Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-05-15

SCu OlOcoCo lliO lays uPOA lllC
shoulders of the real Christian.
This religious life is the crown
ing glory of his character. At its
bottom was absolute faith in God
through Christ. No one could listen to
his sermons and not be impressed with
his intellectual and spiritual grasp of
the atonement-to him it was the great
fact of Christianity.
Three things be believed in deeply,
prOfoundly-God, Methodism, truth.
"He never hesitated," says Dr. Fowler,
who knew him intimately, ito commit
himself to the future of either of these
He never saw any other style of church.
working that seemed to him more prom
ising than Methodism. This gave con-
sistency and unity and power to his
whole life. He foresaw the triumphs of
Methodism. Journeying through the
churches over and over again, for near
| " thirty years, he came to know every
section almost intimately; and it is said
he knew nearly everv one of the minis
ters of our church-an army of nearly
| Il, 2,OO0-and could name them at sight.
1t is almost certain we desire to know
how the really great feel as they brush
the dews on JOrdan's banks; and l am
sure you will pardon me if pause for a
moment in his sick room, and bear back
to you the intelligence he sends from
the swellings of Jordan. We know how
the disciples of unfaith die. We have
often heard of the horrible death of
Paine; of the fearful death-scenes about
the couch of VOltaire; ahd most of us
can recall some scene that to think of it
we Shudder.
| But not so does the Christian die. We
know of their last hours. Two of your
venerable men have passed out of this
congregation within the last three
months. They died calmly, peaceably-
one of them triumphantly. So when
our beloved Bishop came to the last
hour it was with supreme cOmpOsure.
When an old friend asked him during a
recent illness, If he had any word to
leave, he answered, though in extreme
feebleness: Il am not going to die now;
l am going to get out again" He was
determined to die but once. But when
that once came, he was ready.
April 10, returning from down town,
as he entered his home he said, "there
that is the last; l shall not go out again
my work is DONE" When the family
physician came, he said, 81 shall die
now; it is Gods will that shall die"
Dr. Fowler writes thus of his last
moments. During these moments 'his
wife, son, and two daughters, and his
old friend Gen. Berry, were with him.
AS he moved quietly out beyond the
line where the earthly becomes indis-
tinct, and the heavenly become distinct
on into the opening eternity, as the
| oraat vvhinh anrrld
number, rose up before his wondering
eyes, and sight began to supplant faith,
he called back to his family and friends
All right, all right Gen. Berry took
up the password 'all right and the
Bishop again with the fluttering rem
nant of his earthly strength, and with
evident rapture, answered 'all right, and
his great soul marched into the company
of the Church triumphant and into the
presence of God"
And it is well added-"what an in
spring shout for the church, In what
keeping with his mind anu character!
A grand old warrior for the truth, wear
led and wounded on many Il 'rIrd-fOught
field of probation, dealing mighty blows
upon the foe, fighting in the front rank
for more than half a century, at last
breaks up into the presence of those
who have been brought off more than
conquerors, and shouts back to the hosts
of the militant church pressing hard af-
ter him-"All rightw Seeing such life
and death we are compelled to say "HOw
goodly are thy tents o Jacob, and thy
tabernacles, o Israeli "Let me die the
death of the righteous, and let my last
end be like hisp
Dying tries men; it will soon try us.
'.Men may live like fools, but fools they can
not die,
All, twas truth most true; and sung in time,
And to the CONS of men, by one well known
on earth
For lofty verse, and lofty sense.
Much hast thou seen fair youth! much heard
| but thou
Hast never seen death bed, never heard
A dying groan. Men saw it often, twas sad,
To all most sorrowful and sad-to guilt,
Twas anguish, terror, darkness without bow.
But o, it had a most convincing tongue,
A potent oratory, that secured
Most mute attention: and it spoke the truth
So boldly, plainly, perfectly distinct,
That none the meaning could mistake or
doubt:
And had withal Disseminating power,
A most OmnipOtent and wOndrous power,
Which in moment broke, forever broke,
And utterly dissolved the charms end spells,
And cunning sorceries of earth and hell"
BRIEF LESSONS OF THE GREAT LIFE.
l. Life to him meant an object. He
came into life on an errand. He dis
charged his duty.
2. He commenced life sanely. He
saw and believed in the Savior. He was
converted. His life crystalized about
Jesus. Out of Jesus, speaking calmly, is
moral madness.
8. His thorough preparation made it
easy to be the man he was.
4. He had correct views of his church.
He believed it to be one of the grandest
evangelical organizations under the sun.
He had faith in her methods.
5. He had the broadest ecclesiastical
craftsmanship. He saw opportunities.
He had the ability and training to seize
them.
8. He was a man of deep piety. Such
life must be founded in it. Piety is
the ballast that men need.
I. He died gloriously.
Dismissed to glory with kiss of love,
He bade the lingering moments swifter roll;
Death was to him as harmless as dove;
While floods of glory overwhelmed his soul.
Not plucked but gathered by the hand of
love,
As tender fruit or fragrant lilies are;
Transplanted to the paradise above,
To blossom in eternal fragrance there.
DIAMONDS.
No cord or cable can draw so fOrciblv