V.

"In my Father's house are many mansions. * * * I go to prepare a place for you."—John 14:2.

Two men were walking in the grounds surrounding a stately residence on the outskirts of the city.

"I told you some time ago of the king of Poland's visit," said the one who had been instructor at the school. "Did you see that item in the paper this morning?"

"Yes," replied the other. "The visit must have made a great impression on him, judging by what he is doing."

"He was much interested. He is a good man, and is carrying out the instructions which he received while here. You have not been here before?"

"No; this is my first visit."

"This house is being built for a descendant of mine who is yet in mortality. I visit with him frequently, and he has asked me for suggestions as to its construction. I have had much pleasure in giving them. Soon he is to bring a wife into his new home, a dear good girl whom I am pleased to welcome in this way into our family. The workmen have nearly finished their labors and I am devoting some time to the preparation of the grounds. Will you have time to look around with me?"

"I have time today, brother."

They walked towards the house. It stood on the slope of a gentle elevation which furnished a view of the country westward.

"Here you see what I am doing. I am departing somewhat from the usual form of lawn plans, but I want this place to have a special feature. You see, I have led this stream of water around the hill-side and made it fall over this small precipice into this tiny lake. What do you think of it?"

"It is beautiful and unique."

"You see, brother, I have a liking for streams of water. They always please my eye, and their babble and roar is music to my ears. And then, someone else will soon be visiting with me here. I call this my temporary Earth-home; and brother, nothing can be too beautiful for my wife."

His companion looked at him and smiled. The speaker smiled in return. They understood each other.

"Yes, she is coming soon—at any time, now."

They walked into the house and inspected the building. It was no exception to the other houses in the city, as beautiful as gold, silver, precious stones, fine woods, silks, and other fabrics could make it. Most of the rooms were furnished, as if in readiness for occupancy.

"I delight in statuary," was explained to the visitor, "and my wife delights in paintings. You see, I have catered to both our tastes, and especially hers. Those panels are the work of the famous Rene, and this ceiling was painted by the best artist in the city. Here, what do you think of this?"

They paused before a large painting hung in the best light. It showed traces of age, but the colors indicated the hand of a master. It represented a scene where grandeur and beauty mingle; in the distance, blue hills; nearer, they became darker and pine clad; in the foreground loomed a rocky ledge; encircled by the hills, lay a lake, around whose shores were farms and farm houses with red roofs; and in the foreground of the lake was an island.

"A fine picture," said the visitor, "and an old one."

"It is a scene in old-time Norway, by one of Europe's best painters. Here is another. This is new, hardly dry, in fact. You observe that there are no pines on those hills. The farm house and the orchard in the foreground are as natural as life. She will recognize them at once."

They passed out.

"I have not had time to collect much in the way of statuary. I work a little at that art myself. Here is an unfinished piece, a model for a fountain."

They sat on a bench within sight of the falling water.

"Tell me about your family."

"I have a wife and four children yet in the spirit world. It is not long as we count time since I left them, and they are soon to follow; but I am impatient, I think. Oh, but she is a good woman, brother, good and true and beautiful; and my children are noble ones—two boys and two girls—even if one has been wayward. He will come back in time. Yes, my wife first taught me the knowledge of God, in the second estate, and opened to me the beauties of our Fathers' great plan. I had fallen low, and was in danger of going lower, when she came—God sent her—and with her pure, strong hand drew me up from the mire, God bless her." And the speaker smiled at the splashing waters.

"Then in earth-life I left them so suddenly, and she struggled bravely on to the end. It was all for the best—we know that now. I had a work to do in the spirit world, and God called me to it. I did it, and was accepted of the Master. We all met in the spirit world, and there continued our labors of love for the glory of God and the salvation of His children. Then my time came to pass through the resurrection, and here I am.—Hark, what is that? Someone is calling."

They listened. From the house came a voice, a low, sweet voice, calling.

"Brother, I must go," said he who had been talking. "Someone calls my name."

He disappeared hurriedly within the door-way; and the visitor went on his way.

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there by any more pain: for the former things are passed away."He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God and he shall be my son."—Rev. 21:4-7.

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there by any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God and he shall be my son."—Rev. 21:4-7.

A sound, a whispered word echoes through the air and enters the ear. It touches the chords and finds them tuned to its own harmony. It plays tenderly on responsive strings, and what an awakening is within that soul! What rapture in the blending, what delight in the union! From it is born a joy of the heavenly world.

A sight, a glimpse of a form—a certain form or face; the rays of light entering the eye meet with something keenly sympathetic, and the soul leaps in ecstasy.

A touch, a gentle pressure of the hand; the union is complete.

What was that voice that reached him—a voice love-laden, full to over-flowing from the regions of the past? Ah, what sweetness courses through his veins, what joy leaps in his heart!

Within, he sees her. She stands in the middle of the room, with her eyes upon the open door. She does not move. Her beautiful robe of shining white clings about her form or falls in graceful folds to the floor. Her hair, light as of old, now glistens like silken threads. Her face shines with the indescribable glow of immortality.

She sees her husband. She raises her arms, and takes a step forward. She smiles—such a smile!

"Homan—Rupert."

"Delsa—Signe."

He takes her in his arms. He kisses her and holds her to his breast....

Presently strains of music came from another room. He listened as if surprised, but she looked up into her husband's eyes and smiled. The music ceased and a little girl appeared in the doorway.

"May I come in?" she asked.

"Alice, my darling."

She runs towards them.

"Papa, papa, oh, how glad I am!"

He lifted her up and she threw her arms about his neck and kissed him again and again.

"What a beautiful place this is!" she said. "O, mamma, I am very happy!"

"Yes, Alice, we are all happy—happy beyond expression. We now can partly understand that glorious truth taught us, that 'spirit and element, inseparably connected, receiveth a fulness of joy.'"

Alice was playing with the fishes and the swans in the garden, and the husband and wife were sitting by an open window, gazing out upon the city.

"Brother Volmer has not been to see us yet," said he. "You remember he was our brother Sardus?"

"I remember him well," she answered.

"His musical talent is now of great blessing to himself and to the cause of God, as he is a musical director in the Temple. He understands now why he lost his hearing while in mortality, and he praises God for his then seeming misfortune."

"Husband," said she, "I am thinking again about our children. How long will it be before we shall receive them all?"

"Not long now; but each in his order. Leave that to the Lord."

They looked out at Alice. The swans were eating from her hand, and she was stroking their curved necks.

"To look back," said he, "and see the wonderful ways through which the Lord has brought us to this perfection, fills my heart with praise to Him. Now we are beyond the power of death and the evil one. Now the pure, life-giving spirit of God flows in our veins instead of the blood of mortality. Now we can know the two sides of things. We understand the good, because we have been in contact with the evil. Our joy is perfect, because we have experienced pain and sorrow. We know what life is, eternal life, because we have passed through the ordeal of death."

"Yes, Father teaches a good school."

"And we have learned this truth," said she, "that existence itself is a continuous penalty or reward. The children of God reap as they sow from eternity to eternity."

"Yes; then dwell on this thought for a moment: Our lives have just begun, as it were. We have eternity before us, and we are only now equipped to meet it."

"I am lost in the thought. But tell me about this thousand years of earthly peace and the last great change. Husband, I am a pupil now, and you the teacher."

"There is much to tell in contemplating not only the realities but the possibilities of the future. This earth has for some time been enjoying its Sabbath of peace and rest. He who rebelled in the beginning and fought against God is bound, and Christ is sole King of the earth. His laws go to the ends thereof, and all nations must obey them. The Saints are building holy places, and working for the living and the dead. No graves are now made, as the bodies of the Saints do not sleep in the dust. Thus it will go on until the thousand years are ended. Then Satan will be loosed for a little season; but his time will be short. Then comes the last great scene. The Lord will finish His work. In the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, He will be seen with all His angels. The mortal Saints yet on the earth will be instantly changed and caught up to meet Him. The holy cities will be lifted up. Then the elements will melt with fervent heat. The earth will die as all things must, and be resurrected in perfection and glory, to be a fit abode, eternally, for celestial beings. All things will become new; all things will become celestial, and the earth will take its place among the self-shining stars of heaven. Then shall we receive our eternal inheritance, with our children and our families. Then shall we be in possession of that better and more enduring substance spoken of by the prophets. All things shall be ours, 'whether life or death, or things present, or things to come;' all are ours, and we are Christ's and Christ is God's."

