The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1881-09-09
MEMORIAL SERMON.
Delivered at the Moss Point Pres
byterian Church, by Rev.
A. j. Wltherspoon.

IF . man die, shall he live again r'-Joh
xiv, IA.
1 have been sent to bear a mes
sage Of sympathy FROM the Presby-
terry to the Presbyterian church of
Moss Point, Miss, so sorely be-
reaved by the decease OF their pas
tor, Rev. 5. J. Bingham, and with
the prayer that God in his good
providence may ere long seud to
them one who shall as faithfully
break unto them the bread of life.
You had a most precious minister,
and have sustained a very great
loss. | heard a lady member of
the Episcopal church, make the re-
mark that Mr.. Bingham's pulpit
might be filed, but there was no
man to come after him who would
so fill the hearts of the people at
Handsboro, and presume it is the
same sentiment at Moss Point.
Rev. s. j. Bingham was born in
Marion district, 5. O., of pious an.
cestry, was well educated in aca-
demical, collegiate aud theological
course Of studies, aud was q trained
man, u scholar, divine and gentle.
tleman, and possessed the conf.
dence and love OF people where.
ever he labored in the ministery
AS he was a man who so largely
filed the hearts of the people, the
questions may be well asked
Where is hei What has become
of hint He is no longer seen toll
ing along to his duties in the pull
pit aud in the pastoral charge. His
voice is no more heard as an am
bassador for Christ. His face no
longer appears. The places that
once knew him, now know him nc
more forever. His DEVOTED wife
and affectionatc children re-
ceive his affections no longer.
Where is hei The body is in the
grave and now food tor worms
but the soul lives forever. IL a
man die shall he live againi Yes,
IN his soul in which resides the
personality, he lives; the thread of
life dropped out OF our sight is
continued and goes on forever in a
higher life, and Brother Bingham
is alive, conscious and active. His
name is recorded in the directory
of Heaven. He has a new name,
citizen of the city of God, and
his name written in the lambs
book of lie, and he is this day in
full view Of the beatiiic vision, fill
ed with all the fulness Of God, aud
with the largest capacities Of ac-
tivity and happiness, Our deceased
friend, like every other member OF
the human family, was composed
of two distinct substances-soul
and body--and death was only the
soul departing from the body
to which it had been moored for
about ffty-one years. The order
was given from the Master above,
"to cast of the liues,' and death
broke the cables that fastened soul
to body. The body was left behind
and buried; but the soul has
gone on the eternal voyage, laden
with the good deeds Of an honora-
BILE and useful life, and the port Of
Heaven has been gained, and the
bark Of life is moored above, safe
from the storms Of this world.
In creation God made nun Of
two constituent principles--soul
and body. His body from the dust
Of the ground, and his soul the
breath OF God and when man dies
he leaves the dust to turn to dust
as it was, while the spirit returns
to God who gave it. The Bible
plainly teaches that the souls of
believers, upon their separation
from their bodies, pass Immediate
ly and ut once into glory. Lazarus
was carried at once, aud the thief,
into Heaven, Stephen also. Philoso-
ply also teaches that man is a com
pound of soul and body, and the
destruction of the latter does not
affect the former in It's powers Of
thought and reelection. There are
mental operations, especially rea
soning aud rejecting, that are in
dependent of tue body, and that
can be carried on even better with
out than with the aid of the sense
and the body, while the dissolu-
ton of our bodies will 20 the de-
struction OF our present powers Of
sensation aud those mental powers
we share with the brute creation ;
yet the death Of the body win not
be the destruction OF our present
powers Of reflection or be SO much
as their suspension. Nothing de-
stroyed by death is any way ne
cessary to the soul in thought pro-
oesses, thought forms, aud thought