The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-12
ALL SOULS CHURCH.
DIR. Bellows on ssThe Significance
DEATH"

DIR. Bellows on ssThe Significance OF
DEATH"
The Rev. DR.. Bellows preached yesterday morn
ing upon "The Significance OF Death" He chose
for his text Psalm clxvI l5-"Precious In the
sight OF the Lord is the death OF His saints" The
minister then said-
Nothing is less discriminating than the work OF
death. Three score and ten years have long ceased
to he the average OF human life the present
general average scarcely equals one half OF that
length. Death is the ever active agent In the
lower world. The flowers are nipped by IL; the
eggs OF the insects and the birds die by tho u
sands for every one which survives. Man, In fact
is much wore free from its influences. We think
OF death as the greatest of evils, but II Is
the decree of infinite wisdom regarding all life. and
there must be the very best OF for the re-
course to this way OF renewing the world. Nothing
is wasted, we are taught, in the vegetable world;
we know that to millions or insects death means
renewed life SO to man death is only Q chrysails
state. As the tide keeps the ocean pure, so end
less cnange keeps new life In the world. Ctviiza-
tion and human progress are furthered by the
subtle influence or death. 1t acts a. tmpartialy rs
iife Anything that can live, lives; and all things
which must die, die. Life, therefore, Is just as
much calamity as death. The latter, considered
abstracty, Is not calamity, but the very condition
OF human progress.
:. Z DEATH THE CHAMPION OF PROGRESS.
Civilization Is not a mere suDterfuge to make
better homes for the vegetable or lower animal
creation. The birds, beasts or fishes have not at-
complished anything for religion o. mankind. They
provide for nothing, except their Winters food or
changed rivers and made his own condition better.
1t Is this something In him which continually
prompts an Improvement upon nature, when ina!.
viduallzes man from all the rest OF creation. All
H" H. wfFd ss sSasy g
from the natural world-the locomotive, the cleo
trio telegraph the great array OF terature-are not
the result Of hints hi. derived from Inc animal world
the great works OF literature reared as they were
In the knowledge Of death, ask myself what there
Is in them which makes them superior to death
1t is the genius and brilliant brain power expended
upon them which give them Immortality. Are
sucn names as Homer, Virgil Phiaias, Angelo,
Shakespeare Milton, Addison, Washington ana Lin
coin to die, or are the men IN their individuality 70
die Have these men not left behind them some
thing which is imperishabIe ? In thinking OF this
subject we must remember that 1t is death, certain
and inevitable, which rases these questions. Man
would never have looked up into heaven had he
not been compelled to look down into death l do
not see how the expression 'dust to dust" Is any
more reasonable than spirit to spirit.
MANS INDIVIDUALITY.
There is no just ground for believing that human
lives and souls are so much alike that they be
In the ie after tne grave Iaere Is an
studied child Of two years OF age for weeks and
find him totally unlike any other child In the world.
Can 1t be possible them to destroy the personality
of by death 'Death is precious'' to the great
statesman as well as to the saints, 1t begins for
one Great man who has Just gone from among us q
new existence both In history and in his own in
dividuality. The young woman who has the warm
est devotion for Humanity has character with
God rs well as with humanity. She finds her pleas
ures In LIES duties, and, with q heart full Of
energy, she Is the most welcome to all as busy
girl. When such life has gone from the world, is
she deadp Is she dead any more than the great
statesman who has lust ceased to breathe or the
great philosopher who has just passed from Av-
gn0n TO heavens No. Death is an usion-the
soul denies It's power. In heaven there are only