National Republican., 1883-08-27
"Tho Saints In Heaven" the Title OF Rev
j. w. Rays Sermon.
JUDGE BLACKS DYING PRAYER


IT is EULoGIzED by THE REV. JOHN A.
MULLIGAN AT THE ZION A. NJ. Z. CHURCH.
A large congregation assembled at the A.
M. L. Zion church yesterday morning to
listen to sermon by tho pastor, tho Rev.
John A. Mulligan. 1t was announced that
he would deliver discourse eulogistic of the
late Judge Black and tho desire to learn
what the views of so able representative of
tho colored race would say Of the lato dis
tingushed iurist and democratic politician
drew many of the Caucasian race to the
church.
Tho reverend speaker announced his text
ss from Ecclesiastics tx, 10: Whatsoever thy
hand indeth to do do it with thy might for
there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge,
nor wisdom in the grave whittier thou goest."
He said it may be said that this chapter ex-
hibits more particularly four different points.
First, that in the mysterious providence of
the Almighty all men, good or bad meet with
much the samo events in this life. Hence,
we read All things come alike to all, there
is one event to tho righteous and to the
wicked to the good and to the clean, and to
the uncean to him that sacrifceth and to
him that sacrifceth not, rs is tho good, so is
)he sinner; and he that sweareth as he that
,eareth an oath. This is an evil among all
hings that arc done under the sun, that there
one event unto all
The next point is that death puts an end
to our pleasures as well as to our employ
ments; and, therefore, it is our wisdom to
live soberly-thankfully as our comforts and
diligently as to the business of this life. The
third point which the writer seems to havo
had in view is that Providence crosses our
fairest prospects, and surprises US at times
with unexpected calamites. Therefore, we
read in the eleventh verse-"I returned and
saw under the sun that the race is not to the
swift nor the battle to the strong, neither yet
nread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of
understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill,
but time and chance happeneth to them all"
The last point that he seems to have had in
mind is that even when the talents and in
huence of men render them extremely
useful, those talents and this influence
are often times disregarded by the
world and by those around them.
Therefore, no says: "Thore was little city
and few men within it; and there came a
great king against it, and besieged, and built
great bulwarks against it," Now there was
found in it poor wise man, and he, by his
wisdom, delivered the city. Yot no man re-
membered that same poor man. But the
verse to which propose to draw your atten-
tion this morning is the one which l have
already read "Whatsoever thy hand findeth
to do do it with thy might, for there is no
work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wis
dom in the grave, whittier thou goest"
In reference to the late Judge Black
Rsv. Mr.. Mulligan said: am not here
to speak about party, am here to speak
tho truth, as Christian minister ought to do.
Some one may say Why, Mr.. Mulligan, no Is
q democrat do not care where he belongs.
One thing do know he belongs to Gods party.
First, the grave shuts out all means of
getting good, or Of doing good, either for our
a1V a.- NlA- NxKFA han fhnFn xxytll Ia
an end to prayer. Here we may be said to be
on praying ground; here we may pray to our
Heavenly Father for what we want, for we
may DO said to be on pleading terms with
Him; but when once in the grave there is no
work. nor device, nor knowledge. There is
no praying there; and it is remarkable how
people fool their time away in idleness. If
they believed that there would come cer-
tain day or hour when their prayers would
not be heard, how diligently and fervently
would they pray-and yet it is. Tho hour is
coming, and you know not how soon it will
come, when you can no longer pray; for
there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge,
nor wisdom, in tho grave, whittier thou
goest Life is the only time for prayer.
Judge Black did this.
Life is the only time for prayer. The
grave will also shut out the reading of tho
scriptures. Here the individual who loves the
Saviour also loves the Bible, and is delighted.
Like the psalmist, he meditateS thereon
by day and often by night The Bible is his
comfort in difficulty, his consolation in trial.
But, after all, life is his only opportunity for
reading it. This will be no loss to the Chris
tian, because in heaven he will not want his
Bible. But the consideration that the time
is coming when the word of God can no
longer be read or studied ought to arouse the
ungodly. How many are there living who
not only never read the Bible, but neglect it,
even ridicule it? If some of these knew
that the time is fast approaching, perhaps
they would prepare.
For there is no knowledge nor wisdom to
be obtained in the grave whittier they are
going. Then, again, there will be no hope in
the grave. Here the ungodly man will often
tell you that he hopes to be saved Ask him
how, he cannot tell /; but he thinks he is one
of the multitude, and he says to himself,
"If | am lost, what will become of thousands
of others?" Why, of course, all such will be
lost, too. But in the grave there is no shadow
of hope. Oh, no! AS the tree falls SO it will
lie for ever. As death leaves us, so judgment
will find us. The text expressly say there is
no knowledge nor device or wisdom in tho
grave, whittier thou goest
We ought to be in earnest about our souls $
salvation.
What does the text say? Whatsoever our
hand find to do do it with all thy might. DO
it with thy might. Half measure will not
40 III TGllplOn' we cannot serve GOu and
mammon We must be decided if we would be
saved. We must not be calculating. You
must be in real earnest about your own soul
and in whatever you do for others. Time is
passing away, lose one opportunity of doing
good and you cannot recall it. That day is
gone, gone, gone forever. What our hand
find to do let us do with our might But there
is third point. 1t is personal matter; il con-
Germs every one Of you before me to-day aU
this moment. Tomorrow may be too late.
Talk little. 1t is not that am going to tho
grave; it is not that thousands around us are
going to the grave, but every one of us
yes, every one of us is going to the grave.
Oh, how rapidly is life passing away. How
little do we individually think of this And
yet, my Christian friends, if you would be
saved you must make religion personal
thing. What was the resolution of Joshua /?
"As for me and my house, We will serve the
Lord" AS if he would have said lot the
whole of Israel do what they please, we will
serve the Lord. Let the whole of the twelve
tribes go, if they please, into idolatry, we will
serve the Lord. Let the whole world do as
they like, as for me and my house we will
serve the Lord. Yes, religion is personal
thing If you are a true believer that will
not save your wife. Talk of wife and hus-
band, father and children-oh, no; you
are told the soul that sinneth it
shall die. Every one must suffer
for his own sin. Sec then to it.
But l must call your thoughts to solemn
event which lately took place in Brockie,