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In A.D. 627, the monk Paulinus visited King Edwin in northern England, to persuade him to accept Christianity. Picture that old regal hall blazing with torches. A crowd of eager listeners hung intent on the teaching of the Christian missionaries who had just arrived. At last, a grim bearded old earl rose in his place. "Can this new religion," he asked, "tell us what happens after death? The life of man is like a little bird flying through this lighted hall. It enters in at one door from the darkness out side, flutters through the light and warmth, and passes out through the farther door into the dark unknown beyond. Can this new religion solve for us the mystery? What comes to men after death, in the dark, dim unknown?" If death were the end, then life would indeed be haunted by hopelessness. Faith's answer to such hopelessness is found in the closing words of Psalm 23: "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

Twelve hours before Jesus was nailed to a cross to die, he said: "In My Father's house are many mansions." (John 14:2) The word mansion comes from the Latin verb "manere," meaning to dwell for a time. The late Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple translated Jesus' words, "In My Father house are many resting-places." Temple explained these resting-place are shelters at stages along the road where travelers may rest on their journey. If death were a gate that led to some static state in which there was no future development, then it could really be a boring prison cell! But that isn't what Jesus said about life after death. Instead, he pictured it for us as a great white road leading onward and upward with "resting-places," at each stage of spiritual progress and development, as we venture toward the beatific vision. "If it were not so," said Jesus, "I would have told you!"