The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-10-31

iously inquire Of the holy prophets and
teachers of God, for a better description
OF that city ,aIid when / hear them call it
Holy City, my heart is lifted up and my
mlnd IS made to soar with delight up to
that Heavenly region, and desire to be
there, when lam made to realize that holi-
ness Is there in all her fullness to be en-
! jnye by a her inhabitants.
remember the Savior has said, Il 90
to prepare mansions for you" Yes, there
are mansions there foEus, more magnifi
cent and grand than have ever been pre-
pared by man: and the delightful thought
is, they are prepared for us who shall be
faithful to cur trust here below.
| o, think you,my dear friends, there will
not be rest where all our songs will be
songs of praise? where all our faith will
be turned to sights spiritual where our
prayers will be changed to praise? where
our hopes will be made blested realities
where angels shall join in our everlasting
songs? where we can see by the light of
the glory of God and where we shall
bask in the smiles Of eternal youth !? But
why should try to describe that glorious
iyet appear what we shall be-" Nay, we
| must be content now to ''look through a
glass darkly, but then face to face" and
so we cease our efforts to describe the
city of rest, while every effort to slescribe
| it only proves our inability to reach
thing so grand and lofty. But let us,
while We are permitted to hold in contem-
| plation a subject so grand and glorious,
| try to live so that we may be fully pre-
pared to enter into that rest that remains
for the people of God,' where the "wick-
ed cease from troubling and the weary are
at REST ,.-... F.. f-..s...
Before us we have the remains of our
aged and much esteemed Brother David
Kirkbride, who has long been a citizen
among you, and who has been better
known by the most of you than by my
self He has been permitted to 60 in
and out among you for many long years,
having come into your county in his
early manhood, and remained with you
until now. We are met to-day to pay
our last tribute of respect to him.
And now to the citizens of Woods
field and vicinity in general, have on
ly to say, that in losing him you have
lost very worthy and exemplary citi-
zen, honest in all his dealings ever faith
ful to all his promises, ever willing to
abide by the laws of the country, and
stand up for the right, always exhibiting
in his life habits of industry and frugal
ity, thus making himself an illustrious
example to all around him. o for a
world Of such men; would to God that
all who have known him might pattern
after him in all this, and then their char
acters, like his, would be full of virtues
most noble.
To the mem bers of the Church,
would say, that in Bro. Kirkbride we
have had most patient, faithful, con
slant, and ever worthy, and exemplary,
member, and in losing him we have lost
much, and am fully persuaded that all
the members of tue body of Christ, who
have known him will deeply morn his
demise. But the Church at Woodsfeld
will feel more deeply, his loss. While
in your stated meetings, you will see his
seat vacant, and see other hands officia-
ting as an officer in the church in his
stead, and again when the contribution
box is opened his ever liberal, and be-
nevolent contributions, will be missed.
His voice will no more be heard in his
reading the precious word of God, and
also in his exortations and prayers and
words of counsel, his voice will no more
be heard: again, ! say to you, you
have this day sustained a great loss to
the Church. .f5f......,....
j And now TO the, bereaved family I
would say, You have lost relative who
has been much esteemed by you all. To
the widow, you no doubt have enjoyed
much in your long companionsbip with
him, and while he has ever proved him
self worthy of your full confidence, i'm
posed in him so many long years ago,
j you will feel this bereavement so much
the more keenly but then he has only
gone few days III advance Of you and
soon you may form amid the shouts of
angels, reunion with him, that will nev-
er more be severed. And to all of you
who are so especially called to mourn,
| am glad TO know, that you sorrow not
!, as those who have no Hope, but that
even in your deepest sorrow you even
rejoice in that you have strong hope
. that you will meet him again, in a bet
ter land, on brighter day, in happier
cline, in a better state Of existence,
: where there will be rest that shall never
be disturbed in all that great length of
time that never ends.
Now in conclusion, to all | would say
that while We have been contemplating
!, the subject of rest,we have seen that there
is a ''rest remaining for the people of
, God" and knowing that our friend, whose
spirit has departed, has been numbered
with the."people of Cod" (not only in
, name child of God, but in deed and in
, truth, for he has proved by his Cody
walk and conversation that he was true
, Christian; and, dying in Christ, we now
can say that we are firm in the conviction
that his spirit is now enjoying that ''spirit
rest" only waiting for the resurrection
, morning to come, when the body that is
thus "sown in corruption" shall be "rais-
+ ed in interruption" and then the body
raised all spiritualized, will be again uni.
, ted with the Spirit and enter into that ev-
erlasting rest that remains for the people
: of Cod" Let US, dear friends, try to
live like him, that we, too, may have a
right TO enter into the full and complete
enjoyment of that rest with him.
EgHon THOMAS EWING, ST., died at
Lancaster, Ohio, on Thursday, the 26th
: inst.