,,he',s ,,coming ,,to-,,morrow ,,ideal ,,messages ,a series of booklets for friend to send to friend1 having in mind the conveying of a special word for a specific occasion4 ,the elegant manner of production and the genuine worth of the messages fully justify the title of the series1 for the complete books are assuredly ideal4 ,old ,english paper boards1 embossed1 each1 net1 #be cents4 #a4 ,beyond the ,marshes4 ,by ,ralph ,connor4 ,a ,word of ,encouragement4 #b4 ,across the ,continent of the ,years4 ,by ,newell ,dwight ,hillis4 #c4 ,for ,eyes that ,weep4 ,by ,samuel ,g4 ,smith4 ,a ,word of ,comfort to ,those ,bereaved of ,little ,children4 #d4 ,he's ,coming ,to-morrow4 ,by ,harriet ,beecher ,stowe4 ,a ,word on the ,coming of ,christ4 #e4 ,for ,hearts that ,hope4 ,by ,james ,g4 ,k4 ,mc,clure1 ,d4 ,d4 ,a ,word about ,heaven4 #f4 ,unto ,him4 ,by ,bishop ,john ,h4 ,vincent4 ,a ,simple ,word about ,coming to ,jesus ,christ4 ,,he',s ,,coming ,,to-,,morrow ,by ,,harriet ,,beecher ,,stowe ,illustration ,,fleming ,h4 ,,revell ,,company ,,chicago ,,new ,,york ,,toronto ,,mcmi ,,he',s ,,coming ,,to-,,morrow ,the night is far spent2 the day is at hand4 ,,my soul vibrated for a moment like a harp4 ,was it true8 ,the night1 the long night of the world's groping agony and blind desire8 ,is it almost over8 ,is the day at hand8 ,again3 ,,they ,,shall ,,see ,,the ,,son ,,of ,,man ,,coming ,,in ,a ,,cloud1 ,,with ,,power ,,and ,,great ,,glory4 ,and when these things come to pass1 look up and rejoice1 for your redemption is nigh4 ,coming6--,the ,son of man really coming into this world again with power and great glory8 ,will this really ever happen8 ,will this solid1 commonplace earth see it8 ,will these skies brighten and flash8 and will upturned faces in this city be watching to see ,him coming8 ,so our minister preached in a solemn sermon2 and for moments1 at times1 ,i felt a thrill of reality in hearing4 ,but as the well-dressed crowd passed down the aisle1 my neighbor1 ,mr4 ,stockton1 whispered to me not to forget the meeting of the bank directors on ,monday evening1 and ,mrs4 ,goldthwaite poured into my wife's ear a charge not to forget her party on ,thursday2 and my wife1 as she came out1 asked me if ,i had observed the extravagant toilet of ,mrs4 ,rennyman4 ,so absurd1 she said1 when her income1 ,i know1 cannot be half what ours is6 and ,i never think of sending to ,paris for my things2 ,i should look on it as morally wrong4 ,i spoke of the sermon4 ,yes1 said my wife1 what a sermon6--so solemn4 ,i wonder that all are not drawn to hear our rector4 ,what could be more powerful than such discourses8 ,my dear1 by the by1 don't forget to change ,mary's opal ring for a diamond one4 ,dear me6 the ,christmas presents were all so on my mind that ,i was thinking of them every now and then in church2 and that was so wrong of me6 ,my dear1 said ,i1 sometimes it seems to me as if all our life were unreal4 ,we go to church1 and the things that we hear are either true or false4 ,if they are true1 what things they are6 ,for instance1 these ,advent sermons4 ,if we are looking for that coming1 we ought to feel and live differently from what we do6 ,do we really believe what we hear in church8 or is it a dream8 ,i do believe1 said my wife earnestly--she is a good woman1 my wife--yes1 ,i do believe1 but it is just as you say4 ,oh1 dear6 ,i feel as if ,i am very worldly--,i have so many things to think of6 and she sighed4 ,so do ,i2 for ,i knew that ,i1 too1 was very worldly4 ,after a pause ,i said3 ,suppose ,christ should really come this ,christmas and it should be authoritatively announced that ,he would be here to-morrow8 ,i think1 said my wife1 there would be some embarrassment on the part of our great men1 legislators1 and chief councilors1 in anticipation of a personal interview4 ,fancy a meeting of the city council to arrange a reception for the ,lord ,jesus ,christ6 ,perhaps1 said ,i1 ,he would refuse all offers of the rich and great4 ,perhaps our fashionable churches would plead for ,his presence in vain4 ,he would not be in palaces4 ,oh6 said my wife earnestly1 if ,i thought our money separated us from ,him1 ,i would give it all--yes1 all--might ,i only see ,him4 ,she spoke from the bottom of her heart1 and for a moment her face was glorified4 ,you will see ,him some day1 said ,i1 and the money we are willing to give up at a word from ,him will not keep ,him from us4 ,that evening the thoughts of the waking hours mirrored themselves in a dream4 ,i seemed to be out walking in the streets1 and to be conscious of a strange1 vague sense of something just declared1 of which all were speaking with a suppressed air of mysterious voices4 ,there was a whispering stillness around4 ,groups of men stood at the corners of the street1 and discussed an impending something with suppressed voices4 ,i heard one say to another3 ,really coming6 ,what8 to-morrow8 ,and the others said3 ,yes1 to-morrow2 on ,christmas ,day ,he will be here4 ,it was night4 ,the stars were glittering with a keen and frosty light2 the shops glistened in their ,christmas array2 but the same sense of hushed expectancy pervaded every thing4 ,there seemed to be nothing doing2 and each person looked wistfully upon his neighbor as if to say1 ,have you heard8 ,suddenly1 as ,i walked1 an angel-form was with me1 gliding softly by my side4 ,the face was solemn1 serene1 and calm4 ,above the forehead was a pale1 tremulous1 phosphorous1 radiance of light1 purer than any on earth--a light of a quality so different from that of the street-lamps1 that my celestial attendant seemed to move in a sphere alone4 ,yet1 though ,i felt awe1 ,i felt a sort of confiding love as ,i said3 ,tell me1 is it really true8 ,is ,christ coming8 ,,he ,,is1 said the angel4 ,to-morrow ,he will be here6 ,what joy6 ,i cried4 ,is it joy8 said the angel4 ,alas1 to many in this city it is only terror6 ,come with me4 ,in a moment ,i seemed to be standing with him in a parlor of one of the chief palaces of the city4 ,a stout1 florid1 bald-headed man was seated at a table covered with papers1 which he was sorting over with nervous anxiety1 muttering to himself as he did so4 ,on a sofa lay a sad-looking1 delicate woman1 her emaciated hands clasped over a little book4 ,the room was1 in all its appointments1 a witness of boundless wealth4 ,gold and silver1 and gems1 and foreign furniture1 and costly pictures1 and articles of virtu--everything that money could buy--were heaped together2 and yet the man himself seemed to me to have been neither elevated nor refined by the confluence of all these treasures4 ,he seemed nervous and uneasy4 ,he wiped the sweat from his brow1 and spoke3 ,i don't know1 wife1 how you feel2 but ,i don't like this news4 ,i don't understand it4 ,it puts a stop to everything ,i know anything about4 ,oh1 ,john6 said the woman1 turning towards him a face pale and fervent1 and clasping her hands1 how can you say so8 ,and as she spoke1 ,i could see breaking out above her head a tremulous light1 like that above the brow of an angel4 ,well1 ,mary1 it's the truth4 ,i don't care if ,i say it4 ,i don't want to meet--well ,i wish ,he would put it off6 ,what does ,he want of me8 ,i'd be willing to make over--well1 three millions to found an hospital1 if ,he'd be satisfied and let me go on4 ,yes1 ,i'd give three millions--to buy off from to-morrow4 ,is ,he not our best friend8 ,best friend6 said the man1 with a look half fright1 half anger4 ,mary1 you don't know what you are talking about6 ,you know ,i always hated those things4 ,there's no use in it2 ,i can't see into them4 ,in fact1 ,i hate them4 ,she cast on him a look full of pity4 ,cannot ,i make you see8 she said4 ,no1 indeed1 you can't4 ,why1 look here1 he added1 pointing to the papers4 ,here is what stands for millions6 ,to-night it's mine2 and to-morrow it will be all so much waste paper2 and then what have ,i left8 ,do you think ,i can rejoice8 ,i'd give half2 ,i'd give--yes1 the whole1 not to have ,him come these hundred years4 ,she stretched out her thin hand towards him2 but he pushed it back4 ,do you see8 said the angel to me solemnly4 ,between him and her there is a ,,great ,,gulf fixed4 ,they have lived in one house with that gulf between them for years6 ,she cannot go to him2 he cannot go to her4 ,to-morrow she will rise to ,christ as a dewdrop to the sun2 and he will call to the