The daily gazette., 1877-04-02
FIRST EDITION!
The Lessons of Death.

bi REV. y, HOWARD NIXON ON
The DEATH OF MISS MARY A. BARR,
evening, the pastor, Rev. j. Howar%
Nixon, preached memorial sermon an
the death Of Miss Mary A. Barr, Young
laay Oh THIS city. with the circumstance
OF whose sad and early death our reader.
are already sorrowfully familiar. The
church was crowded to its utmost cana
city, and among the congregation were
number OF the personal friends of the de-
ceased, including the graduating class of
the glrs department, School No. 1, of
member.
The text selected for the sermon was nj
follows: 80 80
"That our daughters may be as corner
stones, polished after the similitude of a
ace."-PsALMs, IA, 12.
After alluding to:the sad and impress
slve circumstances connected with the
occasion, the Reverend gentleman pro
ceedsd to dsduce the lessons which Go d
would have US learn from the death of
loved friends. He said:
The general meaning of the text have
named u plain, it is the expression of a
desire that our daughters, by careful cui-
ture: may bo fitted to some important
work and noble position. This is the
thought suggested figuratively by corner
stones and polished after the similitude
OF palace. This certainly implies that
they of whom this wish Is spoken NAV
become something worthy and excellent
and Is no less implies that for this they
must be properly cultured or polished -
The points we are to consider then, are:
LIST, What are the possibilities which are
before you? and I'd, What is the polishing
| the culture necessary to enable you to at
tain the best and highest of these posi-
bilities?
From these points the sermon proceed
ed to analyze the truths that should be
taught by the figure of the text as to
what Is possib to womanhood. The
words "polished after the similitude of a
palace" do not only signify polished
mind capable of enabling the possessor
to adorn and beautify the highest posi-
tion in second life, but the palace after
palace of the Great King himself-G od's
Home-in which His spirit dwells
through which His glory shines and saint
in lofty ecstasy ceaselessly swell His
praise.
This is the possibility, which the
Bible sets before you, te have your sou
filled with Gods spirit on earth, 80 that
it may be fitted for Gods presence il
Heaven. And it seems to me that the
life and death Of our dear young frient
should serve to impress the thought
that this is your highest end-that how.
ever earnestly you may pursue earthly
knowledge or accomplishments. still
more earnestly should YOU seek the
knowledge of God which is life eternal
After following these reasonings theii
complete course, the sermon closed il
the following touching strain
There are with US tonight some VIII,
for few years past have been Mary
constant companions ia the duties an!
enjoyments of school life. l know wei
how you will miss her in the little tim,
that remains before your graduation.
} know better than you do how often man,
Of you will think of her in coming years
: il God shall spare your life. Whereve
sweet memories OF her shall glide gentl
into your spirit, let. the remembrance b
, the means of leading that spirit up t.
: God and heaven. She has graduated be
fore you graduated from life's school t
the yet higher School of Heaven.
"She is not dead, the friend OF your affeC
,, But gone unto that school
. Where she no longer needs earth's poe
protection.
But Christ him self doth rule"
When, therefore, you think of hel
think of Heaven, and pray God by hi
spirit to fit you for 1t, polishing you
d hearts after the similitude Of His palac,
r Be meek and childlike, and unselfst
Pray for pure heart, kept ever unspot
ted for the world. Pray for lovin
heart, o truthful heart-truthful alik
in life and death And now l will, que
J, ting for you the very words with whic
Q Mary had intended to close her gradua
= ing essay:
"When the storms oflife shall all be ende.
When all the weary hours OF toll are o'e
When with the past the years of life a.
blended.
You'll fnd O place of rest on Eden
shore
u A perfect rest, q blissful rest eternal,
Where free of earth we soar to Heaven
bowers,
And in that home of love and Joy supern
No frost shall come 10 blight the faire
: flowers"