This is somewhat off the track of St Saviour’s, but the language so struck me that I thought it was worth sharing.
Below is an excerpt from a pamphlet printed by the New-York Protestant Episcopal Tract Society entitled “The Recognition, or, The deaf and dumb girl : a true narrative” (183- ?)
The quotation is from pp 12-13, and is the best example I’ve seen so far of someone explaining how deaf people will become hearing after death.
As someone used to more explicitly Oral histories, what struck me was that there is no reference to ‘loss’. In fact, the ability to speak is described as a ‘newly acquired faculty’. That’s interesting, in that it seems to suggest that those ‘deaf and mute’ have not lost their hearing or speech, but never had it in the first place.
What also struck me (somewhat irreverently) was that, in addition to gaining hearing, the girl (Ellen) is also immediately equipped to understand and produce some very niche religious language – which is important, because–note–Jesus speaks, and either invites people into heaven, or sends them to hell by verbal command.
Anyway, see what you think:
I reflected that the first thrilling sound that will strike upon Ellen’s astonished ear will be the awakening note of the arch angel’s trumpet, summoning the quick and dead to judgement !
O, solemn thought! the first sentence she will ever hear pronounced, will be the eternal benediction of those on the right hand of their Saviour and Judge, ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;’ and the immutable malediction denounced against those on the left, ‘Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.’
I hope she will be enabled to continue faithful until death, and then, when mortality is swallowed up of life, and she shall be invested with a glorified body, ‘will the tongue of the dumb be loosed,’ and the first use she will make of her newly acquired faculty, will be in an ascription of praise to the’ holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God,’ who made, redeemed, and sanctified her.
The first song she will ever sing, will be the song of the redeemed, ‘Alleluiah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!’
The first concord of sweet sounds that will ever strike upon her enraptured sense, will be the celestial harmony of the angelic choir, of ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, who surround the throne, saying, with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing !’