"You see, we left the earth-life, so suddenly--we were so poorly prepared for this." His companion clasped his arm as if to be protected from some impending danger. "We were boating on the lake, the boat overturned, and here we are.... We were to have been married the next day, but now--now what is our condition? We are not husband and wife; neither, I suppose, can we be, for we were taught back in that world from where we came, that there is no married condition here. Yet you two are husband and wife, are you not?"
"Not yet," replied David, "but we expect to be."
"I don"t understand; you seem to know; teach us. May we be married here?"
David explained the principle of celestial marriage as it had been revealed to them in earth-life, and contrasted that doctrine with what was usually taught. "So you see," said he, "even if you had been married on that day appointed in mortality, it would have been only until death did you part. You have pa.s.sed through death, and so, the contract between you would have come to an end, and you would not now be husband and wife."
"But you said that you two were to be married. How?"
"Had we been married in earth-life, it would have been for time and eternity, because it would have been performed by the authority of the Lord. What G.o.d does, is forever. Marriage must be solemnized on the earth. As our earth-days are past, we cannot go back, so the ceremony must be done for us by someone else living on the earth. Sister Rachel here, while in earth-life, did for thousands who had gone before what they could not do for themselves. Now, someone, in the Lord"s own due time, will stand for her, and do for her what she did not do for herself."
The two new acquaintances listened attentively while David and sometimes Rachel instructed them on the principles of the gospel, and their application to those who were in the spirit world. They spoke to them of faith and repentance, principles which all men everywhere could receive and exercise. They explained the ordinance of baptism for the remission of sins, an earthly rite, which could be believed in and accepted by those in the spirit world, but would have to be performed for them vicariously by someone on earth. Marriage for eternity was also further explained.
"It is true," concluded David, "that in the resurrection there is neither marrying nor giving in marriage. All that must be attended to before the resurrection, which for all of us--luckily--is yet in the future. We know for a surety that if we do our part the best we know, the Lord will take care of the rest."
These four people did not part until David and Rachel had promised to meet their friends again soon, and continue the talk which had so favorably begun. When the two had left, David turned to Rachel and said:
"Did you see the lovelight glowing in their eyes when their hearts were touched with the truth?"
"Yes, as it did in yours when you were speaking."
"And in yours, too, my dear, when it was your turn."
"It"s good to be a missionary--always a missionary, isn"t it, as long as there is one being in need of guidance and instruction."
"It is very good, indeed, David."
"Rachel, glad news for us. We, you and I, are soon to follow our parents and our older brothers and sisters, up through the gates of the resurrection, which our Lord so graciously opened.... Yes, yes, it is true.... Into the celestial kingdom, with bodies of celestial glory and go on to our exaltation.... And, dear, the work is being done for us in the Temple of our G.o.d.... Yes, right now, it is being done. Come, Rachel, let us go and be as near as we can.... Yes, we have permission.... This is the Temple. G.o.d"s messengers are here, and His Spirit broods in and around the holy place. That Spirit we also in common with mortality, may feel. You, Rachel, ought to be at home here, more so than I. Let us follow the man and the woman who are doing the work for us.... Do you see them clearly, Rachel?... Yes; we shall not forget them when they, too, come to us in the spirit, but we shall give them a welcome such as they have never dreamed of.... Now they are by the altar. Kneel here by me, Rachel,--your hand in mine, like this.
Listen, can you hear? "For and in behalf of,"... you and me.... It is done. We are husband and wife. You are mine for eternity, mine, mine....
O, Eternal Father, we thank Thee!"
David holds the fair form of his wife in his arms. He kisses her cheeks, her eyes, her lips. Then there is silence.
PART FOURTH.
Freedom waves her joyous pinions O"er a land, from sea to sea, Ransomed, righteous, and rejoicing In a world-wide jubilee.
O"er a people happy, holy, Gifted now with heavenly grace, Free from every sordid fetter That enslaved a fallen race.
