Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1874-12-28


EuLoorsTIc DISCOURSE BY REV. L. MARKS POINTS
IN THE EXEMPLARY LIFE AND CHRISTIAN CHAR
AcrER OF THE DECEASED.
A large congregation assembled in the Hano-
Yer Presbyterian church, yesterday, to hear the
funeral sermon in memory of Samuel Floyd, by
the Pastor, Rev. L. Marks. The occasion was
one Of deep and solemn interest, v1sby affect
ing all present The services were opened in
the customary manner for religious worship, the
10th chapter of Romans, favorite one with the
deceased, being read as the morning lesson.
The tent was from Philippians LIST chapter and
Dist verse" To die is gain"
The world, said MIR. Marks, regards death as a
loss and to the carnal mind this is an extraordi-
nary statement We look down with the mourn
ers into the open grave, and We wonder who is
to fill the place made vacant We see distin-
guished leader suddenly stricken down, and we
say, " How great the loss !" Who shall take his
placer We look out upon the countenances of
a stricken congregation, and we wonder who
will take up the fallen armor. Following the
inclinations OF our minds, We look at the gloomy
side Of the picture but let US turn to the bright
side.
Paul was no enthusiast He speaks OF 1t in a
calm, contemplative manner. This was no gen
eral sweeping idea, but it applied to himself and
all others in like circumstances, Being in
prison, under sentence Of death, he know not
the hour when Nero would send the executioner
honest and thoughtful hour he spoke the words
of the text. We look, unmoved upon the dis
tant thunder cloud; its gathering
blackness, but not until it bursts over orr heads
and the lightning bolt rives the cloud, do we
realize the majesty of God. So we look upon
death at distance, but do not realize its dread
reality until it takes from us those we love. To
Paul, death was not remote ANY moment
might be his last, and under these circumstances
he said, For me to die is gain No shade of
| azure or darkness tinged his sky. In this declar-
| alton we see th triumph of Christian principle.
Previous to the death OF Christ the grave was
mystery. or the millions who had entered its
dark portals not one had returned. When Christ
| came this was changed. He illumined the grave
with light that shall never fade. He went
down to the grave and explored the dark rugged
edges Of eternity and the first fruits of them
that slept. No one here to-day, in the light of
these events, has any doubt but he who penned
our text ii now at rest
The deceased, who is the subject OF our dis
course, in remarkable manner measures up to
| the picture which we have drawn, and is now in
| the enjoyment of the Christians rest. Men do
| not generally become saints and Christians in a
few days 1t is the work of years and most gen.
| orally from youth to old age.
I The artist works unremittingly upon his mod
| oil, year after year, in the hope of reward.
| Can we then doubt but God will take care of his
| own2 Truly these are the works of God He
was willing that Christianity should be priced by
its representatives. Some mems sins lie open
| before Judgment, and this being true, il it not
| true that some mems virtues lie open before
judgment? We know not where heaven is nor
what kind Of place it is, but we do know that
| there is such place. and we can judge OF the
character OF the place by the lives of Christians
here. Judging by the life and character Of the
| deceased, the heaven for him must be a place
OF truth, honesty and purity. His life is fully
| described in the LIST Psalm, compared with
ungodly. This is the only proper description
given OF Christian, and amongst those who
those who met these requirements was the
| friend we now mourn.
| In this vivid description, we know on which
side our departed friend was. He must have
passed to some place where truth is spoken, and
honesty il practised certainly no liar could be
found amongst those with whom he is now asso
ciated- He was a lover Of honesty his balance
sheet was always right. In his long career il
which he mingled with the business community
no shadow of suspicion was ever entertained
against him. Being lover of the pure, artlesl
aud innocent, he loved children, which caused
him to be selected as superintendent OF the Sun
day School in which capacity he served continu
ously for 10 years.
Christ said e go to prepare place for YOU
He knows what kind of place suits our friend
which place must be one where sin cannot ell
TER Our friend lived two lives-one publ
life and the other a hidden life in Christ Their
was much in his life and character to recon
mend to the young You knew his worth as
citizen, his worth, his integrity his piety. l
has been said that an honest man is the no
blest work Of God" Here is one who measure
fully up to that standard. He walked along il
the straight line of duty his spiritual life hidde
| with God.
d In the spring of 1913, in company with seyera
, others who survive him, he united with thi
church, and was never member of any other
You know how quietly and consistently lie wake
with God,and never appt AIRED to be what he wa
not. HIS life was not like the roaring flood tina
oyertiowed its banks, carrying devastation in it
course, covering the low lands and leaving stag
nant ponds OF water TO breed malaria and death
but like the pure mountain current flowing gen
~ q tn han 1Frr 4
after day, pursues the regular tenor OF his way
you know where to look for it, and find it 80
is with the path Of the just man, whose su
goeth not down behind clouded sky, but show
eth more and more unto the pei feet day. II
was a close student OF the Bible and believe
every word Of it from Genesis to Revelation
n Its promises had become a reality to him. II
loved to dwell upon the faithfulness OF Abraham
the weakness OF Moses, and the characteristic
OF Joshua, Naomi and Ruth, Elijah and Elishi
the early pety OF Samuel, the strength of Sam
son, the love OF Saul and Jonathan, the swet
Psalms of David, the endurance OF Job, til
Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, Daniel i
the den OF lions, the birth, life and death
Christ the treachery Of Judas, the vascillatior
OF Peter, and the love Of John.
GDuring his sickness, he sent a note tenderin
his resignation as Superintendent of the Sunda
School, which he (the pastor) withheld from Oh
school. His resignation was accepted by anoti
or. and he was allowed to Gle with the harnei
on. Being always in readiness and fully prepa
ed, he had no work to do when the DYING hor
came, but sweetly passed away, having been
member OF the church 30 years. His sun wei
down when it was yet day, and when he was al
parently just in position to do the most goo,
But his work is DONE and he is now
'Beyond the smiling and the weeping
Beyond the waking and the sleeping
Beyond the sowing and the reaping,
Beyond the parting and the meeting
Beyond the farewell and the greeting,
Beyond the pulses fever beating
Love, rest and home sweet, sweet home
SIlRPRIaEn.-The nastnr as we'll az the connr.