The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-04-30

own. We, therefore, hope that you viii
furnish US a copy for publication in such
form as may be most acceptable to yourself
Very Respectfully,
B. t. LIGoE,
c. 4. LIGoN,
J. P. STEVENS,
d. SHELTON,
T. WATKINS
REV. XIV Il, Blessed are the dead which
die in the Lord.
HEB. XI. T. He being dead yet speaketh.
On this orcasion, when saddened hearts
gather to pas the last Offices Of respect to
the iifeless body OF one Of the noblest and
best Of men whom God has ever lent the
earth, when d whole community CON
trolled by one sympathy brings the hot
tears of sorrow to drop over the loss Of one
.slo was among its most useful members and
brightest ornaments; when the sad walls OF
q heart-bro1en wife and fatheriess child
reach the depths Of our sympathies, it IS al
most impossible to utter a word. The pecu-
liar situation is 50 new to me that to pre-
sent the consultations Of the Gospel and the
lessons taught in this providence | feel ut
teriy incapable. The heart-beats are almost
still, the tongue almost silent. But while
God is uttering in accents so unmistabeable
that he controls all things, life and DEATH
sorrows and sighings, l should be recreant
to my duty and n traitor to the cause of my
blessed Master did ] not seize the opportu-
nifty to press home lessons here taught, and
present to the souls Of those who yet walk
the rough paths and maintain the unequal
struggles Of life, the truths Of divine revela-
ton.
Men are so prone to forget that death has
tbat no Claims frrT.f1 I
over all, that he halts not at any door, that
he enters with as dauntless a tread and bold
a mien the home. Of al, that he claims vic
Tins from every walk Of life-men are so
prone to forget that death is Tor all the
gateway from time TO eternity, that he hath
spoken again to this community IN tone
not to be mistaken. The voice Of his
speaking still sounds in our ears as we look
upon the cayey cas<et which once contained
the soul Of our departed brother and we hear
again the truth that has been so often told
MS of late, that death stands in every path
and closes with its decpened shadows every
life. Death, 50 far IS the eve OF man can
see, marks the end Of humanity.
Thou know'st us common. al, that live,
must die,
Passing through Nature to Eternity"
If this were alI-ifwhen lite's setting sun
sank behind the hills of time, if when the
raven wings of this dread conqueror folded
at our hearth-stOnes, and claimed Us for his
own; if this were all, then might all men
live according to their pleasures. If death
were only a long long unbrolen sleep never
to be disturbed By n single waking, then
there would he no need Of applying to our
hearts and consCiences any providence But
blessed bc God who impaired to Us a spark
ofhis own divinity. who breathed a portion
OF himself into our living souls, this Is
not all. Thanks to the existence of q spirit
everlasting, a soul immortal there is a wa
king from the dead; but from the dead
which die in the Lord, there is 40 waking
to sorrow. no waking To signs, nor to tears
Then when the last farewell TO the Aeeting
panorama OF earthly scenes has been spoken,
when the frightful drama OF Iife's inequaIi-
ties has been acted, there Is a waking, there
is a new and different life. Two worlds,
one of happiness and glory, peace, joy and
eternal honor; the other Of Il different
and a contrary character, stand 1t the close
of this, 1t becomes Us, therefore, 10 asceT-
tain upon what principles we may obtain the
better world.
Faith in Him who first loved Us and gave
Himself for US; who suffered long years
agone and yet lives interCeding for men; who
though the royal Son of an omnipotent God,
suffered a death, whose equal in anguish and
ever suffered, or can suffer. Faith In Jesus
Christ who robbed death of its sting and the
grave of its victory, and proclaimed HIM
self cOnquerOr over all the enemies of his
people, is alone essential to an Inheritance
incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth
not through all the endless ages Of eternity.
Since Jesus hath done this, and has offered
10 all the results Of his victory, why need
any one fear death? Death Is but the en-
l.. Il, Al, IL
troubles and turmOils of this evil world to
all who sincerely trust Him. This prepara-
ton to meet death will enable Us to gather
our garments about us and pass through all
the intervening stages home to God and to
glory Faith in Christ which secures for US
the salvation OF the soul beyond the power
of any principle to disturb or to ieopardize,
since nothing can separate from the love of
God, who controls all things. prepares US not
only to die, but what Is of far more conse-
quence, to live 1t makes all men better
than they were before-better citizens, bet
ter friends, better husbands and better faith
ers.
1t is not my custom on such occasions,
if one so inexperienced can claim to have a
custom. to speak in praise of the dead, be
cause all are convinced about their life and
work, nothing will alter single opinion,
and no eulogies can make music in their
hearts; but | feel at this time that the life
Of him whose body We are about to put for
ever out of sight was such a bright cOmmen-
tary upon the principles and the power of
my blessed Lord, that | must ask each one
who hears me to initiate his virtues. Those
who have known him the many years he has
walked before this community Will unite
with me in pronouncing him man ike
whom there are few, man whose life was as
pure, whose walk as godly, whose converse
ton as holy as an intimate communion with
his heavenly Father could make one who,
like all of Us, was born imperfect into this
world and surrounded by all the tempta-
tions of life. Though the last sleep of
death closes him III its arms, and though he
can no longer exhibit the graces of the Spirit
in this world, though he can no longer SYM
pathize with the bereaved nor relieve the
sulferinrs of the needy, vet being dead he
speaketh by his iite-work. You knew him
better than | !; you knew how to appreciate
him, and you know what you have lost but
| knew him and | loved him.
He speaks to US by his pure character,
have known many christian men who left
behind them name for goodness, for pun
ty and for exalted virtue; but | have known
no one whose pure christian character was
more free from faults and stains no one who
could leave to his family a more untarnish-
ed name. The strongest accentuatiOn of his
pure life is heard in the gloom which over
hung every household when was heard the
sad refrain, WIN. H. ALLEN Is no more. Ev-
cry face was sad and every heart was sor-
rowing.
No narrow limitations could yind his
great soul. Wherever there was noble
spirit, no matter what name he named, no
matter how different were his opinions, he
secured from this good man an affection, and
found in him sympathy which only such
souls can feel and appreciate In laying
aside 50 exemplary man and christian, it
becomes us to look beyond the darkness of
the tomb into the unalloyed happiness and
undimmed splendors of heaven, where, while
we sorrow, he rests from his labors, and his
unrls do follow him In the tRnderest rela-