The New York herald., 1874-11-02
CHURCH OF THE HEAVENLY REST.
The Rest Of the Saints.


The Church OF the Heavenly Rest, Fifth avenue,
above Forty-nlta street, was crowded to excess
yesterday morning with o congregation represen-
tative OF wealth, fashion and intellect. The music
vas unexceptlonably fine, and the entire service,
although very protracteu, was most Impressive
The Right Rev. Arthur Cleveland Coke, Bishop
of Western New York, preached, taxing his text
from Revelation, xiv, 13-"And heard voice
nom heaven saying unto me, write, Blessed are
che dead which die IN the Lord from henceforth.
Yea. saith the Spirit, that they may rest from
their laoors and their works do follow them"
In the sweet spring time, when the tender
blades Of grass peep out from the cold bosom Of
the earth, when the trees put forth their buds,
and the voice OF the singing bird Is heard in the
land. the Church calls her children TO rejoice in
tho faith Of the resurrection OF the dead. We re-
1otce, as children Of God, in the resurrection OF
Christ. But now, when the leaves are becoming
sore and withered, when the days are shortening
and the 1rsJ breath CT winter Is felt, We are re-
minded that we, too, are subject TO decay-rhat We
I'll must fade as the leaf on this AL Saints Day
We are naturally led TO think OF our immortality.
Not, indeed, without hope, for the Church points
70 the noole army VINO have fougnr the good nght
Of faith and are now possession oi their crowns OF
glory. All SAINTS Day should be especially dear
TO every one VINO understands and appreciates the
fact that the art OF living Is 70 learn how die. Re-
member, brethren, that II "thls earthly tabernacle
with hands, eternal in the heavens The words OF
the ext must be familiar To you ali, ior now often
have we heard them repeated over the grave OF
some departed friend blessed are the dead
who die In the Lord" What reflective man. /
often wonder, could live without sucn consolation
ss this Tney DO gel along. but their existence in
DEATH IN LIFE.
The palaces they rear crumole and perish, and
they down to the grave hopeless. IL Is logic to
hive In madhOuse If a man has no nope in Christ.
1t IS logic to be crazy If man has no laith the
Saviour. But let us reject tnat death is cer-
tainty, ana let us pring tnls thought home
70 ourselves. Before another year rolls
Will be stricken down. The Christian religion
prompts no heart to despair, and We come to the
house OF God for consolation and to commune with
the SAINTS. Do you ever reflect how much we owe
these saints, VINO, Tor three hundred years alter
Christ arose, although pursued with fire and
SWORD, although visited with prosecutions unpar-
aileled propagated the truths OF the Gospel OF
Christi We owe the privilege OF being Chris
tlans, and the luxuries OF Christianity, to those
martyrs who fought the fight OF faith and won
their victory leave these historical facts, how
ever, TO bring the truth home to your own hearts
and experiences. They who labor Tor Christ shall
rest. This is not merely nope. Remember tnat
everyone baptized In Christ has cOveDantal prom
se rom God that death shall not overcome him.
BY the blood OF the Lamb they shall be saved The
baptismal covenant Is your house OF safety, and II
you but stay in that house all
HE'LL Il IhPoTENT TO HARM voc.
BY being baptized In Christ ana living in Him
you shall be surely saved. Remember, too that
the works OF men OF the world 90 not ollow them:
they may build colossal fortunes. achieve lame
and glory, but II they rest from works of faith
eternal woe snail be their portion. 1 feel 1t my
duty, on a day like this, TO be as voice from that
land where the saints rest. None here but have
lost friends. dear ones who now sleep. IN Jesus.
II may be mother. Are YOU 10 be everastingly
separated from ner because you Will not follow
the Lord Her pleading voice comes from Para
disc TO your conscience Let IL not be in vain,
MAKE up your MINDS before leaving TINS house that
you will keep the commandments OF God and tue
latin OF Jesus.