"Why, then we will be like unto God."

"And is it strange that children should become like their father?"

"I remember now," said she, "as distinctly as though it were yesterday, what Father promised us in our first estate, that if we were faithful, we should be added upon, and still added upon. Do you remember it?"

"Distinctly," he answered. "It was to be 'glory added upon our heads for ever and ever.' Father is fulfilling his promise."

Then they sat still, not being able to speak their thoughts, but looked out towards the cloud-encircled towers of the city.

Alice came running in. "The people are coming," she said.

They looked out of the window and saw two persons approach, viewing the grounds with interest.

"It is Henrik and Marie," exclaimed Signe. The newcomers were greeted rapturously.

"Come in and see the results of my husband's planning," said Signe.

The visitors were led through the house, and shown the gardens surrounding it. As they had been separated for a time from their friends they had many things to tell each other.

"Do you know," said Henrik, as they were all sitting by the playing fountain, "on our way here, we met Rachel!"

"Is she also risen?" asked Signe. "Oh, why did you not bring her with you?"

"Well," said Henrik with a smile, "I told her where we were going and asked her to come along. But she naturally preferred to stay with her husband who was taking her to see some of his own people; so she graciously declined, but said she would visit with us some other time."

"Right away?"

"I can't say. She clung pretty closely to her husband. They are a splendid pair. I am glad, for I will admit that I once thought Rachel's case was hopeless."

"We couldn't see very far, could we, brother?" remarked Rupert.

"Our faith was weak, and we did not trust the Lord enough."

"Yes; I used to wonder how the Lord would ever straighten out the mass of entanglements that seemed to exist in the world. We failed to comprehend the providences of the Lord because we could not see beyond the narrow confines of the world in which we were living; we could see only a small part of the circle of eternity; we could not see how that visible portion, which was often rough and unshapely, could fit into anything beautiful; but now our vision is extended, and we have a larger, and therefore, a more correct view."

"And this I have found," said Henrik, smiling at Signe and Marie as with arms around each other, they sauntered down the garden path, "I have found that our work never ends. While in earth-life my mission was to seek after those of my people who had gone before me, and to do a work of salvation for them in the temples. In the spirit world, I continued my work preaching to my fellowmen, and preparing them to receive that which was and is being done for them by others. And now, I find, that I am busier than ever. We are teachers, directors, leaders, judges, and our field is all the earth."

"Yes," replied Rupert, "I attended the laying of the corner-stone of the one-hundredth temple the other day; and we have only just begun. The time, talent, wealth, and energy that formerly went to the enriching of a few and that was spent to build and sustain armies and navies, now are directed to the building of temples and the carrying on the work in them. I used to wonder how the needed temple work could ever be done for the millions of earth's inhabitants, but now I can see how simple it is. Tens of thousands of Saints, in thousands of temples, in a thousand years of millenium can accomplish it. Every son and daughter of Adam must have a chance; every tangled thread must be straightened out; every broken link must be welded; every wrong must be righted; every created thing that fills the measure of its creation must be perfected;—all this must be before the 'winding-up scene' comes. All this can be accomplished, for now we have every force working to that end. The earth is yet teeming with our brothers and sisters in mortality; there is continual communication between the spirit world and this world, and then here are we, with our kind; we have passed through the earth-life, through the spirit world, through the resurrection—and we, as you said, are busier than ever, because with our added knowledge and wider view comes greater power. Our services are needed everywhere. And what a blessed privilege we have in thus being able to help the Lord in the salvation of His children and the hastening to its destined end of celestial glory this world of ours."

