old scenes on earth.

Section 1

We pass on to consider the relations between ourselves and them. Do
they know now of our life on earth? Can there be between us
comradeship in any sense? Can there be love and care and sympathy and
prayer between us on these two sides of the grave, as there is between
friends on earth on the two sides of the Atlantic?

The Church says yes, and calls it in her creed, the Communion of
Saints. The Communion of Saints--a very grand name, but it means only
a very simple thing--just loving sympathy between us and these elder
brothers and sisters beyond the grave.

The term "saint" in the New Testament only means any poor humble
servant of Christ "set apart" to Him, baptized into His name.
Communion means Fellowship, Comradeship. Therefore the Communion of
Saints simply means fellowship between Christians, and in church
language has come chiefly to mean fellowship between Christians at this
side and at the other side of death. Knowledge and comradeship and
sympathy and love and prayer between the church MILITANT on earth and
the church EXPECTANT in Paradise, as they both look forward to the
final joy of the church TRIUMPHANT in Heaven, and meantime cooeperate
one with the other to bring the whole world within the Kingdom of
Christ.

You see that it is a prominent doctrine of the Church's creed, and
rightly understood, it is a very beautiful and touching doctrine--not
only because of the union of fellowship with our departed--but
especially because the bond of that union and fellowship is our dear
Lord Himself, whom we and they alike love and thank and praise and pray
to and worship, and from whom we and they alike derive the Divine
sustenance of our souls.

You know what a bond of union it is between two men even to find that
they both deeply honour and admire and love the same friend and
benefactor. They become one in him. The Bible means that, but a great
deal more, when it says we are "one in Christ Jesus."

Here on earth, there in Paradise, is His presence. Here on earth,
there in Paradise, is the love and prayer and praise going forth to
Him, and the strength and power of God coming back from Him. You know
His own simile, "I am the Vine, ye are the branches." From the central
Vine the life rises and flows to every farthest branch and twig and
leaf, connecting them all in the one life. He the Sacred Vine is on
earth with us and in Paradise with them. Some of the bra