mountains and rocks to fall on him--not because ,christ hates him1 but because he hates ,christ4 ,again the scene was changed4 ,we stood together in a little low attic1 lighted by one small lamp--how poor it was6--a broken chair1 a rickety table1 a bed in the corner where the little ones were cuddling close to one another for warmth4 ,poor things6 the air was so frosty that their breath congealed upon the bedclothes1 as they talked in soft1 baby voices4 ,when mother comes1 she will bring us some supper1 said they4 ,but ,i'm so cold6 said the little outsider4 ,get in the middle1 then1 said the other two1 and we'll warm you4 ,mother promised she would make a fire when she came in1 if that man would pay her4 ,what a bad man he is6 said the oldest boy2 he never pays mother if he can help it4 ,just then the door opened1 and a pale1 thin woman came in1 laden with packages4 ,she laid all down1 and came to her children's bed1 clasping her hands in rapture4 ,joy1 joy1 children6 ,oh1 joy1 joy6 ,christ is coming6 ,he will be here to-morrow4 ,every little bird in the nest was up1 and the little arms around the mother's neck2 the children believed at once4 ,they had heard of the good ,jesus4 ,he had been their mother's only friend through many a cold and hungry day1 and they doubted not ,he was coming4 ,oh1 mother6 will ,he take us8 ,he will1 won't ,he8 ,yes1 my little ones1 she said softly1 smiling to herself2 ,he shall gather the lambs with ,his arms1 and carry them in ,his bosom4 ,suddenly again1 as by the slide of a magic lantern1 another scene was present4 ,we stood in a lonely room1 where a woman was sitting with her head bowed forward upon her hands4 ,alone1 forsaken1 slandered1 she was in bitterness of spirit4 ,hard1 cruel tongues had spoken her name with vile assertions1 and a thoughtless world had believed4 ,there had been a babble of accusations1 a crowd to rejoice in iniquity1 and few to pity4 ,she thought herself alone1 and she spoke3 ,judge me1 ,o ,lord6 for ,i have walked in my integrity4 ,i am as a monster unto many2 but thou art my strong refuge4 ,in a moment the angel touched her4 ,my sister1 he said1 be of good cheer4 ,christ will be here to-morrow4 ,she started up1 with her hands clasped1 her eyes bright1 her whole form dilated1 as she seemed to look into the heavens1 and said with rapture3 ,come1 ,lord1 and judge me2 for ,thou knowest me altogether4 ,come1 ,son of man2 in ,thee have ,i trusted2 let me never be confounded4 ,oh1 for the judgment-seat of ,christ6 ,again ,i stood in a brilliant room1 full of luxuries4 ,three or four fair women were standing pensively talking with each other4 ,their apartment was bestrewn with jewelry1 laces1 silks1 velvets1 and every fanciful elegance of fashion2 but they looked troubled4 ,this seems to me really awful1 said one1 with a suppressed sigh4 ,what troubles me is1 ,i know so little about it4 ,yes1 said another1 and it puts a stop to everything6 ,of what use will all these be to-morrow8 ,there was a poor seamstress in the corner of the room1 who now spoke4 ,we shall be ever with the ,lord1 she said4 ,i'm sure ,i don't know what that can mean1 said the first speaker1 with a kind of shudder2 it seems rather fearful4 ,well1 said the other1 it seems so sudden--when one never dreamed of any such thing--to change all at once from this to that other life4 ,it is enough to be with ,him1 said the poor woman4 ,oh1 ,i have so longed for it6 ,the great gulf1 again said the angel4 ,then again we stood on the steps of a church4 ,a band of clergymen were together4 ,episcopalian1 ,methodist1 ,baptist1 ,presbyterian1 ,old ,school and ,new ,school1 all stood hand in hand4 ,it's no matter now about these old issues1 they said4 ,he is coming2 ,he will settle all4 ,ordinations and ordinances1 sacraments1 creeds1 are but the scaffolding of the edifice4 ,they are the shadow2 the substance is ,,christ6 ,and hand in hand they turned their faces when the ,christmas morning light began faintly glowing2 and ,i heard them saying together1 with one heart and voice3 ,come1 ,,lord ,,jesus6 come quickly6 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,note3 ,page #h1 wordly changed to worldly 7am very worldly7