have some notions about them, and try to picture to himself what the
souls of those whom he has loved and lost are doing in the other
world: but bear this in mind: that if the saints in heaven live the
everlasting life, they must be living a life of usefulness, of love
and of good works.

And here I must say, friends, that however much the Roman Catholics
may be wrong on many points, they have remembered one thing about the
life everlasting, which we are too apt to forget; and that is, that
everlasting life cannot be a selfish, idle life, spent only in being
happy oneself. They believe that the saints in heaven are NOT idle;
that they are eternally helping mankind; doing all sorts of good
offices for those souls who need them; that, as St. Paul says of the
angels, they are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to those
who are heirs of salvation. And I cannot see why they should not be
right. For if the saints' delight was to do good on earth, much more
will it be to do good in heaven. If they helped poor sufferers, if
they taught the ignorant, if they comforted the afflicted, here on
earth, much more will they be able, much more will they be willing,
to help, comfort, teach them, now that they are in the full power,
the full freedom, the full love and zeal of the everlasting life. If
their hearts were warmed and softened by the fire of God's love here,
how much more there! If they lived God's life of love here, how much
more there, before the throne of God, and the face of Christ!

But if any one shall say, that the souls of good men in heaven cannot
help us who are here on earth, I answer, When did they ascend into
heaven, to find out that? If they had ever been there, friends, be
sure they would have had better news to bring home than this--that
those whom we have honoured and loved on earth have lost the power