"For thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."--_John
17:24._
There was a calm in heaven like unto that of a summer morning after a
night of storm.
Throughout the whole strife, the dark clouds of evil had been gathering.
In the fierce struggle, the spirits of heaven had been storm-tossed as
on two contending waves; but when Lucifer and his forces were cast out,
the atmosphere became purged of its uncleanness, and a sweet peace
brooded over all. Save for sorrow for the lost ones, nothing marred the
perfect joy of heaven. All now looked forward to the consummation of
that plan whereby they would become inhabitants of another world, fitted
for their school of experience in the flesh. All prepared themselves
with this end in view.
None was more grateful to his Father than Homan. In the midst of the
strife, he had done what he could for what he thought was right. All his
influence had been used with the wavering ones, and many were those who
owed him a debt of gratitude. But his greatest reward was in the peace
which dwelt within him and the joy with which he was greeted by all who
knew him.
Through it all, Homan's thoughts had often been with the fair sister
Delsa; and often he had sought her and talked with her. It pleased him
greatly to see the earnestness and energy with which she defended the
cause of the Father. He was drawn to her more than to the many others
who were equally valiant. As he thought of it, its strangeness occurred
to him. Why should it be so? He did not know. Delsa was fair; so were
all the daughters of God. She had attained to great intelligence; so had
thousands of others. Then wherein lay the secret of the power which drew
him to her?
The vastness of the spiritual world held enough for study, research, and
for occupation. None needed to be idle, for there were duties to be
performed, as much here as in any other sphere of action. In the
Father's house are many mansions.
In the one where Delsa lived, she and Homan sat in earnest conversation.
Through the opening leading to the garden appeared the stately form of
Sardus. Homan sprang to meet him and greeted him joyously:
"Welcome, Brother Sardus, welcome!"
Delsa arose.
"This is Brother Sardus," said Homan, "and this is Sister Delsa."
"Welcome, brother," said she. "Come and sit with us."
"Sardus," continued Homan, "I thought you lost. I have not met you for a
long time. You remember our last conversation? Sardus, what joy to know
that you are on the safe side, that you did not fall with Lucifer--"
"S--h, that name. Dear brother, he tempted me sorely, but I overcame
him."
"But we are shortly to meet him on new ground," continued Homan. "As
seducing spirits, he and his followers will still fight against the
anointed Son. They will not yield. Not obtaining bodies themselves, they
will seek to operate through those of others."
"Now we know how temptation and sin will come into the world," said
Delsa. "God grant that we may overcome these dangers again, as we once
have done."
They conversed for some time; then Sardus departed to perform some duty.
"I, too, must go," said Delsa. "A company of sisters is soon to leave
for earth, and I am going to say farewell to them."
"Delsa, you do not go with them? You are not leaving me?"
"No, Homan, my time is not yet."
"May we not go together?--but there--that is as Father wills. He will
ordain for the best. There are nations yet to go to the earth, and we
shall have our allotted time and place."
* * * * *
A group of persons was engaged in earnest conversation, when a messenger
approached. He raised his hand for silence, and then announced:
"I come from the Father on an errand to you."
The company gave him close attention, and he continued: "It is
pertaining to some of our brothers and sisters who have gone before us
into earth-life. I shall have to tell you about them so that you may
understand. A certain family of earth-children has fallen into evil
ways. Not being very strong for the truth before they left us, their
experiences in the other world have not made them stronger. This family,
it seems, has become rooted in false doctrine and wrong living, so that
those who come to them from us partake also of their error and unbelief
of the truth. As you know, kinship and environment are powerful agencies
in forming character, and it appears that none of the Father's children
have so far been able to withstand the tendency to wrong which is
exerted on all who come to this family."
The messenger paused and looked around on the listening group. Then he
continued: "The Father bids me ask if any of you are willing to go in
earth-life to this family, become kin to those weak-hearted ones--for
their salvation."
There was a long pause as if all were considering the proposition. The
messenger waited.
"Brother," asked one, "is there not danger that he who goes on this
mission might himself come under the influence you speak of to such an
extent that he also would be lost to the good, and thus make a failure
of his mission?"
"In the earth-life, as here," replied the messenger, "all have their
agency. It is, therefore, possible that those who take upon themselves
this mission--for there must be two, male and female--to give way to the
power of evil, and thus fail in their errand. But, consider this: the
Father has sent me to you. He knows you, your hearts, your faithfulness,
your strength. He knows whom He is asking to go into danger for the sake
of saving souls. Yes, friends, the Father knows, and this ought to be
enough for you."
The listeners bowed their heads as if ashamed of the doubting, fearful
thought. Then in the stillness, one spoke as if to herself: "To be a
savior,--to share in the work of our Elder Brother! O, think of it!"
Then the speaker raised her head quickly. "May I go, may I?" she
questioned eagerly.
"And I," "and I," came from others.
"Sister, you will do for one," said the messenger to her who had first
spoken. "And now, we need a brother--yes, you, brother, will do." This
to one who was pressing forward, asking to be chosen.
"Yes, yes," continued the messenger, as he smiled his pleasure on the
company, "I see that the Father knows you all."
