The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-12-21

hand to any good work. His old personal
friends will mourn his premature depart.
ure as no others can, but the community
in which he lived, and the editorial pro.
fession in this State and in Northern Iowa
will regret the removal Of so honest, ear
nest and efficient journalist with the
most unfeigned sorrow.-MH. Sentinel.
Sermon by Rev. 8. p. Sloan, ON SUN.
day, December 1lth, ON the Death OF
Geo. w. Tenney, Delivered At the
Congregational Church, I'm McGregor,
Iowa.
MAT 2444Therefore be ye also ready; for in such
hour as We think not the son of man cometh.
As Christ sat upon the Mount Of Olives
the Disciples came to him privately, and
asked Him what should be the sign of
His coming, and when the end Of the world
should be. Jesus answered them, that to
no man, not even to tho angels Of God in
heaven was that time known: that it
should come unexpectedly, and find people
unprcpared for it; as it was in the days of
Noah, they were eating, and drinking,
marrying, and giving in marriagc-engross-
el with festivities and frivolties up to the
very day that "Noah entered into the ark,
and knew not till the food came and took
them all away; SO shall also the coming Of
the Son O. man be. Therefore Christ
advises them, "6e ye also ready"
The end of the world may net come for
fifty thousand years-it may come to-day;
even the recording angel is not in the secret
of God. 1t is safe to be in readiness for
it. 1t is dangerous to delay preparation
! for moment.
What an effect it would have upon our
minds, if we knew that the end Of time
| were at hand. With what solemnity we
should be impressed; and what manner
Of persons" would we see, to be ''in all
Holy conversation and godliness." And
yet the end of time is very near each ono
of Us; to some Of Us, it may be right at home.
For when we die, it will be the end Of the
world; death will be the coming of the
Son Of man, in each one Of our cases. No
doubt Christ had this in view when He
advertised US that ''in such an hour as We
think not, the Son Of man cometh. For
death is ordinarily unexpected. 1t comes
suddenly upon US in the midst of business
! and pleasure. Few persons apprehend
the time Of their death. Death, sickness
in a large proportion Of cases, falls with
delireum; so that, almost before persons
| are aware that they are seriously i'll, they
are beyond earthly consciousness. 70
many, it comes in the form Of strokes, apo
pl.ctic, paralytic, sunstroks. The casual.
ties Of life carry off very considerable
proportion Of people, without moments
| warning.
| To these forms of sudden death, we are
liable at any moment.
Even Of those who die Of lingering
disease, how few realize how soon they
will die? Who has been able to appoint his
time to meet the Son of man? We might
suppose that in consumption, if in any
disease. one would be able to mark the
progress Of his disorder by measuring the
worth of his system, and estimate, almost
to day, how long he would live; and yet
consumpt;ons with one foot in the grave,
and the earth crumbling under the other
have only bad cold, or slight bronchial
irritation, as they suppose, and often up to
the very day, even to the hour of death
think they are about to recover. Whether
therefore, we die suddenly, as some Of US
will, or of protracted illness, death will
come in an hour that we think not Of
That will be the sudden, unexpected end
Of the world to US. How the appropriate.
ness Of the solemn warning Of our Divine
Lord, "be ye also ready"
Here occurs to US, one of the most
important questions that immortal beings
can ever ask themselves; viz: Wat !,
r:adiness for death?
1t is to be prepared to meet death calmly
to look it in the face without fear; to accep,
it cheerfully-to die gloriously; and to be
prepared for all that comes after death-tc
meet God--,o stand before the judgement
seat and accept our eternal destiny.
But the question returns. What is it in
human life and character that constitutes
this preparation? What modes of thought
and feeling fit one for triumphant death
a glorious ascension and blessGul immor
tality? This is the question which come.
home to the heart Of every one; for W. ar,
all bound over to the bar Of God. Tha
fact is fixed in Gods eternal Word; we may
disbelieve it if we can, or doubt it if W,
please; but mark you, our skepticism vii
not eXtinguish the fact Of the Judgmen
Seat, nor affect the destinies Of retrbu:ior
or unbelief arrests the motions Of tn
planetary system.
Then the most pertinent and practica
question in the world for US, as dyin.
sinners, admonished by the presence o
death il the midst Of US, of what yer,
soon awaits us all, and may be right upol
the heels of some Of US, is-what is it tha
will prepare US for that solemn chang
which shall terminate our probation, ant
fix our everlasting destiny? What is i
that gives human character readiness fo
death. =
! 1st. 1t may be answered that it is no
natural s,eeetness and amiability Of life.
young man of this description, ono,
came to Christ with substantially the sam,
question. Jesus looked at him-he reaC
his characterize cemprehended his mo
tive, but weighed in the balance, hs
found him wanting. There was much
in his character that was admirable, still
Christ answered him, zone thing tho,
lackest." There is one thing then, besides
natural amiability of character, necessar,
to fit ono for death and eternity.
End. 1t may be answered again that oood
moral character docs not in itself ft on:
for death.
/ OF such was Nicodemus, as We may
judge from the record of his life. Held in
estimation Of his nation, and put into q
place Of trust and power, in view of the
sterling qualities Of his life; he was ar
earnest, honest inquirer after truth; Chris,
recognized him as such in his interview
with him. And yet Christ did not put the
matter Of his salvation upon the ground
OF his moral character. Probing him tc
the scat of his character, Christ put his
finger upon the heart Of the courtiy disci
pie, and said, "ye must be born again."
This then brings Us right to the alfirma.
tive answer CT the question; and there is
this advantage in it. tho answer is in