, 1891-03-27

II a 'l' N"Il'N'' i'1NN ~ u W.
him, 1t was not il bit of the world fenced
in aud rooted over with a fire built in it
Just for shelter, but home, for HIM
and them, was a synonym
for the veshbule of Heaven.
When men do not love their hearth
stones, nor reverence their thresholds,
it Is a sign that they have dishonored
both; that they have fallen even below
the piety OF the pagan who paid to his
household gods a reverence and devotion
he gave no other, though they were the
c]ostiiest and most majestic ever Wor-
shipped in heather temple.
It was with Mr.. Snyder as with AbTas
ham, when he pitched his tent to TIE
West in Canaan at Bethel, there he
0uilded an altar unto the Lord and called
upon the name of the Lord. At that
altar he ministered, as IN the days of the
patriarchs, when each father was the
priest OF his " household. The fires
Of faith and love aud devotion glowed
brightly. Poor beyond expression is the
soul that has not been filed with hottest
aspiration at the altar of family 4
weak to resist the temptations Of life arc
children who 20 forth from homes in which
no incense of PRAYER and praise and deep-
est love rises to the Father OF us all. And
perhaps faIrer and stronger than the up
lift OF a Fathers faith eveu to lead in
rntIg - rtuLtu,p4r..- t-.H
hands laid in hottest. tondest bencdiction
on the heads of her children bending at
her knees in earliest confession, and wor-
shipping at the truest altar to be found in
this world. This altar remains in the
home, and upon it the fires Of holy love
and ardent faith may not die out, while
the candle OF the Lord continues to burn
in the household there will ever be light
for you my bereaYcd sister upon lifc's
sorrowful way.
OF such a Christian man as Mr. Sny-
der was, We may now surely say in the
words OF St Paul
"To die * gain"
Our brother has laid down his burdens.
His trials are over. His life. which was a
most happy one in loving and being be
loved by faithful wife and dutilul children.
was yet a battle-at times fairly fighting
Tor breath enough to live on. HIS suffer
ings none can imagine who have not seen
the spssms which at times attend the
asthma-spasms rending aud heart rend
ing. On Monday his distress was so great
that he wished 1t were over. In such
prayers was the intimation. to those who
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he felt the end was near. Yet deliver
ance from pain is not the reason we re-
ioice with our brother today. IL is that
he has entered into life-fulne-s Of lie
blsssednes7, 10y and peace.
Above the cross is the crown. Neither
IS the service Of Christ for that reason a
selfish one. His service of the Master
was hearty and sincere. There was
Joy in the doing OF it He was not driven
by the sense OF duty-nO measuring of his
hours TO DO lust enough to be saved.
There was no questioning. Does it pay
to be relieious?'He loved his Savior and
his service.
He could say with the apostle. Il am
now ready to be offered and tho tune Of
my departure is now at hand. | have
fought a good fight. | have finished nv
curse. | have kept the faith. Hence
forth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the right.
M Judge, shall give me at that day"
81 have fought a good fight The
press of the city has given incidents Of his
army life, showing his eagerness To be at
the front and in the foremost Of the fray,
where brave men love to be. The same
spirit put him in the front in the good
fight Of faith. His was a leading spirit
and bravely, faithfully he stood where the
Lord placed him and did his duty. If with
reverence we NAV think it | could imagine
Il telegram from heaven bulletined on the
walls of this church today: "Breyetted on
the field, now crowned by the Great Cap
tain of our salvation
Il have finished my course
Life Is a race towards an eternal goal.
Lay aside every weight. Keep the eve
fixed on the prize OF glory. The race is
not won until the goal is touched.
St. Paul round it necessary to reprOvc
some OF the Galatians because they had
given M the race for eternal lite. 'Ne did
run well; who did hinder YOU that yc should
not obey truth?'' No such admonitIon
was needed in our brothers case. His
eye was fixed on the prize. And if his
last words were caught correctly in his dy
ing moments the vision was clear.
His wife mentioned to me the
fact that he often lamentcd that
so many obstacles we're thrown in
the way of men becoming Christians by
the sorry lives of those who protested to
be Christians. He wished Christians
wouldn't throw stones in the way of
Others.
My brother believer, if | may speak a
word to you in the name of our lamented
brother Snyder, | believe he would wish
me to say this: Open the way and keep
it clear The call from these silent lips,
the lesson from this closed casket, Is for a
higher tyne of Christian loyalty and in
tegrity. The voice sounds to US from the
skies-"l have finished my course. |
have kent the faith Loyalty to the
Lord Jesus was very marked in our
brothers spiritual life. During all the
breaking down of faith which has marked
the course of thought for the last twenty
five years our brother held firmly to the
faith once delivered to the saints.
For him the broad uruclamation-"Eor
God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son that whosoevcr believ-
eth IN Him should not perish. but have
everlasting life all sufficient. lie
had ardent desires and largest hopes for
the salvation of man, but that hope must
be realized here in their acceptance of
Christ. His creed was not bound up in
the Westminster catechism. though he
accepted it for substance of doctrine.
His heart found in the simple gracious
words OF the Savior of sinners forms and
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