“‘O God, I think thy thoughts after Thee,’ said Kepler, and thoughts lead to deeds.

“Again, the Son, whom we know as Jesus Christ, came to reveal to us this Father.  He was in ‘the form of God.’  He was the ’image of the invisible God.’  Further, this Son was in the express image of the Father’s person.  Jesus Christ was a man like unto us as far as outward form is concerned.  He is one of this great family, the first-born and foremost of the children, it is true, yet one of us—­He acknowledged us as His brethren.  Now, then listen:  Jesus follows His Father.  ’The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do:  for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.’  Also, this Son said:  ’My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.’  Now, if we follow in the steps of the Son, as He has commanded us to do, and that Son follows in the steps of His Father, where is our final destination?”

The brother listened in wonder.  The doctrine was, indeed, strange, but it was too clear and logical to be the result of a weak mind.  The minister saw the perplexity in his listener’s face and said: 

“No, brother, I am not crazy.  My mind has never been clearer.  I feel fine now.  I tell you, there is manna for a hungry soul in these things.

“And now again:  This life is a school.  From the puny, helpless infant to old age, life is a development of the attributes with which we come into the world.  We get all our education through our senses.  No faculty of mind or body is useless.  The perfect man has these all perfectly developed.  We have at least one example of a perfect man, the resurrected Son of God.  What was He like?  When He appeared to His disciples He said, ’Handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.’  He also ate with His brethren.  Here, then, we have, one of us, carrying with Him into the celestial world His body of flesh and bone.  And, mind you, He is the pattern.  If we follow Him, we also shall take with us these bodies, changed, purged, and glorified of course, but yet bodies in every sense.  Will not the eye then see perfectly, the ear hear every sound in the celestial key?  Not only every attribute of the mind, but every organ of the body will be prefect in its operation.  Think what that will mean!”

The speaker paused as if to let his listener arrive at the inevitable conclusion in his own mind.

“What will it mean?” he asked again.

“I don’t know,” replied Uncle Gilbert.

“It will mean fatherhood—­eternal, celestialized fatherhood.  We shall be like Him our Father, not only to beget, but to father a race!  Think of that!  Did you ever think of that?  No, of course not—­and I—­musn’t—­I who—­have never yet made a beginning—­how can I expect”—­

The head fell back on the pillow as Uncle Gilbert quickly came to his brother’s side.  The minister’s face was pale, his eyes were closed for a moment.  Then he opened them, sat upright, ran his hand over his face, and smiled at his brother.