Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-03-09
Philip and Christina OrndOrf
FUNERAL SERMON
REV r. c. ORNDORFF.
BY

chased Of the sous of Heth, there
vas Abraham buried ard Sarah
MS wife.-Gen. XIV, 10.
Quaint old text, simple in Ian
guage, yet So touching in this same
l am dwelling on an
old bible story; one with which you
have once been familiar, but which,
in the rush of the busy years has
been quite forgotten. Abraham Is
a stranger in this new land OF
Canaan. Suah faithful vile and
companion Of these wauderings,
sickeUs and dies. Grief is always
touching IN its loneliness, evel when
surrounded BY friends, but in an
unknown Land, meath alien skies,
By strange and curl
GUS faces, it is pitilOusly cruel. 1t
is all over and the aged patriarch
seeking a blrial pace for the ashes
of his dead. The sons Of Iltth
kindly offer him a spot, but Aora'
ham knows this is but profuse
Oriental courtesy. He is deter
mined to purchase a S'pulcher for
his dead. The end Is gained and
the cave Of Machplah becomes the
funeral vault of the pilgrim patri-
arch, and the setting sun touch
ing with gold the dark mantles OF
the mourners, as they cOpSign the
sleeper to the tomb, seem almost
heavenly iu their sOftened light;
the twilight dies and the pale
moonbeamS of the night throw
shafts of silver glow through the
crevices ofthe wall and there in
turn reveal the Strengthened
fOrw entering so peacefully upon
her long slumber. The mother of
Israel is alone at last. Abraham
was the last TO leave the sepulchsr.
Overwhelmed by his mighty grief,
he has been tenderly lead away.
Tue pilgrims have separated. One
has reached Beulah land, the other
alone, gray aud carewOrn, sadly
thoughtful, pushes on until "wax-
ing Old like a garment" he too
completes the race and joins his
companion in the dust.
Sarah, after one hundred and
twenty.seven years of active, faith
full life, at rest Abraham, So.
journer, shepherd and seer, bowed
down by The weight of one hun
dred and seventy.fve years, leans
heavily upon his staff. His vision
clears altar beyond The sunsets
clouds, he sees the domes of the
toundationed city. The gates are
ajar; the spirit passes. 1t is OF
GOd--.he dust is Of Machpelah.
Abraham joins Sarah in unbrOken
slumber. Husband and wife, loyer
and loved, man and woman, labor
ended life past, slum5ering side by
side in coffined spleHdOr, and over
both the canopy OF silence.
want you to think to day OF
your own Machpelah, where father
and mother, their work on earth
ended, are resting. Perhaps Sarah
has been tenderly laid to rest and
Abraham is yet to follow. If so,
let Isaac aud Ishmael be graciously
kind to the old pilgrim. Mindful
of his simple wants and when he
sickns and dies, put aside every
difference and together lay him
down amid the democracy of death.
Have your own burial ground.
Here, no matter where You die,
you expect to be buried.
Together let US sweetly live,
Together let as die"
Ia darkness, We can be company
for each other, as one by one we
gather in the narrow palace of rest.
The lesson is ever TO the living,
both pilgrim and impenitent. OF
what use to mortal flesh and flown
spirit is funeral rite. ceremony,
lturgi, hymn or anthem ? For
saint awaits a crown, the crown of
everlasting life. For the sinner,
tue condemnation of an outraged
God. "Death enters, there is no
defence" II the living is the
message of the gospel herald in
voice, organ, prayer and note, ahd
the parting ia darkened chamber,
the silent hand clasp, the fond
farewell and over all life's hottest
sacrament, the baptism of tears
prove all sufficient.
THE OLD BURIAL GROUND.
1t is historic. Here nearly three
quarters OF a century ago, the first
grave was dug. Since then, in this
simple AID secluded spot, three
generations have been entombed
Standing in It's sacred precincts, /
mark how the mounds have multi.
piled. The harvest of death has
been richand terrible. Here graves.