Alice was playing with some birds, which she seemed to have well trained, as they were flying back and forth from her hand to the bushes. The two women now came back along the path, stopping now and then to listen to a bird or to look at a flower. They joined Rupert and Henrik.

"I have quite a lot of names from the spirit world to bring to the Temple today," said Rupert, "among them fifteen couples to be made husband and wife."

"I have heard it said," remarked Marie, "that in heaven there is neither marrying nor giving in marriage."

"Neither is there," answered Rupert, "any more than there is baptism for the remission of sins. Neither this world nor the world of spirits, where live the contracting parties, is heaven."

"Isn't this heaven?" asked Marie, looking around on the beauty with which she was surrounded.

"As far as we resurrected beings are concerned," replied Rupert, "we have heaven wherever we go; but this earth is only being prepared for its heavenly or celestial state. Until that is finished, there shall be marrying and giving in marriage."

"I'm glad of it," said Signe; "for there is—"

She was interrupted by Alice, who came in with the announcement that others were coming up to the house. Henrik and Marie were greeted for the first time by visitors who continued to gather. For some time, white-clothed persons had been directing their steps towards the Temple. Now they were hurrying.

"It is time to go," said Rupert.

In a few moments they had changed their clothing, and with the speed of thought, they were within the Temple grounds. Entering, they took their places. Volmer passed, and he paused to speak to them. Soon the hall was filled.

The Lord of Life and Light was there, and lent of His light to the scene.

Brilliancy pervaded everything, shone from everything. It was not the sun, there being no dazzle; it was not the moon, but a clearness as of noonday. The whole Temple shed forth a lustre as if it were built of some celestial substance. The marble, the precious stones, the gold, seemed changed into light—light, pure, calm, and consolidated into form. It radiated from the throne, and from Him who sat upon it. "Around His head was as the colors of the rainbow, and under His feet was a paved work of pure gold in color like amber."

Hark! the music! How it fills the Temple, how it thrills the souls assembled. A thousand instruments blend in exquisite harmony, ten thousand voices join in the song:

"The earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength,And truth is established in her bowels;And the heavens have smiled upon her;And she is clothed with the glory of her God;For He stands in the midst of His people.Glory, and honor, and power, and mightBe ascribed to our God; for He is full of mercy,Justice, grace, and truth, and peace,Forever and ever, Amen."

The rise of man is endless. Be in hope.All stars are gathered in his horoscope.The brute man of the planet, he will pass,Blown out like forms of vapor on a glass.And from this quaking pulp of life will riseThe superman, child of the higher skies.Immortal, he will break the ancient bars,Laugh and reach out his hands among the stars.—Edwin Markham.

Old things have passed away, all now are new;Its measure of creation Earth has filled;The law of a celestial kingdom itHas kept, transgressed not the law;Yea, notwithstanding it has died, it hasBeen quickened once again; and it abidesThe power by which that quick'ning has been done.Wherefore, it now is sanctified from allUnrighteousness, and crowned with glory, e'enThe presence of the Father and the Son.Immortal Earth on wings of glory rolls,Shines like unto a crystal sea of glassAnd fire, whereon all things are manifest:Past, present, future,—all are clear to thoseWho live upon this glorious orb of God.Upon this globe, God's children glorifiedAre no more strangers, wand'ring to and froAs weary pilgrims; now they have receivedPossessions everlasting on the Earth—A portion of a glorified domainOn which to build and multiply and spread—A part of Earth to call always their own.Eternal mansions may they now erect:Make them of whatsoe'er their hearts' desire;For gold and silver, precious stones and woods,And fabrics rare, and stuffs of every hue,All plentiful in Nature's store-house lie,For them to freely draw upon and use.Masters of all the elements are they;And Nature's forces are at their command.The man and woman, in the Lord made one,Eternally are wedded man and wife.These now together make their plans, and buildA lovely, spacious home wherein to dwell,A place for work, for rest, for new-found joys,A peaceful habitation, one beyondThe power of evil ever to destroy.

