by Rebecca Springer Originally titled  "Intra Muros" Published 1922

Within the Gates    In a Heavenly City, But Without Churches     I was roused from my thoughts by the boat's touching the marble terrace, and found my brother already standing and waiting to assist me to the shore. Passing up a slight upward slope, we found ourselves in a broad street that led into the center of the city. The streets I found were all very broad and smooth, and paved with marble and precious stones of every kind. Though they were thronged with people intent on various duties, not an atom of debris, nor even dust, was visible anywhere. There seemed to be vast business houses of many kinds, though I saw nothing resembling our large mercantile establishments. There were many colleges and schools; many book and music stores and publishing houses; several large manufactories where, I learned, were spun the fine silken threads of manifold colors which were so extensively used in the weaving of the draperies I have already mentioned. There were art rooms, picture galleries, libraries, many lecture halls and vast auditoriums.         But I saw no churches of any kind. At first this somewhat confused me, until I remembered that there are no creeds in Heaven, but that all worship together in harmony and love, the children of one and the same loving Father. "Ah," I thought, "what a pity that that fact, if no other in the great economy of Heaven, could not be proclaimed to the inhabitants of Earth! How it would do away with the petty contentions, jealousies and rivalries of the church militant! No creeds in Heaven! No controverted points of doctrine! No charges of heresy brought by one professed Christian against another. No building up of one denomination upon the ruins or downfall of a different sect! But one great universal brotherhood whose head is Christ, and whose cornerstone is love."         I thought of the day we had listened in the great auditorium at home to the divine address of our beloved Master; of the bowed heads and uplifted voices of that vast multitude as every voice joined in the glorious anthem, "Crown Him Lord of all," and I could have wept to think of the faces that must some day be bowed in shame when they remember how often they have in mortal life said to a brother Christian, "Stand aside; I am holier than thou!"         We found no dwelling houses anywhere in the midst of the city, until we came to the suburbs. Here they stood in great magnificence and splendor. But one pleasing fact was that every home had its large yard, full of trees and flowers and pleasant walks; indeed, it was everywhere, outside of the business center of the town, like one vast park dotted with lovely houses.         There was much that charmed, much that surprised me in this great city, of which I may not fully speak, but which I can never forget.  We found in one place a very large park, with walks, drives, fountains, miniature lakes and shaded seats, but no dwellings nor buildings of any kind, except an immense circular open temple capable of seating many hundred; and where, my brother told me, a seraph* choir assembled at a certain hour daily to render the oratorios* written by the great musical composers of Earth and Heaven. It had just departed, and the crowd who had enjoyed its divine music yet lingered as though loath to leave a spot so hallowed. *(oratorio: A composition for voices and orchestra, telling a sacred story without costumes, scenery, or dramatic action.) *SERAPHIM [pronounced SER uh fim]: Angelic or heavenly beings associated with the prophet Isaiah's vision of God in the Temple when he was called to his prophetic ministry. (See  Isaiah 6:1-7) This is the only place in the Bible that mentions these mysterious creatures. Each seraph had six wings. They used two to fly, two to cover their feet, and two to cover their faces. The seraphim flew about the throne on which God was seated, singing His praises as they called special attention to His glory and majesty. (From Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary)         "We shall remember the hour," my brother said, "and come again when we can hear them."

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