The Portland daily press., 1870-07-29
sev. Hfr. Fulton on the Dea:h ef Dick.
ems.


On the platform where Charles Dickens
gave his Boston readings two years and half
ago, a sermon on his death was preached.
Sunday forenoon, by Rev. Justin d. Fulton,
pastor of the fremont Temple society," The
hnnse was crowded. The preachers text was
1T is fearIuI In1ng 10 IrI1 mtU u1Ie 1IaIIus OF
the living God" Heb. 10: 81 He began
by referring to the controversy as to whether
the death of Dickens furnishes an occasion
for note of warning from the evangelical
pulpit, and spoke of the noble qualities and
achievements of the author Coming to his
death, he said: "The feast at which he sat
was disturbed by the shadow of Gods hand.
Does it not become us to ponder the lesson
taught? The author has gone 10 his reward,
and we know nothing beyond this vale; but
who can fail to ask, in the light of coming
judgment, how much truer, how much great
er would have been our satisfaction had he
devoted his noble powers to furthering the
interests of the cause OF his Divine Master? ?"
Mr.. Fulton alluded to the arraignment OF
Dickens by a "brother beloved" in the pulpit,
and said that "others have made this death
and this honest treatment of the event an oc-
casion for seeking to obtain popular favor by
claiming to obtain popular favor by claiming
that the man was Christian and that heav-
en- was his home. About this we are not to
argue. 1t is neither a duty nor a privilege to
prove who are lost. 1t is both a duty and
privilege to point the way to Jesus Christ, by
whom alone salvation is possible TO mon. L,
Ic I,rfxy nr viii tn
that man, judged by his life, died without
hope, it is more than mistake for any man,
who takes ChriSts Gospel for authority, to
intimate that death frees man from human
errors, delivers him from the bondage of sin
and permits him to walk the realms of light.
The oath of Christ for the sinner, not the
death of the sinner, is the ground OF hope"
He continued that 1--WE were sure that the
judgment of God is according to the truth
against those who commit ungodliness and
| unrghteousness, and also that others were
sure of it, else why was every infidel, anti
Christian press SO anxious TO make Mr.. Dick
ems Christian? Their very zeal proved that
all their mockery at Christianity was deu-
sion, which, however. never deluded them.
"They see that it is Of the first ay OF infinite
Importance that Mr.. Dickens have something
to support him after death, other than his
genius and fame. He stands naked before
Nothing wrought by himself will answer.
The blood of Christ alone ceanseth from all
sin. In his last note, written the day before
his death, he said this: Il have always striven
In my writings TO express veneration for the
life and lessons OF our Saviour This is well.
Did he rest his hope of salvation in the finish
ed work OF Christ? This is the question OF
questions. Who can answer it? All ought
TO be answer it. 1t was the duty OF Charles
DtcEnnc 70 oh, "a
the duty of Whitefeld, OF Judson, of all who
have been saved. Well and truly has it been
said,-'1f he accepted the offers Of salvation
made to every poor sinner, as some humbly
hope he did, he was saved; if not, not. God
is not the slave of his creatures. "A father is
no more tender towards a brilliant son than
towards dull one y" Further on, Mr.. Fulton
declared that the ministers OF Christ appre-
ciate the beauties and excelences OF charac-
ter of the great genius, and in the light of
Scripture beWail the condition of the Great
soul which preferred fortune, fame, position.
the applause Cf mankind to the cross of
Christ. "As a man he lived and wrought for
a certain purpose. He was never partisan
nor fanatic. He lived with an eye singleto
certain work. He said, Il have always had
and always shall have an earnest and true
desire to contribute, SO far as in me lies, 10
The common stock of cheerfulness and enjoy
ment. believe that virtue shows quite as
well in rags and patches as she does in pur.
pie and fine linen. l believe that she, and
every beautiful object in external nature,
claims some sympathy in the breast of the
poorest man who breaks his scanty loaf of
bread That faith ennobled and glorified his
life. He has walked a path peculiarly his
own. Empires have risen and fallen. Par
ties have come and gone. Revolutions have
rocked continents and shaken society to the
very centre, but he has paid little heed to
them. Liberty was on the cross and he tuln-
ed his face away and paid her no devotion.
The hopes of freedom were clouded in Amer
lea, the land that loved him most, but he saw
it not. He kept on his way. He wrought at
his old task lie did his " ork in such way
that infidels, worldlings, the incorporate, the
profane, the lovers OF pleasure, all found in
him favorite. He was Oh the mountain
peak of his eminence. His pen was still busy
with creation which was literally opened TO
the eye of all the world each week; and while
there, in sight of all men, in the midst of his
greatness, God took him. He died and cave
no sign.
The cause of his death is not a mystery.
AS has been said, he worked too hard and liv-
ed TOO last. I'VE can read of his habits of life,
temperate and even abstinent from breakfast
TO hall an hour before dinner this was his
working time. Four hours work and four
hours a-field was the rule of his working life.
He took brandy and seltzer before dinner;
drank, as nearly everybody drinks in England,