II.

In their primeval childhood—first estate—These once had lived within their Father's home.Out from that home they had been sent to EarthTo have their spirit bodies clothed uponWith element, to come in contact withConditions which were needful for their growth,And learn the lessons of mortality.There they had overcome temptation's wiles,There had obeyed the gospel of their LordAnd worked out their salvation by its power.These two had met and mated, had fulfilledThe first great law: "Give bodies clean and strongTo Father's spirit-children from above."The time allotted they had lived on Earth,Had died the mortal death, had gone intoThe spirit world; from there they had come forthWith resurrected bodies from the grave.Thus they had kept their first and second estates,And now were counted worthy to receiveTheir portion 'mong the exalted ones of God.

III.

Celestial man and woman now do live

The perfect life; for every faculty

Of heart and brain is put to highest use.

The appetites and passions purged are

From dross that fallen nature with them mixed.

The will is master now, and every sense

Is under absolute control, and gives

Perfected service to perfected souls.

These two have come into their very own.

They walk by sight; and yet the eye of faith

Sweeps out to future time and distant space

And leads them on and on. They lay their plans

And execute these plans to perfectness.

Eternal Glory-land is their abode,

So beautifully clothed in Nature's best,

And basking in the pleasing smile of God;

No need of light of sun or moon or stars;

The glory of the Father and the Son

Eclipses all such lights of lesser ray.

Although with godlike powers they rule and reign,

Yet are they Father's children, and to Him

All loving honor and obedience give.

And then that Elder Brother who has done

So much for all, He also here abides,—

The Savior of the world and souls of men,

The Lord of lords, the King of all the Earth,

Yet ever-present Comforter and Friend.

IV.

And now they learn the things they could not knowOn mortal earth. They learn the secrets ofAll things that are in space above, or inThe Earth beneath: the elements which formThe air that man did breathe, and where obtained,And how composed. They learn of primal rocks,Foundations of the new-formed worlds in space,And how these worlds evolve into abodesFor man. The source of light and heat and powerThey find, and grasp the laws by which they mayBe rightly used and perfectly controlled.And then, most precious gift! they learn of life:What makes the grass to grow, what gives the flowersTheir fragrance and their many-colored hues.They comprehend all life in moving forms,—In worm, in insect, fish, and bird, and beast;And knowing this, they have the power to drawLife from its store-house, and to make it serveThe highest good in never-ending ways.

The truth has made these holy beings free.They having overcome all evil powers,Unfettered now they are and free to goWhere'er they wish within the heavenly spheres.They're not alone on this perfected world,Here other children of the Father dwell,Who also have obeyed celestial law.All these are of the Father's household, andAre numbered with the just and true, of whom'Tis written, "They are God's," and they shall dwellForever in the presence of their God.What bliss to mingle with such company!To taste the joys of friendships perfected,And feel to fulness that sweet brother-loveWhich binds in one the noble race of Gods!And other worlds may now be visited;For end there's none to matter and to space.Infinitude holds kingdoms, great and small,—Worlds upon worlds, redeemed and glorified,And peopled with the children of our God,Who also have evolved from lower things.What opening visions here for knowledge rare!What sciences, what laws, what history!What stories of God's love in other worlds!Exhaustless themes for poets' sweetest songs;For painters, sculptors, every science, artHas never-ending fields of pure delight.To them "the universe its incense brings"—Distilled from all the sweetness of the spheres.

VI.

