Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-02-19
" Jesus In the Presence Of Death"
synopsis of Sermon Preached at the Fun
eral Of Jno. W. Breathitt, Jr., by
Rev. j. N. Prestridge.
JOHN II: l-36.

Iers. Ills character was noble ant
beautiful. That message sent b,
= Martha and Mary has a picture in i
for us. They do not say thy servan
is sick, or he who loves thee is sick
but "he whom thou lowest is sick.
Jesus loved him and had manifested
that love so Enthusiastically that thesC
sisters hesitated not to state il in al
open message and to make it a plea
for his coming. How appropriate
this sending for Jesus. Who else
could bring solace to their breaking
hearts? They had little hope, now
that he was dead, of anything being
accomplished; but his presence
brought relief, his words assurance.
AS with them so has it been with
crushed hearts in the many years
which have passed since then, and SO
Will His presence to-day sustain and
comfort. Bereaved father, brothers.
sisters, take Him who loved Lazarus
into your home, into your hearts,
and peace and hope will abide with
you.
wish now to speak from the sub
Ject chosen for this hour: Jesus in
the Presence of Death.
When lie had come into that desc
late home aud stood by the closed
grave, John tells us, He wept. Those
tears, what a legacy to the human
race! How precious to those bleed
ing heartsl Into a thousand homes
these have come, unsealing the foun-
tam OF burning tears and soothing
the ievered heart into repose. Yes,
Jesus wept for the dead. 1t is right |
Tor us to weep, for in SO doing we do |
out give natural expression to our
sorrow and love. Such tears do
honor to the dead they do honor to
us. pity the man who has put
away those memories, which in the
silent hour call up the faces, the
voices, the forms of those who once
blessed him with their affection.
lave you lost father? What
would you exchange for the sorrow
that comes over you when you recall
his loving counsels, his .aflectionate
lpprovals? Have you buried a
mother? The memory of her tender
ness and devotion, her smiles, her
prayers and blessings,are they not far
above all price2 Have you said
goodbye to gentle sister? Oh, the
unshine she brought into your life
Gould you part with it? No! a
thousand times, no! If you have {
ost brother, noble, true, gener- {
JUS, affectionate brother, enshrine '
nm in your hearts. Trim brightly Q
he lamps of memory that his smile q
nay never vanish, his voice never be c
uShed, or his touch ever cease to be t
cit. /
1t is wrong to brood over our sor-
ows, to let them unfit us for life's
uties; but to commune with those
Tho have passed from earth to a bet
'r world is full of good to the soul. ,
will loosen the earth-cords that
Ind us to time, it will brighten our
'ul-yision for things before unseen
VIII fit the soul for Heayen's citi.
'nship. lie is not dead but sleepeth.
Ie lives within reach of our affec- =.
ons, and hardly beyond the touch 9,
our consciousness.
In the presence of death Jesus q
'ked no question, nor uttered any .
urmur. He knew that the Father (
beth all things well. He stood :
here no could see Heavens pur- a
use in that sad bereavement, and so Z
'uld say, II am glad for your sake"
Q knew God could make no mis- 4
Ike and so could say as he said :.
hen Death faced him in the garden, II
lot my will, but thine be done" If Y
9 to-day could see this sad, dark Z
'ur as He sees it from Heavens j..
andpoint, am sure we would bow =
II heads in humble submission. God =
+ Rather. Let us trust him even r,
here we cannot see. Some day we !,
III know all Is well. Jesus saw not y
'zarus' earth-home only, but his v
eaven-home. He heard the sobs of
artha and Mary he heard also the
no OF the angels songs. He
ew that life was but a nights -
mp on the way to God, and SO real +
ID that these light Affections were ~
momentary and work out for 9
weight of glory. Let us look -
on death as He did; let us trust -
ID as lie did and all will be well.
AS we go to the dead's city to lay
'ay our brother let us dwell upon
character. Whatever there may
Ve been in his character worthy of
lsure spread over it the mantle of Tb
lrity. l, who have known him To
imately as his pastor, know be'
nothing which you need to 9u
'er. But there is much that will uo
us good to remember. He knew
W to be friend, for he was true.
nest, aflectionate and brave. A
'rt while before the last hour came
called one of his watchers TO his g.
Q and taking him by the hand q
d; "Good-bye, we have been
'nds from the earliest hours of
ldhood." He was not afraid of
tn. When the doctors told him
must die he said: ~ have known az =,
, from the first I have taken your earl
scriptions because you wanted a re
to, and l wanted to live" lie a an,'