Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-11-18


underlying this triumphant emulation
of christian hope. That death is an
enemy of man, the very thought of
which fills the human breast with fear
and the presence of which often fills
the minds with pangs to which
physical suffering is hardly to be
compared. This is called the sting of
death, none but moral being ever
feels it; so far as we know, death
has no sting or pang to the lower
orders of creatures they suffer
pain and dread it as we'll as
man, they have an instinct that guards
them from what endangers life, but to
them death has no sting, for there is
no dark, vague, threatning, uncertain
ty, lying beyond, no looking for of
judgment because of sin, no shrinking
even from the idea of nonexistance.
There is no sting to death, where there
is no immortal nature and there is no
death to an immortal nature where
| there is no sin. The innocence of
childhood has no fear of death, the
sting is not developed until willful in
telligent transgression against divine
authority begets guilt. "The sting of
death is sin, and the strength Of sin is
the law
Where there is no law, there is no
sin, ''for sin is the transgression of the
law" where there is no commandm ent
there is no transgression; But where
ever the law comes written upon the
feshly tables Of the heart, by the
Spirit as amongst the unchristianized
and unenlightened heather or COM
ing down from Sinai written on tables
of stone, or distilling as the dew from
the lips of purity and love on Mount
Olivet and Mount Zion, (from him
who spake as never man spake) or
from mothers lips in childhood at
mothers knee or a faithful Sabbath
School teachers instruction; whenever
and however the moral nature is reach
ed and awakened to hear through all
the chambers of the soul, the "Thou
shalt and Thou shalt not !" of devine
authority carrying with it its penalty.
"The soul that sineth it shall die,
there the sting of death is developed,
and from that moment is the trans
gressor all his life time subject to
bondage through fear of DEATH. We
may immerse ourselves in business,
busy ourselves with worldly care, we
may amuse ourselves with the follies
and dissipation of social life, or wrap
ourselves in GORGEOUS garments Of
pharasaic goodness or of moral integri-
tY; and with these anodines and opiates
we may deaden our moral sensibilities,
but these can never distroy the sting of
death nor counterfeit the effects of the
venomous poison Of sin on the immor-
| tai nature
But thank God. brothers there is an
antidote for sin subtle poison. Death
has met his conquorer, his scepter has
been broken, his sting has been extract
ed, and although he still appears as a
gaunt skeleton following hard after the
sinner with the scythe of retribution
ready to cut down the transgressor; to
the Christian he is only the messenger
of divine love gong before him as his
servant bearing the key with which the
gate to immortal life shall be opened to
admit the spirit to the realms of light
and glory. Therefore to those who
are in Christ Jesus, death is no longer
the "King of Terrors," but only a
conquered foe, whose Office it is to bear
the Masters message of love sCome up
higher" to bid the victorious warrior
leave the field of conflict lay down the
sword and shield, and in honor wear
the crown.
Our revised version does not change
the thought of the text as the author
lied version does by change of words
but reads 60 death where is thy
victory. o death where is thy sting
This doubtless is better rendering of
the thought The grave has no
character or de grees, it is not power,
there is nothing desirable or undesira-
BILE in the grave; there are no distinc-
tions or condition there, no conscious
ness no experiences, the brain may be
there but the thought has persisted,
the ear is there but there is no sound
vibrations, the eye is there but the
win dows are dark the rays of light
carry no visions of beauty, the nerves
are there but no sensations thrill along
those electric wires. for the soul is no
longer at home with the body, but has
returned to God who gave it, and being
absent from the body is present with
the Lord And the deserted house
falls unconsciously to decay, returning
to the earth as it was. Death is swal-
lowed up VIGOROUSLY. How glorious
ly is this truth sustained and exempli-
fed by the experiences of dying belle.
vers. " neither like the apostle Paul
on the eve of martyrdom writing to his
son in the gospel saying: II am now
ready to be offered up, and the time of
my departing is at hand. [ have fought
| a GOOD fpht have finished NV oourso