The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-06-02
Memorial Sermon Delivered
By Rev. F. 7. Rouse,
At Superior, Sunday Morning,
May 9th, 1883.

ESQ the dead which he slew nj his death We're
more than they which he slew IN his me.
Judges. Nv l. 81
Samson had been a mighty warrior in de-
Tending Israel against the host OF The Phll1s-
! tines BY q certain stroke of fortune he had
! FALLEN into the hands of the enemy against
! whom he fought He was held by them al
prisoner of war He had by them been cruel
" deprived of sight And row his enormous
strength was pat to use either in grinding
their corn. or in amusing the pcpalace with
his mighty deeds in feats and games. II
happened Oh Il certain day that the people had
assembled in high festival To celebrate their
victory over Isniel. They hal gathered in
stately theatre whose roof and galleries
rested on double central column as their
main support. Upon this roof and under
meath We're the lords and ladies Of the land
while Sampson gave them spot. At length
he, being weai1ed by the games, begged that
he might rest "a moment on these central pill
lars, already bending With their unusual
weight They unauspecting led him thereto.
lie stood with head inclined "A moment rs II in
prayer. And Then between his arms he
gr,tsped the pillars, and bending with all his
strength, he swayed them back and forth with
mighty power, till lo2sencd from their hold
ings, they fell. and with thunder crash the
roof collapsed, and all above and all below
were mingled in the rain, and he himself
among them. Such was the carnage and so
great the victory that sampson gained in
death that the Book records that: ''The dead
winch lie slew at his death were more than
they which he slew in his life"
wish 10 take this verse not in its literal
Significance today, but ASA figure, type of
the truth ON which / wish To dwell as the les
son BETTING this memorial season. Our theme
will be: "Tne Power of Mart rlom." We viii
take Sampson sts the type of the hero martyr;
the Philistincs rs the type of evil; the lesson
then Will be: The martyr in his death may
deal II deudlier blow To evil than the victor
in his life. The dead which he slew at his
death were mere than they which he slew III
his lite.n
The power Of martyrdom is exemplifed in
nature. Many Of our common plants bear
fruit and die in bearing fruit. Cnucr The
tropic sun The banana plant springs up. One
by one IL spreads lis lgIiln ike leaves. Reach
ing maturity the stock comes forth. The fruit
Is formed. The fruiL Ma ulcS. And as the
fruit natures, the plant, having fulfilled It's
mission, dies. II dies in bearing fruit. SO in
The harvest Held; every seed That - sown IS
martyr TO The coming crop AS Christ cN
pressed il Except jiIe gram OF wheat iauleth
mo the earth ana die il aDideth ;IlOnes but ii
il die il beareth much fruit" 50 in mans
work Death often counts more Than lie. Llle
may count for Tie man; bUt death counts for
his work. Hence ii il that in any rthy sue
Ccssful cause there must be martyrs. Hence
il is thai frequently the cause succeeds only
through theBF mar; J'r death. Hence il was III
early day, il WIS sad. .sIu,. blood OF the
mari VI Is The seed OF the church." And in at
testatlOn OF thls fact IL was frequently the
case Chat he eNeculioner who struck of the
head 90 tie prosecuted Christian became hln-
self II follower o. Christ. Not long ago a man
died in Africa Il martyr to tbeChrIstIan cause.
Was his HE hence Il failure? No. W hen the
news OF that hardy British martyr reached his
I: Is
his place. Aud uiuIe than that The story of
his death told now III Africa Is the most potent
factor in winning he rough hearts oi those for
whom he died. Africa may bring death 10
Hannin@ion; but Harrington now brings life
to Africa.
SO il ls too in patriotic causes. JohnBrown
might have lived and fought all through the
war, but he could never have done what he
did Dy The inspiration OF his death. The
dead which he slew in his death were more
than they winch ne slew IN his life SO IL
comes about Today that We nave comfort in
The recollection of the dead. Behind the
moisture that unbidden gathers in our eyes
giisIens Inc JOY when we remember that the
soldiers death j. NOT the symbol OF defeat, but
rather OF lasting victory. Think you that
the boys who tel in bloody battle were de
teated; Think you, though the enemy were
ten 10 one, though they bore down upon them
in fttTy till every dlOp OF blood was shed, that
hence their blood was wasted; Itch you, mol
You forget he power OF martyr blood! Bun
Run WAS not Il defeat Ii WAS a glorious VIC
tory! For defeat in IL noble cause is yictOryi
You forget int where one seed j. sONn a dozen
stalks spring up! on forget that the hearts
blood OF one soldier dying nobly sliIs the
hearts Of hundred more who flock to take
his place.
" her men are gross they think that martyr
dom IS death. But the martyr is the only man
who cannot die. He who lives IN seiishness
abides upon The earth, and when he dies he
dies. He leaves no inspiring memory 10 eNalt
the orld He leaves no noble history to stir
his fellow men to noble action. "ie aDides
alone" The martyr is not 50. When he dies
he lives. He lives III the memory OF his fellow
men. He lives in The noble cause he has
espoused. When his heart ceases 10 beat Il
hundred hearts beat quicker; when his mus
ket falls from his lifeiess hand II dozen hands
reach forth 10 take il up. Beecher says: - ell
me not that they are dead. Are they dead
That yeL speak louder than can speak!
Are they dead that yet act? Are they dead
That yet move upon society, and inspire the
people with nobler motives and more heroic
PATRIOTISM: &c that mourn, let gladmeSS min
gle with your tears; it was your son; but no"
II is the naIIOn's'