When our beloved sister, Mrs. S.–, was about to pass into the presence of the Lord, she was asked by her nearest and dearest, '' Do you know me ? " She answered, '' Yes.'' When asked further, "Do you know anyone in heaven?" she replied in a very pronounced voice. "Yes, there's One, the Lord-Jesus-Christ!"
There is One that I know, up in heaven,
He's the brightness of heaven to me,
The Lord Jesus Christ in the glory,
Heaven's worthy, thrice worthy One, He!
He's the light of that " excellent glory,"
Whose luster no cloud can alloy,
The pulse of its exquisite rapture,
The song of its shadowless joy!
I will not then go as a stranger,
For I know that the first I shall see
Is the very same Jesus "Who loved me,
And gave Himself "-even for me.
Enough! till the light of the morning
Shall the song and the rapture complete
In the bliss of that wonderful moment
When the Bride and the Bridegroom shall meet!
Ah, many a painter is ardent,
And many a poet excels,
Portraying the scene of that glory
Where the One that I know ever dwells;
But hush! there's a family secret
That only to children is told,
A precious love-secret, far brighter
Than visions of crystal and gold,
'Tis the knowledge that into that glory
No angel our escort shall be,
For the One that know, up in heaven,
Is the One that is coming for me!
Oh, height of unspeakable gladness!
Oh, depth of unuttered delight!
The Lord Jesus Christ in His beauty
That moment shall burst on our sight!
He'll raise the frail casket all-glorious,
And change the "vile body" that day,
And we " shall be caught up together "
For the partings have all passed away!
All joys of unsearchable sweetness
Will that long-looked for moment afford,
But oh, for the crowning completeness
Of seeing, of meeting, the Lord !
J. M. G.