by Rebecca Springer Originally titled  "Intra Muros" Published 1922

Within the Gates    My Husband Comes     One evening, some three years,counted by the calendar of Earth, after I had entered upon the joys and duties of the heavenly life, I sat resting upon my upper veranda, after a somewhat arduous journey to a distant city of the heavenly realm. From this part of the veranda I could see rare glimpses of the river throughout the overhanging branches of the trees. Here my brother sought me out, and throwing himself on a soft veranda lounge nearby, lay for a time motionless and silent. He had been absent on a mission for some time and he had not told me, as he sometimes did, where his mission had led him, and I had not asked him, feeling sure that it was best that what I should know would be imparted. My own duties of late had been unusually responsible, leading me daily into a distant part of the heavenly kingdom.         At length, after a time of rest, my brother arose to a sitting posture, and regarding me for a moment in silence, said gently, "I have news for you, little sister."         A thrill like an electric shock passed through me, and in an instant I cried out joyously, "He is coming!"         He nodded his head, with a sympathetic smile, but did not at once reply. Then he said, "He was stricken suddenly while in the midst of work, while apparently in perfect health, and has not regained consciousness since; nor will he ever on Earth."         I said, "May I go to meet him? What would you have me do? You know I yield to your wiser judgement even against the pleading of my heart."         "I will not say, 'do not go,'" my brother replied. "You shall accompany me if you wish. I think only that after the first bewilderment of the change has passed, after he has bathed in the waters of the River of Life, he will be better fitted for the delightful reunion that awaits him. You remember what the waters did for you and how bewildered and oppressed in spirit you were till you went with me that morning to the river."         "You are always right, my brother, and I will yield to your wise advice, though my heart cries out to hasten at once to his side."         He arose and bending over me, lightly dropped a kiss on my brow, and in a moment passed from my sight. I bowed my head upon my hand and gave myself to mingled sad and happy thoughts. Was my dearly beloved husband suffering? Oh that morning were here! How could I wait even that brief while for the sight of his beloved face! The Touch of the Master's Hand, and a Talk with Him         Suddenly a soft touch rested upon my bowed head and a voice I had learned to recognize and love beyond all things on Earth or Heaven said, "Have I not said truly, though he were dead yet shall he live again? What are the years of separation, since the meeting is now at hand? Come now, let us reason a while together," the Master said, smiling down into my uplifted face. He took my extended hand into His own, and sitting down beside me continued, "Let us now consider what these years have done for you. Do you not feel that you are infinitely better prepared to confer happiness than when you first parted from him you love?"         I nodded in glad affirmation.         "Do you not realize that since you stand on a higher plane, with more exalted ideas of life and its duties, and in the strength of the Father, you two hence will walk upward higher together?"         Again I gladly agreed.         "Is the home life here less attractive than it was in the Earth life?"         "No, no! A thousand times no!" I cried.         "Then there is nothing but joy in the reunion at hand?"         "Nothing but joy," I echoed.         Then the Savior led me on to talk of the one soon to come, and I opened my glad heart to Him and told Him of the noble life, the unselfish toil, the high ideals, the unfaltering trust of him I loved. I spoke of his fortitude in misfortune, his courage in the face of sore trial and disappointment, his forgiveness of even malicious injury, and concluded by saying, "He lived the Christianity many others professed. He always outdistanced me in that."         The face of the Master glowed as I spoke. And as He talked with me He led me on until my soul flew upward as a lark in the early morning. He unfolded to me the mysteries of the soul life that filled my heart with rapture, but which I might not here reveal. At length to my infinite surprise, I saw the rosy glow deepening across the sky, and knew that morning had dawned for me in Heaven. The Master rose, and pointing to the radiance, said, "By the time you are ready to receive them they will be here." With a smile and a touch that made a benediction, He departed.         As I arose and stood with face uplifted to the coming day, I caught in the near distance the triumphant notes of the angels' choral song, and this morning as though in sympathy with my thought they sang, "He is risen! Hear it, ye heavens, and ye sons of Earth! He has arisen and has become the firstfruits of them that slept!"         I lifted up my voice with joy, and joined their thrilling song; as they swept onward and the rhythm died away, I slowly descended the stairway and crossed the lawn whose flowers never crushed nor withered beneath our feet. I felt no haste, no unwanted excitement, nor unrest, though I knew he was coming, whom my soul had awaited all these years. The Master's presence filled me with calm and peace that nothing had the power to disturb.         Soon thereafter I heard voices and steps. Yes, it is the same dear step which I had so often listened for in the old home life, the step that always brought gladness to my heart and sunshine to our home! It was his step in Heaven! I flew to open the doorway and in an instant was held close in the strong arms and to the loving, throbbing heart of my dear husband. Was there anything more for me that Heaven could give!         My brother, with thoughtful care, passed onward to the upper rooms of the house, and for awhile we were alone together, we whose lives had run, so happily mingled through the long years of our mortal life. I drew him within the house and in the vestibule again he took me in his arms and drew me to his heart.         "This is Heaven indeed," he said.         We passed into the flower room and on its threshold he stood a moment, entranced with its beauty; but when I would have related to him its history, as my brother had given it to me, he said, "Not today, my dear; I have only eyes and ears for you today; all else in Heaven must wait."         So we sat down and talked together as in the older days; the happy hours came and went; the day melted into the twilight glow before we realized it was half spent. Our brother Frank had come to us about noontide and together we had gone over the lovely home, had stood upon the broad verandas, and had eaten of the heavenly fruit. Then we all sat together where I had spent the hours waiting in the presence of the blessed Master. I told them how much that He had said to me, and how He had turned into triumphant rejoicing the hours which I had anticipated would pass in lonely waiting. The eyes of my dear husband were tear filled, and he pressed my hand, which he still kept in his, in tender sympathy.

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