Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1883-03-03
REV. Nm. John P.NEwMAN

Rev. DIR. JOHN p. NEWMAN
At the Funeral Services Of IN Age,
Lady, Tuesday, January 20, 1883
ut No. 56l Madison Avenue, New
York.
by request.
And thus ends another life In wha
sense does it end? Not in extinction
but rather in change Of condition, il
the invisibility Of the body 10 us, but il
the perpetual consciousness Of The de
parted.
Individuality IL understandable. Deatl
is Il removal and not al annihilation
All that il immaterial and spiritua
continues forever. The spirit is uni
aud is indissOluble. The integrity o
personal identity is sublime fact. w
can never be less than ourselves, no
more THAI ourselves, nor other than
ourselves. We must be ourselves
with all the integrity of our fntellec
and moral being Memory holds
the past. The Imagination prophe
sizes the future. The judgment
the reason and the understanding re-
main intact, while the affections hold
fast the tender objects of domestic life.
This venerable woman has gone to the
bosom Of her God, not to sing songs, MOI
TO be idle, nor Indifferent IL to the
scores Of earth and time. These sons
and grandchildren, over whom she
watched with tenderest love here, she
will continue to love and guide hcreaf-
ter.
How sad must be that heart return
ing from the grave, feels all was buried
there Earth, indeed, would he poor
were the departed forever separated
from us !; but reason and revelation
to lead us to the belief that
those who have passed to the other side
are still working for the interests of
those who remain on earth. HUI
manity Is ever asking the ques-
ton, "Have we heard from beyond
the grave?" "What is the proof"
1t is two fold the testimony of persons
in all ages, in all countries, of all re-
ligions, and the record Of facts contained
in the Bible, and in personal expert
ence. The belief is all but universal
that the spirits of the departed have re-
turned to earth. 1t is SO in China. The
best Of the Greeks and Romans were
strong in this opinion, and those emf
nent in the Church for learning and
piety, have cherished this common
faith.
Two worlds met in Bible times. The
were AS real then be-
tween earth and Heaven as between
New York and London to-day. From
Adam till John there was frequent
between those who had
gone, and those who were left behind
God sIake to Adam, Noah, Abraham,
Moses and Solomon. Angels dined
with Abraham led Lot out Of Sodon
were companions of Daniel in the lions
lrn they converscd with Mary; they
delivered Peter from prison; they
visited Cornelius the Roman Centurion.
Celestial visions were given to Isaiah
and the prophets, to Paul and the apos-
lies, to Stephen and the martyrs, while
samuel, and Moses, and Elias were
returned to earth. And why should we
suppose that there is less interest in
heaven for earth now than in the glo-
.ious past" We have the inspired rec
,rd of the return Of five persons to our
'ar'h, three of whom entered the spirit
world through the portals OF the grave.
)nc was translated and returned, and one
vas caught up into the third heaven.
llr first to return was Samuel, the
prophet. When IA lad in the sanctuary
lc had heard from beyond the grave,
md conversrd with the Lord. He died
II the advance age OF TX, and was buried
It Hannah. When in great distress,
King Saul invoked the spirit of Samuel
o return I" earth, and the request was
granted. Samuel rc-appearrd in the
orm and garments IEost familiar II
Saul. What Saul saw was not an ap-
not "A srmhlancc, not a con
"dcratr of III" witch, not an rlnoSary
# Satan, but the ,crlablc and veneer
bile Samuel, wearing the same majestic
uuk which Saul had seen before, and
pcaking with the same authority rs
when judge and prophet. This is indi- |
atedhy MISUNDERSTANDING of Saul's !
'aSt life, by the predictions which w"r"
and all This for the benefit Of
h" nation and for the world. And
' nav 'i''i ihh'''ii ~ ''''''' S''' w |
he spirit world? That Sain1ed souls
"" at rest. "Why hast thou dis'luict-
ii me'' That they have a knowl-
'lgc of earth. "rhe Lord hath rent
h" Kingdom ont of thy hands as he
pake by me. And thai they have
of the future "The Lord
,ill deliver thee INTO the hands of the
'hilistines, and tomorrow shalt thou
md thy SONS be with me.
From a scene so sad let us turn to one
hat is cheerful. Let us stand on the
'mnit Of Tabor The Lord is trans
igurrd and the voice Of HIS Father
= heard, "This is my beloved Son,
II whom am well pleased"
nd to attest the divine mission ofJesus
o visit us from the present spirit world
rIurncd TO earth They stand on
'abor and converse with Christ. One
f the two is Moses, who had died on
lount Nrbo l,Joo years prior to His
rturn. The other is Elijah, who 800
ears before the TRANSPORTATION hadbeen
translated. Moses appeared as Moses,