St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-24
ON II. G. HARRISON.
Rev. DR.. Tifany's Sermon on the
Life Of the Departed.

Life of the Departed.
At the Hennepin Avenue NJ. Z. church
yesterday morning Rev. Dr.. .. II. Tiff
fany preached a memorial sermon on
tie late II. G. Harrison. His text was
from III, Kings. xiii, 81: "And it came to
pass. as they were burying a man. that
behold. they spied a band of men; and
they cast the man into the Sepulcher of
Elisha; and when the man was let down
and touched the bones of Elisha he re-
vived, and stood upon his feet" In the
course of the sermon he said:
How solemn and imi ressive are
the words in the burial service
w hich declare that in the midst
ordinary conception life and death
are in antagonism, the one ever striving
to overcome the other; there is con-
slant conflict, which always terminates
in the triumph of death. Life succumbS,
fails, goes out; 1.-THE grave has a victory.
il is brief. it is transient, but the fact
that we are compelled to Succumb makes
death always a solemn event. 1t brings
to an end so many plans, whether COM
plete or incomplete, and depriVes us of
the opportunity of executing purposes
which may largely have entered into
our thoughts and schemes; it touches
our sensibilities, bringing separations
that sever the tendereSt ties and
causing a removal which even the
thought of reunion does not SOlace. In
every death there are these elements of
human grief and perpleXity. In some
lives they are more markedly conspicu-
GUS: for when the influence of one de-
parted has extended beyond the house.
hold and touched society at many points
the loss is felt not only by wider cir
Gle, but by all within it more keenly.
In the case of a conspicuous life pro-
ionged to many years, extending through
more than generation, which has
touched society in its formative periods
and influenced it with the Sagacity of a
sharp intellect and the forecast of a
wise prudence, the whole community
arises in expressions of regret and sor-
row.
THE temporary triumph of death
over the physical frame We speak of as
a mystery: and so it is, often stealing
upon US with slow approach: nature
failing in its recuperating powers until
the body is out of sympathy with its en-
vironments; the pulse ceases to beat;
the breath ceases 10 start anew the life
currents in the veins; and the frame
work falls to pieces and life is ended.
takes to determine, is pOWerless TO pre-
vent. The universal presence of death
brings seriousness into all our hearts;
and the universally of this process,
which we call dying, only adds to its
mySteri0usness. But while we look at
this and claim it to be mystery.
life IS itself more mysterious. 1t has its
beginning in the feeble pulse of the
child and develops into the reStlessness
OF youth and vigorous energy of man
hood, and then declines into the palSied
and trembling steps or age, constantly
attempting to repair its wastes and re-
store its mutilatlOnS, and ever striving
for the unattaInable. With heavens
splendOrS over its head and helPs ter
rors beneath its feet, it vigorously
pushes On,seeking the unknown and un
movable, always grasping for the I'M
tanned, making the goal of to-day the
starting point for tO-mOrrOw,in ceaSelesS
and continuous progression. In such life
there Is not only mystery. but grandeur,
because in it there are Infinite pOssibii-
ties and its influence extends widely
here, and cannot be measured in the in
hnltleS of the hereafter. Its uncOn-
sciOus Influences are more marvel
Gus than any which it perceives.
And when man is useful among his
fellows, hOnOred by his associates,
trusted by the entire community, lives
at peace with God and spends his days
IN earnest efforts to advance the inter-
estS of spiritual kingdom, he adds to
the dignity of mere human living and
touches the sublime heights of pos
Sible spiritual power. This passage of
Scripture which | have quoted has been
often ably eXpOunded, and been used in
fr,. ]. Id
tact with the dead. and inquiring what
are the powers, and how are they eX-
erted, which perpetuate life's influences
from one generation to anOther-a Ques-
ton of great seriousness and in port,
and one full of interest and of profit.
I'm undertaking to settle this ques-
ton we must first eliminate from life,
in our consideration, such things as are
necessarily transient, for there enter
into life things for to-day as well as
things for the On-coming years. The
life of man may be linked to the life
of his God; and So while his body may
perish and dust descend to dust, his
soul may rise continually ascending
towards God. When a life that has been
touched of God comes into contact
with other life it is not always easy to
see how the contact reprOduces power.
how the progression and influence is
generated; but, under the laws of di-
vine working, a helpfulness is eX-
tended to humanity, benedietion be-
slowed upon the race.
1--WE are looking to-day at the influence
of one who has so recently been taken
from among US that we seem to look
around for his familiar presence. Let
US first look at the influence of such
man on the community III when he
lives. AS our towns are made beauti-
full by use of the abundant water power;
as painting babes are refreshed by the
clear, bright spray. which diffuses
health and life, we may well be thank
full Tor the services of such men as II. q.
Harrison, who assisted in maturing the
plans which cause fountains to spring
at all our homes, and beauty to crown