The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-06
OF A DIFFERENT HUE
Doctrines of the Liberal Society Crit
cised in the Pulpit.
BY THE REV. J. H. SPENCER
The Recent Funeral Address OF DR..
o. B. WhItford Was Taken as
the Subject OF the Cler-
gyman's Sermon.
BY THE REV. J. H. SPENCEI


the Butte Liberal society. an associa-
ton of free thinkers. The funeral ad-
dress was delivered by DR.. o. b. Whit
ford. and his remarks on the occasion
were published in the Standard the
following morning.
Last evening at the First Baptist
church, Rev. j. II. Spencer made
Criticism of DR.. Whitford's funerai
address" The preachers text was
Ephesians IL, IL. Having no hope
and without God in the world" Mr..
Spencer said:
During the week just past fun
eral was held in this city under the
auspices of the Liberal society. The
deceased man was a member OF the
society and the funeral was conducted
according to his wishes. expressed be-
fore his death. DIR. Whitford of this
city, also a member of the society and
the dead mans physician. made a
brief address at the grave. l am go
ing to ask you TO look at this address
with me this evening as colsely as our
time win allow. To a large class OF
people who are very imperfectly In
formed about the grave matters OF
which the address treats IL Is calculat-
ed to do much harm by its plausibility
and the prominent position or the au-
thor as a physician of long standing
in the city. The superfciality Of the
address Is apparent at sight TO most
of my congregation, i am well aware,
but there may be some here tonight
who were not prepared to detect the
unsoundness of the specious position
taken. And Il is a fact that there Is
much loose and prejudiced thinking
which welcomes the opinions again set
forth therein.
II was never given a better oppor-
tunity TO show all such, as many of
them as my voice can reach, the
ground on which they stand, or rather,
their utter lack of any footing at all.
than this address offers me. 1 could
not ask a more complete confession of
the entire insufficiency and weakness
of the position OF our enemies. The
address betrays the cause IL was meant
to support. Generally IL is best not to
advertise and dignity such views by
noticing them in the Christian pulpit.
Ingersoll owes most of his celebrity TO
the injudicious advertising of the min
listers. But sometimes VI may appear
to some that no answer Is forthcom-
ing because there Is none to come
forth, and. in such case, IL ought to be
made plainly and strongly.
II have no desire to attack DR..
Whitford, with whom my relations
have always been pleasant. But, on
the other hand, II is he who has made
che death of his friend the occasion for
a violent attack upon the Christian re-
ligion. So must ask you to notice the
lugubrious minor key of this compost
ton. 1t Is a most melancholy dirge.
NO hope is dts title. Listen! Friends.
] am cognizant that this is one of the
saddest hours in our life's experience.
L..
of death; no service so mournful as
when, on occasions like the present,
we meet ITO perform our hast sad duties
20 a dear, faithful friend. Our sadness
arises from the necessity of parting
with one so manly and true.
Yes; 1 have always thought that
the very quintessence of human an
guish. the very sublimation of suffer
ing would be to stand at the yawning
mouth of the grave and see its hideous
jaws close on the form of one dear to
me. To listen to the thud, thud of the
earth on the coffin saying. each success
sive one, gone. gone. forever gone! My
self being buried alive; for my heart
is there in the coffin. My heart strings
have grown around that life so dear
20 me, and now death slashes them
with his ruthless knife and there Is no
one TO bind up the wounds. Is that all
you can say to me? Then you may as
well stay at home. Don't follow me
TO the grave and mock my grief. 1t Is
deep enough already, and / would
rather be alone. And don't bring any
flowers, IL you must come. What have
flowers to do where there is no life?
IT is cruel TO suggest that they win
cover up my pain beneath their smiling
faces. Oh. no. l choose other company
at this time. Let Him stand by me
who says to me. L am the resurrection
and the life; he that believeth in me,
though he were death. yet shall he live;
and whatsoever liveth and believeth in
Me shall never die like better Da-
vid's conduct. who when they told him
that his child was dead, ceased his
mourning and fasting. and when his
servants asked explanation of such
strange conduct. said. While the child
was yet alive. tasted and wept, for |
said, Who can tell whether God will
be gracious to me, that the child may
live? But now he is dead. wherefore
should l fast? Can l bring him back
again? / shall go to him, but he shall
not return TO me-
But hear DIR. Whitford: To his sor-
rowing family we say. griev not
(what mockeTy! Jesus wept with the
bereaved). His struggles are over, his
pains ended. and his is secure from the
moldering touch OF time What does
that meanI i should say that time had
the one whom he consigned to earth
grasped with both its skinny hands 10
have and keep him. unless i can say
with Job, i know that my Redeemer
1iveth.' Aye, there is one whom the
moldering touch OF time can never
reach. And though after nv skin
armies destroy this body. yet in my
flesh shall i see God Cold comfort
DIR. Whitford gives. II Is like Remains
last words TO his wife: BE calm and
resigned; we undergo the laws of that
nature of which we are a manifesto
ton. We perish. we disappear. but
heaven and earth remain, and the
march of time goes on forever Is not
that balm for a breaking hearth And
as 20 the man whom they lay away.
the Liberals say. he is at rest: his
pains are ended, his struggles have |
ceased, at rest What is rest? Is
death rest? is cessation OF being restp /
That Is a conception OF rest which IS |
worthy OF a An /