Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-12-01
ADDRESS
BY Rev. MI. Daniel ON the Occasion or
the Burial or the Late colonel
j. II. Leath.

BELOVED FRrENDs-We meet this morn
ing under the shadow of a great sorrow. One
of our most useful and honored citizens, hav-
ing escaped the peril of pestilence at home,
has been met by Gods messenger of death
in a distant city. And now, while so many
others are coming back to US In life and
health, there returns TO his home not the no.
bic spirit, but only the cold body, Of James
I. Leath. We are here to-day to receive
these mortal remains and to convey our hon.
ored friend to his hallowed bed,
"Embalmed with all our hearts can give.
Our praises and our tears"
On such an occasion we, as christians, nat
urally turn for instruction and comfort to the
pages of inspired truth; and have selected
these as the words upon which we may profit
ably mediate at this hour:
David, after he had served his own gen.
Grafton by the will OF God, fell on sleep"
[Acts xiii, SO.
l. The first thought which this language
suggests is, that good and useful men are
placed in this world by the will of Col
This is truth which we all should gratefully
recognize. Those lives which bless humani-
ty and adorn society are to be accepted by
us as the gifts of a merciful and benevolent
God. Without such men this would indeed
be dark and dismal world. Here sin and
SORROW and suffering prevail, and here self
ishness too often reigns. The vast majority
of our race seem to live neither for the glory
of God nor for the good of their fellow men.
But we gratefully recognize the fact that In
every community there may be found glorl-
GUS exceptions in those men whose lives of
unselhsh devotion to duty prove that they
have exalted conceptions OF the end OF hu-
man existence. These are the men whom
the church of God values as her treasures
the r1en from whom society receives lasting
benefits; the men whom widows and orphans
inf world he
hardly filled after they are gone. They live
to ameilorate the condition OF sinful, suffer-
ing and sorr, wing humanity, and should re-
celve our lasting gratitude after they have
passed away from the scene OF their tolls.
But, highly as we honor them, let Us never
forget that our gratitude should rise above
| and go beyond them; our thankfulness should
| ascend infinitely higher, even to Gcd, from
| whom all blessings flow." For it Is plainly
taught that these good and useful men are
here in this dark world, not by chance, not
| 10y virtue of mans inherent excellence, bnt
| ''by the will of God" They serve their
generation because they have been raised up
| for this very purpose, and their lives are to
\ be accepted as blessings from the Most High.
II. The next thought | suggest Is, that
| pious and useful men are kept In this world
until God sees that their work is done. ''Da-
vid, after be had served his own generation,
| fell asleep" but not before. The scriptures
|
man upon earth?" And the scriptures an
swer: The number of his months is with
| Thee; his days are determined; Thou hast
appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.
| Friends, let this console US at this hour.
| However sudden death may be, 1t comes
not until Gods own appointed time. How
ever otherwise it may seem to US, the noble
life of our departed brother may not be re-
garded as incomplete. We measure human
life by days and weeks and months and
years. But of God it is written: "a thou
sand years in Thy sight are but as yester-
/ day. when it is past, and as a watch
| in the night. The man who accom-
plishes the purposes for which God hath
placed him in the worldwide does the
work which God Observation-Disclosures life Ia
complete, whether his days be many or few.
And hence the saying, Man is immortal un-
til his work is done 1t requires faith in
God to accept this statement as true. Short.
sighted reason is perplexed and bewildered
here We see that the useful citizen Is sud-
denly interrupted in his work, and called
| from his position of public service; the hus-
band from the wife who leans, dependent
upon his arm; the father from children who
would gladly retain him here, that he might
live to be cheered by them in a beautiful old
| age, which is justly regarded as the glorious
sunset of life, but while yet in the full Vigor
of manhood he is suddenly stricken down,
and Reason eXclaims, ALAS! the marble
shaft is abruptly broken, and the symmetry
of grand and useful life is utterly marred. u
| But faith IN God correctS this error. What
our Heavenly Father hath done we may not
know now, bat we shall know hereafter,
and in the fair dawnipg of eternity, when
the mists are cleared away" we shall see
that this mans hfe-work was done, and
latter he served his generation" and not be-
fore, did he ''fall asleep"
| To-
sweet consoling thought Of the text Pious
and useful men do not die-they simply fall
asleep. Life's work being done while the
day lasts, they rest from their labors until
the resurrection morn. Saith the Holy Ghost
of more than one saint: "He slept with his
fathers Saith the blessed Jesus: 1.-The
damsel is not dead, but sleepeth." And
again. sour friend, Lazarus, sleepeth. =
And by this gentle euphemism God would
calm our fears and soothe our affnghted
spirits IN view of death. On, it is human tc
dread the grave. 1t is natural to shrink
back from the portals of the tomb. And oul
God, who "knows our frames and who re.
members that we are dust, takes us by the
hand and leads US to the house appointed fol-
all the living, comforting us as he gently
whispers: This is not death; this is only
Sleep And what encouragement may
timid mortals find In that one word? Sleer
implies an hour of awaking. He who lies
down to slUmber expects to rise again
stronger and more buoyant than before. 81
with those who fall asleep in Jesus. Their
bodies shall rest in bed hallowed by the
blessed Son of God, who Himself was laid
away in the tomb. And as Jesus rose again
triumphant over death and the grave, ever
so them also which sleep In Jesus will Goo
bring with Him. The night will quickly
pass, and all the family of God, rising from
their beds, will greet each other with a Joy
Gus good morning on the eternal shore
And now, my friends, close by advertinl
most briefly to him whose remains now liz
before us in their last tranquil repose. 1t is
not my custom on occasions like the present
to indulg e in any extended personal re-
marks. This is especially unnecessary IL
this instance, inasmuch as the principal fact
of Mr.. Leath's death aye to be given to the
public through the press. As his pastor
however, may properly refer to his expert
epce and his conduct as professed christina
Early in youth he laid the sure and solid
foundation upon which he reared his beauti
full and exalted character. 1t is not known pre-.
cisely at what time he first publicly confessed
his Savior before men, casting IN his lot with
the people of God; but the records of the
First Presby terrain church, of this city, show
that he was admitted into that church, by
certificate, In the year 1887; consequently fol
more than forty years he had been known
| and recognized as believer in Jesus Christ
! In full communion with the people OF God
In his religious life, as in all else, his was the
department of the quiet, unpr5tentious anC
dignifed christian gentleman. His regula,
appearance in the sanctuary; his devout ap.
preparation of the emblems of his Savior's
broken body and shed blood; his earnest and
thoughtful attention to the preaching of the
gospel; his sPotless walk and conversation
and his warm interest in everything that
could ameliorate the condition of his fellow
men, ali evinced the sincerity of his profess
sions, and the genuineness of his faith, which
wrought by love-" This family has sus-
tanned loss which nothing but divine grace
| can enable it to bear. The church to-day
mourns the departure of one of her most up
right, conscientious and consistent members;
society surrenders to death one of its bright
est ornaments. The entire city shall long
| feel the loss of the influence of this truly
great and good man; while in the city
schools. of which he was the wise and zeal
| Gus superintendent, many teacher feels his
| loss as a personal bereavement, shedding
over his bier the tears of sincere and affec-
tionate grief. But his work is done. Having
served his generation he hath fallen asleep
| The eye that beamed with kindness hath lost
| Its lustre The hand so often extended in
deeds of love, is laid on the peaceful breast,
and the generous heart has ceased to throb
More sublimely tranquil In death than even
he was in life, he rests iOeH
Rest from thy labor, rest,
Soul of the just set free;
Blest be thy memory, and blest
Thy bright example be.
Now, toll and conflict DER