The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-02-26
NOT DEAD, BUT SLEEPETH!
Rev. Il. NJ. Kennedy's Eloquent Ora
ton Mt the Funeral Occasion OF
Rev. J. c. Mitchell.

Matt. 9:24 mot dead but sleepeth
Brethren While the living image
OF your pastor aud associate and
friend in all its freshness seems to
walk among you, l am requested to
commemorate the services of the dead.
You have grown so accustomed to
his presence; such short time has
elapsed since he occupied his wonted
place in the sanctuary, that we are
unable to realize the melancholy
truth, that-in this Iife-we shall see
his face no more.
But | come to you not with the
sorrow of those who have no hope,
but with a message of peace; with
''giad tidings of great joy" with COM
fort from the GLORIOUS gospel or the
b rssed God"
Mankind has a common enemy to
which, in time each individual must
succumb. The last enemy that shall
be destroyed is death. The Scrip
lures personify death as n tyrant-a
"Kiug of TerTUrsn- welding despotlc
power over the human race. Re-
gardless of age or rank; however
amiabIe his disposition, or attrac-
tive the person, or engaging the man
ners, it takes hold upon ali alike aud
none have power to resist ~ -trength.
Hence the grauiesJ "iter Of the
eternal lie conditioned upon simple
faith Jesus said-''I am the resur-
rectiOn and the life he that belleNeth
ON me tho he were dead yet snail lie
live Aud whose .Ver liVrtn III me
shall never die" /. Z. et.rn"i'y. rue
whole OF the Gospel III epll""l' Is
Life everlasting hinged upon faith.
Life the antithesIs OF d-aIn l. me
richest boon of heavsu. Iue mission
# fNhriSf this -irl-I,tlFStAI earl y. l.lu
for its purpose the abolition OF death
His own written words are, II am
come that they might have lite and
that they might have il more -N"uhd-
anlIy." Aud the III ghiest display oil
heavens power was-uOt when 'T"d
called a world OF or Ter and harmony
out OF chaos aud confusion but
when the God man burst a-uuier
the bands OF death and ascending up
into glory proved the truth of his
words: because | live ye shall
live also" The most stupendOus
piece OF folly, the greatest fools err
rand OF all the worlds history was
when the puny arm OF man at
tempted TO seal up i'll rOck-hewu
tomb the pierced form of him who
held in his wounded palms the keys
OF life and death ;" when the Roman
soldiers were set aS watch against
him who doeth according to his Will
in the army of heaven and among
the inhabitants of the earth; aud
mono can stay his hand or say unto
him what dOest thou?
Pilates guard might just "a we'll
have eudeAvored to turn the tides oil
the sea, or TO pre- y At the sun from
rising, as to hinder Jesus coming
forth from the tomb. The same tnal
said al have all power in heaven and
earth, " said also of his life have
power to lay it down aud l have
power to take it again" This divine
power has conquered our enemy
which we so much dreaded and
death Is swallowed up in victory"
Now we can triumphantly say, - ca
tho l walk thro' the valley OF the
shadow of death L will fear no evil
for thou art with me; thy rod and
thy staff they comfort me-" rms
same divine power is further dls'
played III the fact that death to the
believer is no longer to be studiouslS
avoided, but a contamination de
voutly to b. wished. 1t il no Longer
attended BY horrors, but finds 1T
simiIe in sweet repose in sleep
Now we believe that the day O
death il better than the day of one'i
biIth," for ITO die is to gain" IL
speak of death as a sleep is an image
common to all nations and ages
Our word Cemetery is in consonanc'
with Scriptural teaching, for i
means a sleeping place. The Holy
Scriptures constantly describe dealt
as "A sleep, in order that the terror o
death might be mitigatCd and i'm
moderate grief for the dead he as
suaged under the name of sleep
which evidently includes the hop
OF the resurrection. Sleep is a-tru,
image OF death, for like it. death fol
lows WEAKNESS. When the work q
life has been hard, its sorrows many
il gives uuietude OF which the still
ness of the body - out an outwar
sign, aud /. will be followed by
glorious awakening on the morn @
the eternal day. He who entere
the chamber of death and Gale
back the departed spirit of the ruler
daughter TO its earthly tabernacle
VINO took from the bier the lad {
Main and restored him to his w
dOwed mother; who called Tort
Lazarus out of his tomb and CAV
him back to hisi sisters; He ill II
store to us all the dear loved one
who now 'thro' Iaith and patienC
inherit the promises" "For if W
believe that Jesus died and rOs
again evan so them also which slice
in Jesus will God bring with him.
The description of death as a sleep
not only very suggestive but also yer
con soling. 1t enables us to mode
ate our grief over our departed love
ones who sleep in Jesus. The moth'
does not look with sadness upon I'll
closed eyes OF her precious babe, I,
she knows that sound sleep to-nigI