and queens. If yon, want to know how the | sun stood still, you have only to go lover »nd ask Joshua. Ifyouwantto find out about the Garden of Eden go , over and ask Adam. Ye who are fond of flowers think of Paradise. All departments ot usefulness are going on m Heaven. Geo. Peabody still watches over the poor. The tombstone is not the terminus hut the starting point. But bark"! the cathedral bells are-ringiner. What is the matter now?- There is going to be a^great m the temple. Christ is to be there. Those' loving music go to hear hiß voice ; those loving the beautiful go to see the rose of Sharon;/ The astronomer is to see the morning star, the lawyer will see the great Judge, and the physician will see Him who was wounded for our transgresione. . .