Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-02-06
FUNERAL SERMON

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''As thy soul liveth there. is but A stem
between me and death" Sam, Xxx. 8.
The anger and jealousy OF King Saul
had been excited toward the rising and
popular David and he determined to put
him out Of the way by taking his life,
and with Satanic skill he set many tran
for Dayid. He devised many scheme 70
destroy him. To escape from Saul's
malice David was obliged to fee from
city TO city, and az times to secrete him
self In the wilderness. But strong as the
love between Damon and Pythias, OF
classic fame, was the love between David
and Jonathan, the son of Saul, and after
David, like hunted deer, had fed from
Nnioth 10 Ramah he came into the pres.
ence Of Jonathan, aud 10 him he unbur-
dcned his soul, and he said, "Wbat have
! done? What ID mine inlquity? What
is my sin before thy father that he seek
eth my llie?"
AZ thy soul liyeth there is but a step
between me and death. In this solemn
assertion of David, made more solemn
Ivy the oath with which David confirmed
1t, there is general truth. Ii is Ian
guage that all may adopt Il is an as
sertiOn that each of us may make our
own for there is but step between us
and death.
Old and young, feeble and strong, frall
and robust, sick aud well, we all may
death. What Is deathi Somewhat thus
does Albert Barnes illustrate It:
We know something yet little Of death.
We sec to-day lovely youth, flushed
with hope and full OF cheeriulness and
JOY, the pride OF his friends aud the hope
OF the community. Ills eye is radiant with
genius, bis cheek blooms with the rose of
health. His frame is manly and COM
InandinR. His step Is elastic and Joyous.
His heart Is bounding with hope. He
comes to lend to social circles the en-
chantment OF his presence aud conversa-
ton.
And he looks onward to health and
honor and long life. There is not crown
so brilliant 10 the grasp OF ambition that
he does not aspire to 1t. There ia not q
field Of honor which he does not hone to
tread. Tomorrow that elastic ioot-tread
ceases 10 be heard In the cheerful circle.
That voice is hushej. The fire has de-
parted from that eye and the color from
that cheek. And that heart has ceased
to beat. Lnie's machinery Is at stand
still. And that hope and ambition and
conversational power, and buoyancy and
manly strength have fed. And what is
there leitl A mass OF moulded clay
now like the marble, cod, but more
perlshable; moulded form, but with a
peculiarly OF feature, q chilliness,
hxedneis, solemnity that we see but
cannot describe, and that nature nowhere
reveals but among the dead. And still
we ask, "What Is deathi" It Is the
pun nj mia
concerns.
The work which we did us we took our
place with llfe's busy toilers is done. We
have been seen for the last time III the
field, the store, the shop, the office. The
implements with which VIC wrought will
lie unused till they perish, or must be
caught up aud welded by o'hers who
survive ue. Our name Is left OIL from
the roll In the social or literary circles,
of which we were n member, and to
whose meetings We knew we were always
welcome.
The church we loved and whose inter
eats were our interests holds It's meetinga
as before, but we are no more at those
meetings. Our Place may be filed, and
ably filled by others, but we shall be
there no more. Our voice shall never
again be heard in the prayers or in the
songs OF the sanctuary. And OH that
home where we dwelt, that which was
the abode of 10y and Rladness, where we
sustained the relation OF husband or
wife, of father or mother, Of son, OF
daughter, OF iroth1r and sister-who
can properly describe what death is when
1t disturbs such relationships as thesel
Pity tue griei-strickel sonls OF those who
dwell In that home that death has
al. a nf.ah a nHV.. =
feign forget their sorrow and be as they
were before, of buoyant and cheerful
hearte, but vacant chair, a picture by
the wall, unused garments, an unoccu.
pied room, the very silence, and a thou
sand other th'ngs are cons ant'y bringing
the form, the voice, the smile, the very
presence OF the dear departed before you
to be dispelled by a waking up to the
reality, ale is dead" eNVhat Is death?"
1t Is an end OF our opportunities of saliva
tloD. Momentous interests depend upon
what IL done by us during our earthly
life. God has revealed heavenly world
az the future and eternal home of bis
people, but to inherit II thoy must be
prepared. If man die IN his sins, where
God aud Christ are he cannot come. How
lleeting time admonishes us to prepare to
meet our God.
"Work while 1t is called day, for the
night eometh when no man can work"
Nv batsoever thy hand tindeth to do,
do it with thy might, for there Is no work
nor wisdom nor divine knowledge in the
grave whittier thou goest."
And, my brethren, death is near. The
text declares he Is but step away. As
thy soul liyeth there Is but a step between
mo aud death. The pale horse and his
rider arr abroad in the land, and deaths
seythe is busy moving down the people.
He is buI a step away from us. The liv-
ing know that they must die. And, o.
blessed thought, II we have lived for
Christ, death is step out Of this scene OF
woe and trial and strife and tears and
care and pain into yonder heaven of rest
and peace and sinlessness and joy. 1t is
a step out of this world where we were
pilgrims and strangers, weary with our
journey and signing for our home, into
our Fathers house, where we shall par
ticipate in the glorious family gathering
as the sons aud daughters of God; shall
come from the East and the West, and
shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob in the kingdom of their father.
"Glye me the wings of faith to rise,
Within the veil, and see
The saints above, how great their Joys,
How bright their glories be.
once they were mourners here below
Aud poured ont cries and tears,
They wrcstlcd hard as we donow
With sins and doubts and fears
80, Paradise! o, Paradise!
Who doth not crave for rest,
2 Who would not seek the happy land
Where they that live are blost?"
Three wears AGO In the midst of prp-