Eternity

December 5, 2019

"Why must heaven be outside of time?  Simply because none of us would want an endless existence on this earth.  If it were possible for us to live 400 years with some kind of vitamin, do you think that we would all swallow them?  There would certainly come one moment in our existence when we would want to die.  Have you ever been in any one place on this earth that you were absolutely sure would be one in which you would want to spend every day of your life?  It is not very likely.  The mere extension of time to most of us would probably be a curse instead of a blessing.  Then, too, have you ever noticed that your happiest moments have come when eternity almost seems to get inside of your soul?  All great inspiration are timeless, and that gives us some suggestion of heaven.  Mozart was once asked when he received his inspirations for his great music.  He said he saw them all at once in a great heat, a great warmth, a great light.  Then there came the succession of notes.  So it is in writing a speech.  When I prepare a talk, or a telecast, or a book, there comes a moment when the end is seen at the beginning.  One cannot write fast enough.  There comes to everyone, whether he is good or bad, some dim intimations of immortality such as Wordsworth wrote about.  There are, however, men who try to immunize themselves from these thoughts of eternity.  They put on a kind of God-proof raincoat, so that the drops of his grace will not get through to them.  They shut out eternity."