The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-24
MEMORIAL TO A MEMBER.
IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE LIN.
DEN STREET CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
The Late Mrs. d. T. Porter's Memory n
Theme for Eloquent Tribute From Her
Spiritual Adviser During Life-The
Pew She Occupied Decorated.

tan OuuTCn yeSteTudI morning were lH-
teresting in high degree.
The announcement that tho occasion
would be devoted to the memory of the
late Mrs. Porter, a devoted aud much.
loved member of that church, filed the
large audience room.
The church and the pow occupied by
her during life were appropriately aud
beautifully ornamented with floral decora-
lions, while the choir discoursed the
sweetest music. Mrs. /. L. Peters rem
dered "Some Sweet Day" with tender
pathos that touched every heart and filed
many eyes with sympathetic tears. DR..
Migrants sermon was one Of the happiest
efforts with which he has entertained and
edited his audiences, and was delivered in
his usual iorcible and impressive manner.
The following is a
SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON.
1t seems but Just that our services this
morning should, in some measure, take on
the form Of memorial services and be con-
Quoted in memory OF one whom we all de-
light 10 honor.
The vacant pew, so uniformly occu-
pied by our departed sister, silently pro-
claims her absence from us tod ay and for
all coming time, reminding us OF life's
brevity and deaths certainty. We can
not look upon this spiritual vine and not
miss the absent branch, always loaded
with the fruit OF the Spirit.
1t is far from my purpose TO indulge In
personal reflections upon tho beautiful
character OF our deceased sister. The elo'
quence OF words is but dull aud mean
ingless in the presence OF the eloquence Of
a Christian life, that has become living
| epistle known and read OF all men.
There is no character comparable TO the
plain, unassuming Christian character.
Perhaps few people in the world ever
lived more loyal TO an enlightened Chris
! tian conscience than did Mrs. Porter.
Her life, so humble and unassuming, Is
set with sparkling diamonds OF beautiful
deeds that speak moro eloquenlly for hei
than any words OF mine can do.
Her lilo Of loving loyalty TO all her
varied obligations was not heraldcd 10y
the sound OF trumpets, but silently,
humbly that life became monument Il
the Christ.liko character she had formed,
that the shafts Of time can never destroy.
The perfect resignation with which sh,
Welded herself 20 the embrace OF death
forms a most beautiful supplement TO the hi,
she had lived, aud furnishes q most pleas
ing comment upon the sustaining hope OF
the Christian religion.
While she conceded that life had many
charms for her, and that few, perhaps
had more to live for, yet she declared her
self entirely ready 10 enter through thl
open portals 10 the home beyond.
What a beautiful, beautiful hope I
this!
Forever palsied be the hand that woul
strike this bright star from the spiritua
skyl
Why should we stop 10 question th'
source OF such hope M thisl Why shoul'
| refuse 10 qnench my thirst from th
clear flowing fountain because the soufc
OF ils supply Is n mystery 10 me?
Why should refuse TO eat OF the ripeno
fruit because know not the source Of th
tree that bears ~
Why should dash from my lips tn
golden cup Of blessing filed with the low
aud life OF Christ, because some one Ia
said the Gospels are not gcnuincl
Why should | refuse 10 embark with nj
my commercial interests, upon the grca
oceans, because / know not the source {
their supply
Burn up the Gospel, aud Christ Is still LEI
us as the hope of the world. lie lives nc
zone in the Bible. lie IL q historic char
acier. lie has imbcddcd Himself and III
teaching In the very hearts Of our rae,
and no fire can burn Him out lie VIII
spends his time aud talent In trying
, yeil this one aud only staroi hope 10 dyi u
, ewes, Is not to be cnvicd. How prcciot
30 know this bright hope anchored th
soul Of our sister when the storm Of deaf
beat upon Il.
After these Introductory remarks NJ
. Ingram proceeded 10 preach bIicf di
course from Revelations xxi:l-2. h.ssubie
, being "The Home OF the Soul"
, lilo remarked that II was little less tina
. an allront 10 the intelligence Of this agc
, attempt 20 prove that man u more tha
! mere matter. To deny this is 10 plum.
. all nature into the most binding mystcr
II man IL but the product Of nature, aud
! therefore purely material, he il mo
/ loalhsome failure. Nature breaks dow
, lust o. she reaches the summit, an
4 falls at the base Of the mountain Of Ia
! own creation aud II dashed into a tho
/ sand fragments. When Christ dcclar,
r that man should not live by bread alon
4 but by every word that procccdcth out
I. the mouth II God, lie uttered that eve
true man feels IN his own consciousness
! be a living truth. That which satisii
r the beast will not satisfy man. Man b
n a hungofing nature that cannot be saiisii'
n by material food. There Il that with
4 man, OF that i man, which IA dissaiialil
n with the body. Paul, the great Jcwii
!, philosopher, longcd To b. delivered fro
4 the body. This has been the cry OF lea
!, ing philosophers In al ag,'s Of tile worl
Y Christ. the greatest Of all philosopher
a taught the people not 20 fear him wi
!, could kill the body. aud after that "
/, powcrlcss. The body ~ not ths home
Il the soul. II " hut the frail bark In viii
/ tho spirit makes the voyage Of u
"A When once the ocean Oi life Il
:. been safely crossed, the soul has no II
"A Their Use Cor the dccaying vessel, ~
4. hence discmbarks aud enters into III
= blessed spiritual homo 10 carefully Fl
!. pared for IN coming.
~ Man began his earthly life In q garlc
!. hc will begin his heavenly life IN n pep
\, louH city. There seems 90 bc q charm
:. man abou, great city. Everybody wal
n 20 live In or near a great city. Ccniou
"a wealth, Of education, Of beauty, Of era
II dcur, Of lie. have a most wonderful
~ traction for the great mass Of mankind.
n so our Divine Father Is preparing
4. great city Tor His people greater IA
10 | mathcmaticinns eau calculate.
~ IL II TO bo n city OF raro magniiicrr
& and beauty To satisfy the aspirations
4, the human soul that homo Of the imml
/" al snifit ,nugt surpasa In maaniliccu