The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-06-28
he Died TO SAVE
Rev. Charles ]. Allen breaches
a Sermon ID Memory Of
Howard Griffin.

tN0 diSNiNAH ItCiofAuEQ 1uuIcH,
Danforth and Ocean avenues. last evening
the Rev. Charles J. Allen preached a ser
mon to the memory of the late Howard
Griffin. who was killed at the finish of a
ten mile bicycle race held by the Ar
canum Wheelmen a week ago last Satur-
day on the Boulevard. On the platform
was q beautiful chair of pinks and roses,
sent by the Greenville Republican League
Club. whose members marched into the
church about sixty strong while the choir
was singing Nearer My God to Thee
There were also members Of the Min
kakwa Republican Club and of the Aetna
and Arsanum Wheeling Clubs present.
Tn sermon was a beautiful one, and
one that will live long in the memory of
all those that were present. The text
Mr.. Allen chose was:-sAnd some of them
said, Gould not this man which opened
the eyes of the blind nave caused that
even this man should not nave died?''
He said:-sIn the little town of Bethany
were many humble homes. In one such
home, its curtains drawn, its dark rooms
redolent with rose and lily fragrance, two
sisters sat within the gloom of death.
Their brother, the pilot of the home, has
been taken away and laid to rest in a
tomb. After the fourth day Of their week
alone they were visited by a party of
friends, whose mission was to cheer and
comfort them, but whose first act was to
tell the tidings of the near approach of
Jesus-He who had a room in which to
sleep and a place at the dining table of
that little home. Even He who had re-
Gently given sight to a blind man.
Mary sat still and with down-cast
gaze. She frowned at the thought of
His being near. Martha. unable to con-
tain her pent,up, disappointment, went
out to meet the late coming and, as she
thought, negligent friend. His only lam
guage was the fervant hand clasp, and
ne 1929 OF pity from His eyes. Mar
Death, before thy mighty sway one
mlghtier man stands ready; in thine icy
clutch thre lies a noble toiler of the
earth; but see, thou hast had thy day.
y DEATH, twill be only until Mary is
brought from her repining and two sis
ters Will throw their arms about thy
Victims neck, and light will flood the
dear old home, and sorrow shall vanish
AM John says some one asked, Gould
not TINS man which opened the eyes of
the Dlnd man have caused that Lazarus
should not have died?' And John re-
membered that Jesus had told him and
ms up beyond the Jordan, that
the sickness of Lazarus would be unto
death for the glory of God. At the ex-
pense of unspeakable grief to the sisters
J 5es further said to the disciples: I am
STAG Tor your sakes that I was not there
to the intent We might believe; come. now
let us go to him.
John might nave told all this to those
VINO questioned the expediency of Lag
aruss death. But Jesus was weeping and
the tomb was being approached by the
fnrong. Then Jesus said Lazarus come
Iorln, and he that was dead, walked out
OF the lonely cave, his face enveloped in
a napkin, his body bound in grave clothes.
his person all as the sisters had viewed
MN waen borne away. They stripped the
l. DdnGAxaS from hIS faan or1 I1a 49, -.A
loose the wrappings of his hands and feet.
and with blood surging and nerves fut-
terlng, the road back home was trodden
by Lazarus, a sister upon each arm. all
sorrow gone. The common every day
grants of Gods mercy and the common
Lazarus,like made of departing this life.
ran almost utterly, now to remind many
men of Gods displeasure with unbelief.
SO occasionally God devises a ylan which
cannot fail to warn. Such a plan He
executed just eight days ago on the
boulevard. Only God knows why Howard
Griffin was chosen and not some other
WneeIrnen or policeman or locker on. I'm
til Jesus revealed it God alone held the
secret OF the death of Lazarus who bore
a Xix relation, to his home that Howard
Griffin bore to his. Three were those
far more deserving of death hi either
Howard or Lazarus, but none perhaps
other than those two in their respective
communities whose dying could more
richly rebound unto the glorifcation Of
God. Lay the blame for Howard Grifin's
death where Mary n Martha laid the
blame for their brothers. death at the
feet of .JeSus.
"Oh, the meaning of that word ssurren-
der once It leaps from the lips of Cod!
its guns unclasps its belts, lays down
its swords, quits it's hostility, assumes
allegiance to the Conquerer when that
Gonaueror is Christ. At Appomattox
Court House, when one Of Lees staff ex-
claimed, @ General, what will history
say Of the surrender of this army in
know they will not understand how we
We're overwhelmed by numbers. But that
Is not the question, Colonel. The ques-
If it is right, then ! will take all the
responsibility
what will men think? is the bludgeon
all the weapons of hell Thirty years
have passed away since Lee surrendered
to Grant, and the growth of brotherly
proclaim the eternal truth, Lee was
right The Union was saved. If any man
declares that Lee was weak or idiotic or
coWardly, then he was not one of the
army that fought against Lee at Gettys-
burg. A gentleman tells of a thrilling
accident which happened in British Cos
Two men were down at the bottom of
afshaft in a coal mine, and We're filling
their bucket with coal. Jim Hemsworth,
Standing at the top of the shaft, was
turning the windlass when suddenly the
Windlass broke and the loaded bucket
was falling on the miners beneath. See
ing that certain death must be visited
upon his fellow workingmen beneath.
Jim Hemsworth threw himself against
the whirling cogs of the windlass. His
flesh was crushed and his bones were
broken. but he stopped the windlass and
the bucket and saved the men beneath.
When Jim Hemsworth's dying body was
being bandaged one miner said, Jim, this
is TERRIBLE oh! said he, what's the
difference so long as I've saved the boys
If Howard Griffin would but speak to us
Il I am sire he would SaV.-tVbafsC fha
difference so long as by my ride to death
all the boys are saved
PROF. DE VOLSON WOOD IEAD.