Earth's loveliest flow'r, the love 'tween man and wife,Transplanted is to this most holy sphere.Through all the toiling years of earth-life, itHad grown; and now, instead of dying withThe mortal death, its roots are firmly fixedIn the eternal soil of Glory-land.And blessed man! now at his side there standsA woman, one of heaven's queens, a wife,A mother to his children of the Earth,And yet to be a mother of a race.Her beauty rare surpasses power of words.Her purity, her sweetly gentle waysRest as a crown of glory on her brow.Her love transcendent fills his heart with joy,And now he fully realizes that"The woman is the glory of the man."Here in thy Home, O Woman all divine,Thy measure of creation thou doest fill!Intelligences come from out the wombOf Time, into thine own; thence are they bornWith spirit bodies, to thy loving care.Now thou art Mother, and doest know in fullA mother's joy—a joy untinged by pain,And with thy Husband thou hast now becomeCreator, fellow worker with thy Lord.Celestial Father, Mother at the headOf parentage they stand, the perfect typeOf that eternal principle of sexFound in all nature, making possibleFor every living thing to multiplyAnd bring increase of being of its kind.In this celestial world, the fittest haveSurvived. To them alone the pow'r is givenTo propagate their kind. 'Twas wisely planned.The race of Gods must not deteriorate.Thus everlasting increase is deniedTo those who have not reached perfection's plane.Herein is justice, wisdom all-divine,That every child born into spirit worldHas perfect parentage, thus equal chanceIs given all to reach the highest goal,And win the race which runs up through the worlds.And children fill the household of these Two—And children bring perpetual youth, renewThe tender sentiments, and firmly knitThe heart of Father, Mother close in one.Thus do they work, and thus they follow inThe footsteps of their Father; and they spreadOut o'er the land of their inheritance.Masters of all, joint owners of the spheres,Eternal increase of eternal livesIs theirs; and this their work and glory isTo bring to pass the immortalityAnd life eternal to the race of men.

VII.

Time passes as an ever-flowing stream.The many mansions teem with offspring fair,—The spirit children of this heavenly world.Varied are they, as human beings areIn form, in likes, in capabilities.Here love, combined with justice, rules;Here truth is taught, the right and wrong are shown;Yet agency is given all, and theyMay choose the way selected by desire.Thus some more faithful are than others, andAdvance more rapidly along the greatHighway that leads among the shining stars.Time passes,—and the time has fully comeWhen spirits must be clothed upon with flesh,Must follow in the footsteps of their Sire,Must go to mortal earth and there work outTheir soul's salvation in the self-same wayThat all perfected beings once have done.Far out in space where there is ample roomAnd where primeval element abounds,This Father has been working, and still works,Fashioning a world on which to placeHis children. Without proper form, and void,In the beginning, this new world has passedFrom one stage to another, until nowIt rolls in space, an orb in beauty clad,A world on which a human race may dwell.This Father to his children thus doth speak:"The time has come for you to leave this home—This first estate, and take another stepAlong progression's path. A new-formed worldIs ready to receive you, and to clotheYou in another body. You will thenLearn many things you cannot here receive.A veil will then be drawn before your eyesThat you will be unable to look backTo us. Alone you'll have to stand; be triedTo see if faithful you will still remain.There's darkness in that world; and sin will comeAnd pain and suffering such as now you knowNot of. But these will only clearly showHow good is righteousness, and how much moreTo be desired the light than darkness is.Yet, you shall not be wholly left alone;My ministering angels shall keep watch,And near you all the time my power shall be,To help you in your direst hours of need.My sons and daughters, as you now do liveWithin your Father's ever-watchful care,Know this that always shall his loving armExtended be to you; the Father-heartAnd Mother-heart eternally do yearnAnd feel for you in sorrow or in pain.Where'er you are, you're still within my reach.If you'll but turn to me, I'll hear your criesAnd answer you in my good time and place.Go forth as you are called, the lessons learnOf earthly school; fear only sin; abideBy law, nor seek to be a law untoYourselves, for by eternal law the worldsAre formed, redeemed, and brought to perfectness,Together with all flesh which on them live.Go forth. Be worthy to come back againAnd be partakers of all heights and depths,Things present, things to come, yea, life or death,And it shall be my pleasure to bestowUpon youall there is eternally."Joy fills this Father's children, and with oneUnited voice of gladness do they sing:"Thanks, Father, kind and good for what you've done;Thanks for the added blessings which you bring.O glorious, wond'rous truth that we have found:The course of Gods' is one eternal round!"

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