CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
At the close of the great convocation, mother came to me and said: "Son, have you noticed there is no race prejudice
in heaven?"
"No distinctions of the races, mother?"
Yes, there are distinctions, but no prejudice because of
race.
It makes no difference here as to the kind of body we had on earth. All souls have a spotless whiteness here and
their robes, the same. Whatever the physical condition may have been
on earth, we are all one family here. Children of one
Father. Do you notice that group of singers yonder?"
"I do, mother."
"They were all colored people of America," she said "some of them suffered much, as slaves, by their old masters.
Let us go and speak to them a moment."
We did so, when to my great surprise I quickly
recognized one of them. We stood face to face, but for a moment I
hesitated, and then said: "In the name of paradise, is this
you, Rastus?"
"Oh," he said, "It’s me; but who be you?"
I said, "Look again."
He did so and began to smile. "I do know you, Mr. Sodi, you preached to us colored folks once on board the vessel on
de North Sea," and with that he gave me his hand.
I knew him in my earlier years having business with his old
master in the South. He was very black and very ignorant, but his face now
shone with the brightness of heaven itself, and his garments were perfect
whiteness.
"Well, I am glad to meet you," he said.
"Indeed, it is mutual," I replied; "but you are so changed.
Are there no black faces in heaven?" I inquired.
"Oh," he said, "we are all white here and in de perfect image of de Lord."
I asked what his old master thought of the great exaltation into which he had come.
"My master," said he, "I fear is not here. I have never
seen him since I escaped him and went to Northern Russia on de vessel of which you know, De floggin’ had been a hard one and
I determined he’d never give me anoder one. So after de vessel was full of
de cotton bales I hid underneath ‘em till she was well out at sea, when I made
myself known because of hunger and thirst. They made many threats to throw
me over into the sea, like to Jonah; but my life was spared and I escaped to
Russia. Neither have I seen him in dis heavenly world. I have passed
to and fro among these countless hosts of de redeemed and have been to very many
sections of de city, but I have not met him. I fear he is not here.
He used to attend de services of his church and made a good profession on de
Sunday, but during de week he was ungodly and rough to his children and still
worse to us his slaves. I have been made to feel so deeply de folly of
servin’ de Lord one day in de seven and de devil de flex’ six. Thousands
are lost tryin’ to serve two masters and peerin’ to be good on de Sunday and let
de devil rule ‘em de rest of de week. Oh, I was so poor in de world; my
cabin had no window, nor did we have a rag of a carpet on de floor, nor a
picture on de wall, neither did we have a flower in de yard nor did we have a
yard, for the cotton growed to de door.
"But oh, I have everything here; everything I kin see is
mine. And all beside and still it belongs to all dese udder people just as
much as me. I goes just where I like, up and down de streets, through de
long avenues, out through de gates of de city in de blessed chariots of God, to
de infinite regions of dis paradise; and de Lord Jesus has given me entire
liberty and says, "Go jis whar you will, and eat of every tree you like.
Clime de mountains and go into de valley and along de rivers and bathe your soul
in de sunshine of de Lamb, who is de light of all de heavenly city and dis
paradise."
"Well, Rastus," I said to him, "I am very glad to meet you
here and witness how God has lifted you up from the dust and the dung hill and
made you a prince among His saints."
"Indeed, I am gladder dan you kin be. I am de object of
His grace and you de witness. But when did you come to de city?"
"This," I replied, "is my first visit to paradise after
having been in the city only a short time. I have only just begun to see
my inheritance."
"Well," said he, "you will never git tired lookin’
into de
great mysteries of de eternal city. Nor will your heart ever shrivel
again
under de cold blasts of de world of sin; but it will swell wid de
highest emotions of praise. Do you see dis
harp (which he loosened from his girdle and began to test the strings)?
I
keep it tuned up all de time ready for de praise of de Lord Jesus. Oh,
if
I only could meet my ole master of de earth a comin’ along the street
some day;
den de angels would have to minister de first rebuke in heaven, and say,
"Not
quite so loud wid de music over in dat corner; for you disturb de
children’s
meetin’ on the fourth avenue." But I fear I shall never meet him, for
God says,
dar shall in no wise enter into de city anything dat defileth, neither
whatsoever worketh abomination
or maketh a lie; but dey which are written in de Lamb’s book of life.
He
used to defile de women of de plantation and lead others to do the same,
and do
other immoral abominations; dar was no end to ‘em, and den de matter
was, he
would cover it up and seem to be a saint on de Sunday. Oh, I fear his
hopeless cries will never reach to de throne. And yet some day one of
de
angels may come to me sayin’ I have good news for you; your old master
is at
last earnestly prayin’ and washin’ hisself wid his tears and de soap of
de word.
Den dis ole harp would begin on de highest key, until de angel would
have to
say, ‘Rastus, you had better drop back to de key of F, for he’s a leper
from de sole of his foot to de crown of his head, and will need to
dip himself seven times in de Jordan afore he is clean.’"
"Well, Rastus," I said, how about the rest of the slaves, are
many of them here in heaven?"
"Oh," he said, "dear Mr. Sodi, I ‘spects you haven’t
recognized dem since they have put on their shinin’ garments and put off de
black ones- There’s multitudes of dem here and dey sing in de choir wid de odder people and their voices are
often de loudest. Of course, dey are not all here by any means.
Many of dem were as big hypocrites as de master. Some
were of de fearful kind; some of de unbelievin’ sort; and some were de
whoremongers and de liars. And God says all these shall have their part in
de lake of fire and brimstone. If I could only go back and see dem once
more, I would take dis harp and show dem dis robe, and take ‘em one bunch of de
fruit; dey might believe me, though dey would not believe Moses and de
prophets."
"Well, Rastus, the visit has been very interesting to me."
"And to me also," said Rastus, "but my company is scattering
and I must also go, and will see you again soon, I trust." So saying he said good-bye and disappeared among the
chariots, and thousands who were leaving the martyrs’ reunion.
I now said to mother: "It does seem a most blessed thing that
there are no feelings of prejudice here toward anyone whom God sees fit to enter
the gates."
"Oh," she said, "we are here from every nation under heaven,
all races, kindreds, tongues and people are here; and all are in the likeness of
their Lord. While all retain a peculiar likeness to their former life."
"But see, David’s chariot is coming." In a few moments we
were seated with him and flying with great speed toward the city gate. We
passed in at the gate of Manasseh and at last halted near the children’s great
polytechnic. Mother and Mary stepped out and I bade them good-bye for the
present, saying, "I hope to see you again soon," for David had said, "I will
take you on a flying trip through some of the leading avenues toward the throne,
for I see your heart is in that direction and I have a commission to be your
servant for a time."
On we went through streets and avenues, flying at unmeasured
speed. The light of the throne began to be luminous in the distance, even
the trees lining the thoroughfares, somewhat like the trees for shade in earthly
cities, seemed hanging with diamonds and rubies of glistening brightness and the
mansions seemed literally studded with the same.
We now came to a broad avenue leading toward the throne.
Thousands of glorified saints, some walking, engaged in holy conversation,
others in the chariots, with the joy and rest of heaven upon them, were going
toward and from the throne.
I now turned to David and said: "While I am anxious to go on
to the throne, I am very eager to see the dear bosom companion of my life, who I
am told is detained in a distant place in paradise." - "Oh," said David, "why did you not tell me while we were in
paradise? We could have gone so quickly; but now I will turn the chariot,
and go at once, for I know her well and she will be greatly pleased, and I
myself will be greatly pleased in assisting you for this great pleasure trip.
So turning his chariot, he said, "Have you any choice of routes?"
"Not any, for I know nothing of the way, only go past the
children’s polytechnic and take mother and Mary. I am so ignorant of the ways, so choose for me."
"Most gladly indeed," said David. So with the speed of
sound we were flying toward the great cathedral, and soon halted beside the
gate."
Paradise, the Holy City and the Glory of the Throne
by Rev. Elwood Scott
Paradise, the Holy City and the Glory of the Throne
by Rev. Elwood Scott