The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-07-16
BIOGRAPEIY OF REV. JOHN
RANKIN.
$40 Die Is Gain"

Christ and united with the church,
and have ever since Iabored to pro-
mote the Kingdom of God in the
world, and have only to regret the
want of still greater diligence and
faithfuIness in the service of Him
"who hath loved me, and given
Himself for me-" may truly say
that goodness and mercy have fol-
lowed me all the days of my life" "
for which there is cause for endless
gratitude to the Savior, through
Whose sacrifice all blessings flow to
men.
At my advanced age 1 know that
the hour of death is near, and it is
but natural to look forward to that
period with deep emotion. To put
off this convenient and wonderfully
formed body, to have it laid in the
dark tomb to turn into dust, seems
to be sad indeed. / look at these
hands that God has made with won.
derful wisdom, and which have been
so long active in service, and then l
think of the time when they will
have been dissolved to dust. And
then these wonderful eyes, through
which the soul looks out upon this
beautiful world, must be closed in
death. And, oh, how much is to be
left in the dying moment! This
world is full of the glory of God.
The vastness of creation displays
the greatness of His power. He has
filled infinite space with SUNS and
worlds. BoRndless wisdom appears
in the fitness of all the various parts
of His universe. His goodness is
seen in the vastness of the stores he
has provided for the immense trains
of animal creation. His glory
dwells in the sun is reflected from
the moon, beams from every star /;
and is seen in every plant aud flow
err. The vision of all these glOries
must close at death. The church of
God, the house of his holiness, the
songs Of praise, and the beloved
saints, all friends and relatives on
earth, must be left at death. These
eyes will see them no more. O,
how much must | leave at death !
And how soon it will come! Can
death be gain to me, when l must
leave so much that is glorious and
beautiful, SO much that love?
have been looking at the other
side of the subject with great deal
of interest, and l firmly believe that
"To die is gain" This body that
has so long done me good service,
is nearly worn out, and will not be
able to serve me we'll much longer.
1t is nearly time that it should go to
rest until it will have glorious
resurrection. o, if there was no res
urection, it would be hard to diel
Death is not q cessation of exist
ence; the soul lives, and if united
to Christ, it will have better house
than this body prepared for it, "a
house not made with hands, eternal
in the heavens" To get into this
house will be gain.
During a long life I have had
much sorrow and heaviness of heart
in viewing the imperfectiOn of the
church, and the horrible wicked
ness, oppression and cruelty of IN
godIy men. And / have been wea-
ried in seeing vast multitudes, OF
fellow beings rejecting the gospel,
and pressing on to endless ruin.
From all these socrces of sorrow
death will relieve me. Hence, to
die will be gain.
While 1 have from early life en-
deavored to discharge christian du-
ty, and have labored much in prop
agating the gospel, I do not feel
that have ever performed one per-
feet work, or one that could be &C
cepted aside from the merits OF
christ and I now feel willing to
give up all that 1 have done, and be
saved purely by the merits of the
Savior. am weary of this imper-
feet life. At death the perfect Wis
ion of Christ will change me into
His holy image. What glorious
changed 81 shall be near and like
my God" How great the change
Here the state of society is i'm
perfect. Often my confidence in
friends has been disappointed, and
my spirit has been filled with an.
guish; and many of the dearest OBJ
jects of my affections have been
taken away by death. Many have
been my sorrows in bereaved fami-
lies. Death is the gate into . per-
feet state of society, in which pure
love will bind all hearts together
aud there will be no bereavement
in that holy place, aud friendships
will never end Surely, to die is
great gain. SO . -
o, what-a happiness to go TO sleep
and wake up in heaven! But whom
shall meet in that holy place, and
shall know them? I will see all
my near aud dear relatives who
have gone before me to the heaven.
ly state. I have children there,
have brothers there, and have par.
ents there. o, how joyful shall /
be to meet vast train of relatives
in the world of gIory! And then ]
will see all the holy men of whom
1 have read in the sacred volume
Among these are some of the pur.
est characters the world has known
No age of the world has produced
a purer man than Joseph. How faI
he transcribed his father and hi:
brethren in LONELINESS OF. character
integrity and disenterested beneVO
lence! Moses stands unsurpassed
by men. There are hosts of others
such as John the Baptist, John thu
Evangelist, Joshua, Samuel, Isaiah
) Stephen and Paul. All these aud
millions more it will be delightful
| ~ aao in that haauonlv ofofa