Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-05-05
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
A SERMON.
Delivered On the Occasion of the Death
and Burial of Mrs. Emma COrdelia
HumDhrey

Rev. II. M. thompson.
SIR: At the funeral services attending
the burial Of Mrs. W. S. Humphrey,Swe
were not so fortunate as to gain posi-
ton within the house, consequently could
not hear the remarks made by you on
that sad occasion. Therefore, If tagreea-
bic to you. for our own satisfaction and
out OF respect to the memory of the de-
ceased, we respectfully ask you to pub
lish thegsame.
Very respectfully,
Robert Robinson, John w. McGinn, Jacob
j. Post, Albert j. Paddock, Geo. w.
Bell, and others.
Text-Phil. 1, 81. To die is gain.
The mightiness of Paul Is evinced in
his splendid philosophy, as well as in
the great work he wrought for hui
man progress. Living he was sim
ply to do his work, Indifferent as to
whether he should be taken by violent
death, or whether he continue longer; in
either case he could lose nothing, but
was the inevitable gamer. The relation
between himself and his work, and be-
tween him and the Supreme being, who
had protected him and his work. was
such that no permanent evil could grow
ont of any change of condition or state.
This philosophy that would not admit of
doubt, defeat or disaster, but that def
antly clung to the Divine purpose as a
comprehensive, deep plan of irresistible
power, wisdom, goodness and love, Paul
had learned from Christianity, and he
industriOusly organized the system that
had been founded by the Nazarene
Teacher. To contemplate system that
evolves the cheerful statement that Ito
die is gain,' is in striking contrast to
to the study of those cherries. gloomy
utterances which declare that death is
irreparable loss" 'death is extinction"
death ends the play in the dark cur
tainslof despair, with every light eXtin-
guished, no more to be lighted" We are
so averse to the sad wall of disbelief,
that we do not try or hope to extract
consolation from the hard doctrine. AS
well appeal to the coffin lid for comfort
as to lay our bleedingIhearts on the terri
bic cyclone of infidelity. "DespOndency
is ingratitude. Hope is Gods worship"
ask dare we hope in this hour of grief,
and thus worship God? Dare we believe
weep for the loss of our sister, neighbOr
and friend, are deeply interested for as
one has said, "At last we will all have to
start on that dark perilous journey. We
must all die and go out beyond the air
and up through the stars" Whether
unfortunate and abandoned, or favored
and applauded, death tarries not in its
approach. Ii determined resolve could
conquer, the departed had not gone, for
her will was purest steel. Hawthorne
said, Nevertheless L confde the whole
matter to providence, and shall emdea-
vOr, so to live that the world may come
to an end at any moment without leay-
ing me at loss to find fOothOld some
where else" These words show conf
dence and they are altogether rational,
The mind of man cannot accept the uni
1erse without the idea of God, and a
God with purpose, and a purpose so far
reaching that ito die is gain" Plutarch
says, "When we see the dishOnOr of a
thing, then it is time to renOunce it,"
Faith in a supreme best, faith In good
life, faith in q future that develops
higher, nObler, purer state has never dis
honored the believer. Why should we
doubt when death comes and say, "all is
gone, and even hope, the last thing to
die, is cOrpse?" True there is impene-
trable mystery and if we try to unravel
the perplexing skein the threads do but
tangle the more. Words are yeriest
weakness, theories are fOOlishness alb
stract reasoning is useless, and dOgmati-
cal utterances are farthest from salts
factory solution; but the fact of God re-
mains, the fact of man remains, and to
trust God, as father, friend, counsellor
and Savior is natural, needful and emf
nently consoling. We instinctively go
to the side of God when we read his love-
notes, hear his harmonious music, and
see the matchless arm of power, good
ness. wisdom and affection that makes
for the better purer and stronger. This
seems best, this is truest, this will sur
yive, and every step, even that of death
is an advance. Prof. Seyle says in Ecce
Homo: HE who when goodness is i'm
pressively put before him, exhibits an
instructive loyalty to it, starts forward
TO take its side, trusts himself to 1t, such
n man has faith, and the root of the
matter is in such man. He may have
habits of vice, but the loyal and faithful
instinct in him will place him above
many that practice virtue" Faith is
not belief that we are saved, but that
we are loved" The great song sung
through the ages is the song of the
Fathers love. Prophets declared 1T,
ceremonies typifed it, Christ repeated
and reiterated it, Apostles believed it,
the unfolding progress that has steadily
moved forward in the history of our
race confirms it, And why doubt the
efficiency of that Supreme affection to
provide for the exigencies of death or the
needs of the future. Whatever Is, Is
right, except sin, and this admitted evil
shall be expelled in Gods own. accepted