Rosa's Quest / Or, The Way to the Beautiful Land

ently so well. She could not remember ever before having seen him step so lightly around the room. His eyes were shining, a

Rosa, I'm mighty sure, yes, might

so, gran

re, fer he

sai

r? We seen him last night, R

steeple a-p'intin' straight up begun a-ringin', and it sounded better'n music. Oh, it wuz so mighty sweet, Rosa! I can 'most hear it now. And when we got there, the people was a-singin' about the

dly back and forth across the room, "let's git rea

big meetin' house to

one the p'liceman s

y bad, don't they? It might worry Tom some. I don't like to have him find out

it, if I'd take some of her stove

't believe

care, fer Sary's a good woman, yes, a very good

been difficult for the aesthetic eye to have discovered th

d yesterday, grandpa. The wind's blowing

on't mind, fer we're a-goin' to git th

muffler formerly belonging to her mother. She carefully pinned together his thin shabby co

own threadbare and ragged, forming but littl

the disappointments of the preceding day, were buoyant wi

aw them coming and met them a shor

almost begun to fear that something had prevented your coming. Follow me, and I shall see that the usher gives

s of well-dressed people, eyeing her curiously, were surging by. She was disappointed, for her past experienc

isability of an immediate retreat

nce. I know he will be willing to come; then give them good seats where they can both hear and see. Do just as I

too, that I have found t

taught me what you so want to know yourself. The old Book

spent with a few faithful workers before going into the pulpit, but seeing the tears be

all, handsome

and what may I do for you

mediately, and, characteristically impulsive, not waiting for

o to the beautiful land, and mother's gone. Folks don't cough no more there, and Jesus paid all the fare

moment, then astonished Mr. Dawson by lifting the

and I have been praying for weeks, and now God has sent yo

grasping the old man cordially by the

to seat the people. I shall

ith head erect and thoroughly conscious that many were displeased, was half supporting upon his strong rig

ir popular pastor would so demean himself. Others were interested because of the oddity of the scene, still others amused, w

usive in his church relationship. The knowledge of his power over the majority of his acquaintances was a source of constant gratification to the proud man, but the fact

ountenance anything so ridiculously absurd. If the pastor's eccentricities continued to develop as they had in the

world who could influence her austere husband

what comes of it all. It

stay to please her, and in

fax had seated the strange pair directly acr

rgaret, his only and idolized darling, who had left his home the year before? Something seemed to be clutching at his heart most relentlessly, while a lump was filling his throat. Nervously and hastily lest his wife might see, he wiped from his brow the gathering perspiration. Persistently he endeavore

at audience. Arousing himself somewhat from his harrowing reveries, he looked at his watch and found that

ring what the cause of the

he invocation prepared the auditor

midst today a child, and for this reason the whole order of service shall be changed. God helping me, I shall hide behind the cross, that

igions; when a belief in a literal hell and a literal heaven is becoming obsolete; when the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ, making it possible to escape the one and gain the other,

lar themes. Today I shall not speak upon the subject announced, 'Applied Christianity the Remedy for Social Evils,' but," and he looked down upon Rosa to

or the first heaven and the first earth we

em, coming down from God out of heaven, pr

hall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and th

nd the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son. But the fearful, and

even vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me,

r light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; and a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names writt

e foundations, and in them the name

y, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lie

ions of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones * * * * And the twelve gates were twel

emple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shin

it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. And there shall in n

of life, clear as crystal, proceeding

e the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her frui

: and they shall see His face; and His names shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they nee

at they may have right to the tree of life, an

ed voice, had a marked effect upon the audience, though the reader was consc

gusted than ever, or

e. Being surrounded as we are on every hand by social evils, strife between capital and labor, and with anarchical tendencies becoming constantly more prevalent, we need somethi

unts me. Her eyes are almost as starry and full of expression as Margaret's. That'

d restlessly on during

oin in singing that old hymn which some of us h

a volume of sweetest song. Many were carried back to the scenes of their childhood, whe

both hands resting upon his cane, his eyes were closed, and the tears were slowly trickling down the wri

is eloquence and magnetic personality could sway thousands, fe

Jesus saith unto him, I

silent prayer. But then they could not see the expression of hope flash across the face of t

intin' straight up, we'd find the way? Yes, yes, that's it, it surely is, Rosa, and it's all a-be

lling attention to the marvelously beautiful description of th

d and the ignorant; but there is no eye that has not shed bitter tears, no life unacquainted with death, sorrow, crying, or pain. Thank God for that glad co

s. "There is no language of earth by which its glories can be fully described," he continued; "where our i

is fulness of joy, and at His right hand are to be found the truest pleasures for evermore. There the redee

g that defileth, but only those whose names are written in the Lam

oor soul say: 'Then th

there

have s

and practice strangers to God, even the new-born babe having wrapped up within its tiny bosom a sinful heritage and bias.

ld save His people from their sins. When at length He was born, the angel appeared to the wondering shepherds on the hillside near Bethlehem, and said: 'Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people: for unto you is born this day a Saviour.' He came to seek and save the lost. For thirty years He lived a secluded but holy life at Nazareth. Then for three years He went about

nce into the house of many mansions sure! He went back to prepare a place for us who believe on Him, and promised

he truth. All the pent-up love of her ardent nature she began to bestow up

pon the fact of its being real, and not simply a state of blissful being, as many

mfort to the heart breaking beneath its load? Has He ever called one to some particular service in His vineyard without supplying the needed strength? Has He ever forgotten to pour forth His abundant and sustaining grace upon the trusting soul about the pass t

n this world, for rejection by those whom He came to save, for Gethsemane a

beings, will not forget to provide a home for His own who have

sin, no sickness, no sorrow will ever pass through those gates of pearl. The saints of all ages are th

lling feet you must part from your Lord forever to spend eternity in hell; or with hosannas and shouts of victory upon y

, Dr. and Mrs. Dale left without

er, but in reality to look more closely at the child

d so remarkably altered the affairs of the whole morning. He had endeavored not to listen to the sermon, "fit only for children, and not for men possessed o

. What right had he to bring those street wanderers into the church this morning? The place for them is down at the mission. Do I no

, "there may be qualifying circumstances conne

warrant such an unheard-of innovation! The

something helpful and practical. Who cares to discuss the heavenly city when our city down here is in the throes of a strike, threa

promised, and His promises never fail. Is it not restful, and does it not make one more brave for the con

naturally our interests center here. A belief in heaven does not straigh

irfax said this morning, my burden, at least, would be much heavier and harder to be

but then it's different w

hey rode in silence,

ou see that

I saw

ome now! Let me assist

nd Rosa were having an exp

n which they had ever ridden. Esther was quietly explaining to Rosa more of Jesus and H

he beautiful land till He sends fo

day, Rosa, and perhaps He wants yo

willing to stay, 'caus

f the many and varied experiences befal

e narrative, but what left the deepest impression was that in

es anew to the work of the Lord, pledging never again to

the drive, and it was evident that he was very ill. The fever was returning, the mind partial

the way, Jesus is the way! I'm mighty glad it's all come back, b

bed, while Esther took charge of Rosa, clothing her in more suitable gar