The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-09-21

lowed tieS snaps thsclcsest bonds and
leaves widow and Mthsfless 10 mourn
the los ii husband and father. No
name BY which We call our dearest rel.
atives u enough to keep him away.
WIFE, father, mother, daughter or SON..
cannot prevent his grasp and ruthless
thrust. He comes. ~ . thief in the
night, In It's silence and darkness, or
In the busy day. He comes and puts
an end to our brightest hopes and ex.
pectations, "0rim visaged" death
rushes In where most others are ex-
cluded, invading palace, mansion. and
cottage alike. He strikes, = nation is
left to mourn the loss, or perhaps 1t IL .
solitary stranger removed to q better
and richer abede,
Death a "A enemy 10 the Church,
considered by itself. He robs Of IT.
brightest ornaments without one -.
lenting throb. The beautv or glory Of
the. victim b o. no deterrent influence
VIE. him. He snatches away ito
mighty sons without . care Of the
strength Of the victim. The most
pious and devoted are levelled by his
fell stroke.
Death is an enemy.
Death is denominated tho last enc
my.
To the Christian this IL absolutely
true. He has many enemies to con-
tend with in the world. Many foes
stand arrayed against him In the
Christian life. How numerous the
forces which would drag him from the
pinnacle Of his privilege and enjoy.
ment in Christ. Satan would "have
and silt - wheat" HE goeth about
as q roaring lion seeking whom he may
devour." The wiles Of the wicked one
are cunning. The allurements to sin
are often attractive; and the hook is
baited with something pleasing to
to draw aside the Christian from his
course. We have often the enmity Of
the heart to God. to overcome. There
is the rage and scorn Of worldlian and
infidel. But these shall all be over
come. The triumphs Of the Gospel
shall increase until all forms Of oppos.
Ing superstition and error shall give
way before 1t. The taunts and sophi-
istry Of skeptics shall lose their force
before the faith Of the Christian aud
the power Of the truth. The false
systems of religion which have 30 long
tyranized over men shall one by one
be abolished and make way for the
light and life revealed In the Gospel.
The grace Of God shall triumph over
all forms Of personal trial and enemies
But after all these have been over
come there is another enemy to face
Death awaits US all.
He is the last enemy. Mostly the
reserve force of an enemy Is the strong.
est and hardest to resist.
The last struggle ie often the fiercest
It is the last resource that is the most
trying.
How often is it that men who would
brave every difficulty, endure al
kinds of suffering, 60 through every
kind of hardships, shrink from death
more than anything else.
Yet death to the Christian, to thu
true-hearted is the last enemy they
will have to encounter. They die, nc
more to die, no more to weep, no more
i to suffer, because no more to sin.
We observe in the Sd place this last en-
envy il vanquished. Although an enc
my; although the last, and to some
the worst enemy, there is nothing
thank God, to fear from the grim mon
ster. There is q vanquished foe ani
he has been overcome by a superior
force. He has been overcome by {
Master Hand. The Christian need feal
him not, for his Captain has been int
the thick Of the fight before him, anG
has snatched from the hand Of thil
fierce, ruthless enemy his sharpest in
strument Of terror, viz: Sin! Sin de
stroyed and the power of death is gone
God of old said. In Hosea, 18th and 14tt
verses, 81 will ransom them from thu
power of the grave, I will redeem then
from death. o, death I will be thy
plague; o, grave I will be thy destruc'
tion."
Paul, writing to Timothy, tells him
that Jesus Christ "Hath abolished
death, and brought life and immortal
lily to light"
John, in the Revelation, saw that
death and the grave were cast iato
the lake that burneth with fire."
Death has been operated against, his
batteries destroyed, his instruments
taken away or blunted. The complete
victory over him is secured by the
resurrection. Here it is the triumph
over death is greatest. His sceptre is
gone. His captives are liberated.
The time will come when death
himself shall die. Give up his work.
Cease to reign. Death no,D, has been