Union, love, and fellow feeling Mark the sainted day of power; Rich and poor in all things equal, Righteousness their rock and tower.
Mountain peaks of pride are leveled, Lifted up the lowly plain, Crookedness made straight, while crudeness Now gives way to culture"s reign.
Now no tyrant"s sceptre saddens; Now no bigot"s power can bind.
Faith and work, alike unfettered, Win the goal by heaven designed.
G.o.d, not mammon, hath the worship Of His people, pure in heart: This is Zion--oh, ye nations, Choose with her "the better part!"
Crown and sceptre, sword and buckler-- Baubles!--lay them at her feet.
Strife no more shall vex creation; Christ"s is now the kingly seat.
Cities, empires, kingdoms, powers, In one mighty realm divine.
She, the least and last of nations, Henceforth as their head shall shine.
"Tis thy future glory, Zion, Glittering in celestial rays, As the ocean"s sun-lit surging Rolls upon my raptured gaze!
All that ages past have promised, All that n.o.blest minds have prized, All that holy lips have prayed for, Here at last is realized.
--_Orson F. Whitney._
I.
"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. * * * And the Gentiles shall come to thy light and kings to the brightness of thy rising."--_Isaiah 60:1, 3._
The sun in its downward course had reached the hazy zone, which, bounded by the clear blue above and the horizon below, extended around the green earth; in the west, the round disk of the sun shone through it, and tinged the landscape with a beautiful, mellow light.
It was midsummer. The sun had been hot all the day, and when on that evening two men reined in the horses they were driving, and paused on the summit of a small hill, a cool breeze reached them, and they bared their heads to the refreshing air. Not a word was spoken as they gazed on the scene before them; its grandeur and beauty were too vast for words.
Before them, to the west, lay the city, the object of their long journey--before them, it lay as a queen in the midst of her surroundings. At first sight, it seemed one immense palace, rather than a city of palaces, as the second view indicated. Street after street, mansion after mansion, the city stretched away as far as the eye could reach, mingling with trees and gardens.
Rising from the center of the city was the temple. Its walls shone like polished marble, and its towers seemed to pierce the sky, as around about them a white cloud hung. This cloud extended from the temple as a center, over the whole city, and seemed as it were a covering.
The sun sank behind the horizon; still the cloud glowed with light, as if the sun"s rays still lingered there.
For ten minutes the carriage had paused on the elevation, and the two men had gazed in silence. Then the driver, as if awakening from a dream, gave the horses the word to go, as he said:
"We must drive on."
"Yes; night is coming on."
The second speaker was a middle aged man of commanding bearing. He leaned back in the carriage as they sped onward.
"So this is the world renowned city," he said, "the new capital of the world to which we all must bow in submission; within whose borders sit judges and rulers the like of which for power and wisdom have never yet appeared. Truly, she is the rising light of the world. What say you, Remand?"
""Tis indeed a wondrous sight, your majesty. The reality far exceeds any reports that have come to us."
"It is well, Remand, that we chose this slower mode of coming into the city. Electricity would have brought us here in a fraction of the time; but who would miss this beautiful drive?"
They were already within the outskirts of the city. Although all that day they had driven through a most beautiful region of cities and fields and gardens, the latter being gorgeous with flowers and fruit, yet the glory of this city far surpa.s.sed anything they had yet beheld. Over the smooth, paved roadway, their carriage glided noiselessly. The blooming flowers and trees shed sweet odors in the air. Buildings and gardens, arranged in perfect symmetry, delighted the eye. The song of birds and the hum of evening melodies charmed the ear. Men, women and children and vehicles of all kinds were continually pa.s.sing.
The shades of night crept over the landscape; still the cloudy covering of the city glowed with brilliant light. The darker the night became, the brighter became the cloud, until the palace, built of marble and precious stone, appeared in its soft, clear light like the colors of the rainbow.