Immortality

The Healing of Death. — At Stratford-on-Bow, in the days of Queen Mary, there was once a stake erected for the burning of two martyrs, one of them a lame man, the other a blind man. Just when the fire was lit, the lame man hurled away his staff, and turning round, said to the blind man, “Courage, brother, this fire will cure us both.” So can the righteous say of the grave, “Courage, the grave will cure us all; we shall leave our infirmities behind us.” What patience this should give us to endure all our trials, for they are not of long duration.

Immortality. — I have often thought that the child of God is very much like the Crusaders. The Crusaders started off on their journey, and they had to fight their way through many miles of enemies, and to march through leagues of danger. You remember, perhaps, in history, the story that when the armies of the Duke of Bouillon came in sight of Jerusalem, they sprang from their horses, clapped their hands, and cried, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem!” They forgot all their toils, all the weariness of the journey and all their wounds, for there was Jerusalem in their sight. And how will the saint at last cry, “Jerusalem! Jerusalem!” when all sorrow, and all poverty and sickness are past, and he is blest with immortality.

“The Land of the Living.” — A saint was once dying, and another who sat by him said — “Farewell, brother, I shall never see you again in the land of the living.” “Oh,” said the dying man, “I shall see you again in the land of the living that is up yonder, where I am going; this is the land of the dying.” Oh, brethren and sisters, if we should never meet again in the land of the dying, have we a hope that we shall meet in the land of the living and drink the best wine at last?