The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-17
TRINITY SUNDAY.
Lessons Deduced from the
Gospel Of the Day.
SERVE THE LORD"
Death Should Net Be Fearful to
Christians.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
pRATH-sEHMoN BY REV. HENRY WARD
BREcHER

pRATH-sERMoN BY REV. HENRY WARD
BREcHER
Mr. Becchsrs text yesterday morning was rem
Hebrews, H., 15-"And deliver them who through
fear OF death all their lifetime subject to bond
ago. The development OF the human uody through
The various processes OF nature Is physical manes
tatiou divine purpose, but tho processes OF death
and decay are well ordered and as consistent. Au
lumn 10 az beautiful as spring. Death is the proper
Termination OF tho organic whole OF human lie.
Il Is tho completion OF cyca There IS
:saly no moro reason tor sadness NJ the
mere physical extinction Of lie than for the falling Of
leaves or the gathering OF the ripened harvest II Is
only when individuals nearly connected with Us die
that shocke d. but the universal passing away
OF mortality does not maze q profound impression.
Nothing is more common frequent than death
Personal death Is looked upon with fear by those who
have brought up and educated IN the beliefs Of
= kind OF moral pagahsm, which have gro IN out OF
church supsrstitions. Death Is not more painful
should impose upon the mind pagan horrors IN regard
TO death when the facts attending that phenomenon
do not warrant them.
lis thought that wicked generally die In great
fear OF death II ID not true as rule Neither Is II
saints usually Dire with VISIONS vi opening
heavens Except IN special cases TRANQUILITY l. the
aw OF death. Oi course there are exceptions, and
see angels IN their last hour Inc TACT
,hould Le Just as real and credible as when I'm
exalted anu mighty wrought brain makes great DIS
soyeries IN science. II man dies rapture il is
comfort 10 him aud hts friends, whether his brain DO
ieverish But these conditions arc not the usual
record OF dying men, II traveller going nome after
a long absence II IS good to have hne morning and
birds singing X the trees; but tho skios are black
aud tho weather stormy the JOY OF gong home -
great enough make up Tor the absence OF sun aud
BIRDS Ib majority OF death ~ like the passing
away OF a sirajn oil musIc-ike The dying out Of the
hight OF summers day. Rheumatic men nave more
pain every day their than IS experienced In an
ordinary death. The beginning Of lilo Is usually more
painful tnan It's snding Men suffer more when tney
born than whom they dte
These horrible images OF death which are gen.
sray accepted do not come from the Bible, but from
pagan philosophy. In the Old Testament dcath ~
spoken OF as a harvest home winch means the
Eai herring OF the ripcned shcavcs. Tho prophets
we're spoken OF "a beng gathered TO Their people
Mr.. Beccher spoke OF Mr.. Bryants "rhunatopsis"
as a cain anu pbiiosophic conception OF DEATH and he
he purposed read u, because many young
people present might not have read H. There was
general rustic OF curiosity and expectation, aud Mr.,
Bsechef took up copy OF Bryants poems anu pro-
seeded to read ~ low, measured voice n.rs vas
time Tor second thought nc TOOK up copy Of watts
hymns and read what no called the CHRISTMAS view
OF death in the poem BY Watts beginning Win
tue ltne:-
Unveii thy bosom, faithful tomb.
Mr. Beecher went on 10 say that all tho parapherna-
liza OF grief is pagan He asked why should the house
be darkcned when the gates OF heaven are openedf
Thy should there be NO music when the pilgrim de-
parts Tor ms home with the sanlsy Why should we
drape our pictures and put the robes OF woo. and
publish aricfs 10 all the world2 Has not Chiist
died made the tomb luminous by passing through
ry Why should wo set up monuments OF misery
when the long suffering chiid rs released from painY
About TINS time lady In The cong egation iaintcu
and carried out weeping. and all over the cnurca
changed tue tenor Of MS remarks, and dropped from
his descriptive and pathetic VEN 70 dry aosrno. ior
mi las, the sermon ended ten or fifteen minutes
sooner than the sual hour oi closing
Sir. Beechcr closed Nv saying that right hving was
the best road right dying Death was but tho OPEN
lug OF door 10 higher lie.