Description of the River of Life in Heaven...

This is from one of my favorite books. It is called Within Heaven's Gates by Rebecca Springer. It is sort of one of the first recorded NDE's I guess. It was written in 1898.She tells all about her experience in Heaven I have had many copies over the year, I always give them away. Now its on my kindle. On Amazon it gets great reviews This part is where her relative Frank is showing her the River of Life:

an overwhelming sense of God's goodness and my unworthiness swept over me. I dropped my face into my hands and burst into ncontrollable and very human weeping.

"Ah!" said my brother-in-law, In a tone of self-reproach.
"I am inconsiderate" He lifted me gently to my feet. "Come, I want to show you the River, a few steps away, I found that the lovely field ran even to the water's edge. In some places I saw the flowers blooming placidly down in the depths, among the many colored pebbles with which the entire bed of the River was lined.

"I want you to see these beatiful stones," said Frank, stepping into the water and urging me to do the same.

I drew back timidly, "I fear it is cold."

"Not in the least," he said, with a reassuring smile. "Come"

"Just as I am" I said, glancing down at my lovely robe. which, to my great joy, I found was similar to those of the dwellers in that happy place.

"Just as you are," with another encouraging smile.

Thus encouraged, I too, stepped into the gently flowing River. To my great surprise I found the water in both temperature and density, almost identical to the air. Deeper and deeper grew the stream as we passed on, until I felt the soft ripples playing about my throat. As I stopped, Frank said, "A little farther still"

"It will be over my head," I reasoned.

"Well, and what then?"

"I cannot breathe under the water--I will suffocate."

An amused twinkle came into his eyes, though he said soberly enough "We do not do those things here"

I realized the absurdity of my position and with a happy laugh said, " All right." Then I plunged headlong into the bright water, which soon bubbled and rippled several feet above my head. To my surprise and delight, I found I could breathe, laugh, talk, see and hear as naturally under the water as above it. I sat down in the midst of the many-colored pebbles and filled my hands with them as a child would have done. My brother-in-law lay down upon them, as he would have done on the green field, and laghed and talked joyously with me.

"Do this" he said, rubbing his hands over his face and running his fingers through his dark hair.

I did as he told me and the sensation was delightful. I threw back my loose sleeves and rubbed my arms, then my throat. Again I thrust my fingers through my long loose hair, thinking how tangled it would be when I left the water. Then the thought came, as we at last arose to return, "What are we to do for towels?" for the earth-thoughts still clung to me. But, as we neared the shore and emerged from the water, the moment the air struck my face and hair I realized that I would not need a towel or brush. My flesh, my hair, and even my beatiful garments were soft and dry as before the water touched them.

The material out of which my garment was fashioned was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was soft and light and shone with a faint luster, reminding me more of silk crepe than anything I could recall, only infinitely more beautiful. It fell about me in graceful folds, which the water seemed to have rendered even more lustrous than before.

"What marvelos water! What wonderful air! I said to Frank, as we again stepped upon the flowery field "Are all the rivers like this one?"

"Not exactly the same but similar.." he replied

We walked on a few steps, and then I turned and looked back at the shining River flowing on tranquilly. "Frank, what has that water done for me? I feel as though I could fly."

He looked at me with earnest, tender eyes, as he answered gently, "It has washed away the last of the earth-life and prepared you for the new life upon which you have entered."

"It is divine!" I whispered.

"Yes, it is divine," he said.
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