"But," faltered the sister who had been chosen, "what are we to do? May
we not know?"
"Not wholly," was the reply. "Do you not remember what you have been
taught, that a veil is drawn over the eyes of all who enter mortality,
and the memory of this world is taken away; but this I may tell you,
that by the power of your spiritual insight and moral strength you will
be able to exert a correcting influence over your brothers and sisters
in the flesh, and especially over those of your kin. Then again, when
you hear the gospel of our Elder Brother preached, it will have a
familiar sound to you and you will receive it gladly. Then you will
become teachers to your households and a light unto your families.
Again, not only to those in the flesh will you minister. Many will have
passed from earth-life in ignorance of the gospel of salvation when you
come. These must have the saving ordinances of the gospel performed for
them, so that when they some time receive the truth, the necessary rites
will have been performed. This work, also, is a part of your mission--to
enter into the Temples of the Lord, male and female, each for his and
her kind, and do this work."
A sister, pressing timidly forward near to him who had been chosen, took
his hand, and looked pleadingly into the face of the messenger. "May not
I, too, go?" she asked. "I believe I could help a little."
The messenger smiled at her, seeing to whose hand she clung. "I think
so," he said; "but we shall see."
"When do we go?" asked the brother.
"Not yet. Abide the will of the Father,--and peace be with you all."
He left them in awed silence. Then, presently, they began to speak to
each other of the wonderful things they had heard and the call that had
come to some of them.
Times and seasons, nations and peoples had come and gone. Millions of
the sons and daughters of God had passed through the earthly school, and
had gone on to other fields of labor, some with honor, others with
dishonor. God's spiritual intelligences, in their innumerable gradations
were being allotted their times and places. The scheme of things
inaugurated by the Father was working out its legitimate results.
Homan's time had come for him to leave his spiritual home. He was now to
take the step, which, though temporarily downward, would secure him a
footing by which to climb to greater heights. Delsa was still in her
first estate. So also was Sardus. They, with a company, were gathered to
bid Homan farewell, and thus they spoke:
"We do not know," Homan was saying, "whether or not we shall meet on
the earth. Our places and callings may be far apart, and we may never
know or recognize each other until that day when we shall meet again in
the mansions of our Father."
"I am thankful for one thing: I understand that a more opportune time in
which to fill our probation has never been known on the earth. The
Gospel exists there in its fulness, and the time of utter spiritual
darkness has gone. The race is strong and can give us sound bodies. Now,
if we are worthy, we shall, no doubt, secure a parentage that will give
us those powers of mind and body which are needed to successfully combat
the powers of evil."
It was no new doctrine to them, but they loved to dwell upon the
glorious theme.
"We have been taught that we shall get that position to which our
preparation here entitles us. Existence is eternal, and its various
stages grade naturally into one another, like the different departments
of a school."
"Some have been ordained to certain positions of trust. Father knows us
all, and understands what we will do. Many of our mighty ones have
already gone, and many are yet with us awaiting Father's will."
"I was once quite impatient. Everything seemed to pass so slowly, I
thought; but now I see in it the wisdom of the Father. What confusion
would result if too many went to the earth-life at once. The experience
of those who go before are for our better reception."
"Sardus," said Homan, "I hear that you are taking great delight in
music."
"That is expressing the truth mildly, dear Homan. Lately I can think of
nothing else."
"What is your opinion of a person being so carried away with one
subject?" asked one.
"I was going to say," answered Homan, "that I think there is danger in
it. Some I know who neglect every other duty except the cultivation of a
certain gift. I think we ought to grow into a perfectly rounded
character, cultivating all of Father's gifts to us, but not permitting
any of them to become an object of worship."
"Remember, we take with us our various traits," said Delsa. "I think,
Homan, your view is correct. It is well enough to excel in one thing,
but that should not endanger our harmonious development."
"I have noticed, Delsa, that you are quite an adept at depicting the
beautiful in Father's creations."
"I?" she asked; "there is no danger of my becoming a genius in that
line. I do not care enough for it, though I do a little of it."
Thus they conversed; then they sang songs. Tunes born of heavenly melody
thrilled them. After a time they separated, and Homan would have gone
his way alone, but Delsa touched him on the arm.
"Homan, there is something I wish to tell you," she said. "May I walk
with you?"
"Instead I will go with you," he replied.
They went on together.
"I, too, soon am going to earth," she said.
"Is it true?"
"Yes; Mother has informed me and I have been preparing for some time.
Dear Homan, I am so glad, still the strange uncertainty casts a peculiar
feeling over me. Oh, if we could but be classmates in the future
school."
"Father may order it that way," he replied. "He knows our desires, and
if they are righteous and for our good He may see that they are
gratified. Do you go soon?"
"Yes; but not so soon as you. You will go before and prepare a welcome
for me. Then I will come." She smiled up into his face.
"By faith we see afar," he replied.
"Yes; we live by faith," she added.
Hand in hand, they went. They spoke no more, but communed with each
other through a more subtle channel of silence. Celestial melodies rang
in their ears; the celestial landscape gladdened their eyes; the peace
of God, their Father, was in their hearts. They walked hand in hand for
the last time in this, their first estate.